Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Peaceful

I got my first Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Tipsy not so long ago and instantly fell in love with the product. So upon receiving the Tarte QVC set, I was more than excited to try out Peaceful.





I have to say, I love Tarte's Amazonian Clay blushes for it's texture and lasting power. Pigmentation is superb so a stippling brush might be need for light application. This, I would say, is even more pigmented than Nars blushes. On my cheeks, it lasts the entire work day without need for touch ups.  The product is very finely milled but pressed very firmly. Swirling the brush on the product doesn't loosen the powder so I don't end up with scattered mess on my vanity table.

As much as I love Tarte's Amazonian Clay blushes, I'm not particularly fond of Peaceful in terms of shade. I was expecting a light baby pink shade but it shows up pretty orange on my cheeks. I would say it looks pretty much like MAC's Warm Soul on me... probably less orange, but definitely not light pink. It's got some fine shimmers which isn't overpowering. Well, it's still a good blush, just not what I was expecting base on the product photos.

I'm still a little bit luke-warm to this blush, but who knows, I might like it one day if I'm up for something warmer.

Summary
Pros:
- very long lasting (I can see traces of blush after 12 hours of wear)
- very finely milled
- no gritty shimmers
- compact and comes with a mirror which is great for touch ups (if you ever need it)

Cons:
- Peaceful appears orange on my cheeks

Rating (1-5 hearts): ♥♥♥♥

Note: I deducted 1 star purely because of the shade. Otherwise, the product is definitely top notch. I need to do a separate review for Tipsy, to be fair.

Tarte EmphasEYES Waterproof Cream Shadow Pot in Shimmering Taupe

With the heat of summer, I've been reaching for cream eye shadows a lot lately.  They are quick and easy to apply, does not crease (well, depends on the product), and stays longer than powdered eye shadow. I don't have much cream shadows in my collection, but my favorite by far is Benefit's Creaseless Cream Shadow in Birthday Suit - one of my go-to product for summer.

I saw a few blog articles feature the new Tarte's new EmphasEYES waterproof cream shadows and I made a note to myself to try these babies out when they come out in stores. When I learned that this product is included in the Tarte QVC set, in goes the set into my shopping cart LOL

With my love for taupes, Tarte EmphasEYES Waterproof Cream Shadow Pot in Shimmering Taupe is definitely up to my alley. And I'm glad to report that this baby really is what I expected it to be - nice neutral shade, not frosty, long lasting, crease-free!

The texture, I would say is semi-creamy, like MAC Paint pots. It doesn't have the slip like the Benefit Creaseless Cream shadows so application using fingers is a little bit challenging. The size of the jar makes it difficult to get the product on the finger too. I guess that's the reason why this product comes with a synthetic eye shadow brush. It gives more precision as to where I want to apply the color.

Lasting power? Tarte's Amazonian Clay products really live up to its promises. EmphasEYES lasts forever on my lid. I've worn it for 12 hours and there were no signs of creasing or fading at the end of the day. Definitely the most long lasting cream shadow I've tried to date.

Overall, this is truly an amazing product. I would love to try out other colors once they are available in stores.

Summary
Pros:
- long lasting
- crease free
- buildable opacity
- can be used as a base/primer to keep powder shadows in place

Cons:
- Price. I believe this is priced 25 USD.
- Size. I'm pretty sure the product that comes in the QVC set is a full size. And it's equivalent to Benefit's mini creasless cream shadow. Imagine?
- Difficult to apply using fingers.

Rating (1-5 hearts): ♥♥♥♥

Final note: As much as I love the product, I have to deduct 1 star for the cons. The main issue for me is the texture. I wish it could be creamier and silkier, like the Benefit counterpart, so that it's easier to apply using fingers.

Tarte SmolderEYES waterproof eyeliner in Fig

It's been a while since my last post.  I've been very occupied these days catching up on Taiwanese TV dramas, hence blog neglected. I'm on series break now so I figure it's time to continue posting reviews on the Tarte QVC set I got a while back.  I'm reviewing another favorite item in the set which is the SmolderEYES waterproff eyeliner in Fig.



As mentioned in my Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer review, I have a major problem with eyeliner transferring on my under eye area. I've tried tons of waterproof eye pencils, including Make-up Forever Aqua Eyes and Urban Decay 24/7 liners, but they just don't work for me. I morph into a panda in less than an hour.  Eye pencil + creamy concealer combo is even worse.  The color transfers instantly as soon as I wink.  I have long converted myself to a liquid liner gal and given up using pencil liners altogether!

Since the start of the 2011, I've been itching to try pencil liners again. I’m so happy to find 2 drugstore gems – Prestige Total Intense liner and Milani Liquif’eye (will do a separate review on these babies). I only notice slight transferring at the end of the day and that, ladies, is a big deal for me.

Now comes the Tarte SmolderEYES waterproof liner included in the QVC set. Again, I wasn’t expecting much from this liner as the 2 drugstore liners have worked amazingly well for me. I thought SmolderEYES is just another version of the NYX jumbo pencils which creases on me instantly.  But this product totally caught me by surprise.  I didn't find any smearing even after 12 hours of wear!!! It’s so unexpected for soft pencils to have such good staying power. It glides so easily just like the Urban Decay 24/7 liners and takes a few seconds to set. Once set, it just won't budge!  I also like the plum shade as it gives such a sophisticated look and not as harse as your normal black eyeliner.

Overall, this product is another winner in my books. Available in Bronze, Brown, Charcoal, Fig, Golden Black, Navy, Olive, and Plum shades. Will definitely hit the stores and get more of these in different shades.



Summary
Pros:
- Glides easily
- Applies well on waterline
- Felt tip on the other end of the liner allows smudging for a softer look
- Shade in Fig is not as harsh as other black eyeliner and gives a more natural look
- Can be applied all over the lid as an eyeshadow base
- Despite being a jumbo pencil, tightlining is easy peasy…
- Stays for more than 12 hours without transferring, even when paired with creamy concealer.

Cons:
- Price. I believe this is priced at 25USD, which is double the cost of Prestige and Milani Liquif’eye.

Rating (1-5 hearts): ♥♥♥♥♥

Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer

I've read good reviews on the Maracuja Creaseless Concealer but I wasn't hoping much as my eyes just hate creamy concealers. These type of concealers causes my eyeliner to transfer from top lashes to my undereye area. Why, because the oil in it melts every bit of make-up. So when I wink, it transfers. I've always thought the eyeliners I use are no good. Later I realized concealer is the culprit. Since then, it's goodbye to Bobbi Brown corrector and concealer. I've been using liquid concealers like MUFE Lift and Lancome Effercernes for a while. Both are nice and doesn't cause my eyeliner to smear. However, the staying power is a little limited and I often find dark circles reappearing in the middle of the day. Then, comes my ever trusty Time Balm concealer. The coverage is great and doesn't melt my eyeliner! Best of all, it matches my skin tone perfectly. It's been indispensable since I bought it. I should do a separate review on Time Balm sometime soon.

Anyhow, that's just a brief history of my struggles with concealers. With my HG Time Balm on hand, I wasn't really too excited about the Maracuja Creaseless Concealer. I thought I would try it but not gonna expect anything amazing since it's creamy. Oh boy, I was wrong. This stuff is amazing! Despite the thick texture (imagine toothpaste), I find that it applies smoothly especially when using a finger to pat the product on the skin. It's very opaque so only little product is needed, therefore no cakey look. When applied, it has a slightly dewy finish which gives the eyes a bit of glow. No need for brightening concealers! Now, to the challenging part. Does it melt the eyeliner? Uh ah... not a single bit!!! Does it last and stay creaseless? That's a big YES!!! I have to say, it stays even longer than Time Balm on me. 12 hours after application, not a single sign of budging. And because of the Maracuja oil, my undereye area doesn't dry out like other concealers do after long hours of wear. I would say this is the best item in the kit!



I got the shade in Medium (after several attempts of changing shade back and forth) which is perfect for my NC25-30 skin tone. It's definitely got some pink to it so I wouldn't use too much to cover my freckles and spots. I still prefer Time Balm for other parts of the face. This stuff is slowing knocking Time Balm off the HG status :)

Summary
* Pros:
- smooth application
- dewy finish
- long lasting
- doesn't dry out the undereye area so fine lines are not accentuated
- comes with the Tarte Glow Your Way to Gorgeous set which is really a steal
- very opaque so a tube should last a really long time
- does not melt eyeliners so my undereye area stays clean (yey!!!!)

* Cons:
- I personally prefer the shade to be slightly more yellow so I could layer more to cover my freckles.

Rating (1-5 hearts): ♥♥♥♥♥

Tarte Glow Your Way to Gorgeous - Sneak Peak

I was suppose to receive my QVC package today as stated in the expected delivery date of my order. I'm glad the wait time was cut down a week shorter. As usual, excitement was killing me! :)

The products in this set are tucked neatly in Tarte's purple and gold makeup bag.  This bag is really very compact yet spacious.  I can see myself using this to store makeup and brushes when travelling.


Cute Tarte engraving on the zipper...


It's even smaller than an I-pad... (not that I own one hehe...)


Here's how the bag looks when opened. See the goodies? 11 products all in!








Here's a snapshot of the collection goodies...


I will review the products individually in future posts :) Stay tuned!

Tarte Glow Your Way to Gorgeous

I officially admit I have zero will power when it comes to restricting myself from buying more makeup! Total fail! I saw the Muse's post on Tarte's Glow Your Way to Gorgeous set (QVC exclusive) and this baby is just yelling "take me home mama!".  I tried hard to resist, but the deal is just too good to pass!

The set is priced at $49.95 US and $5.95 US for shipping and handling within the States.  Shipping to Canada costs some $13+ bucks.  It includes:

• Makeup Bag
• Lights, Camera, Lahses! Clinically-Proven Natural Mascara (Retail: $19)
• Maracuja Creaseless Concealer (Retail Price: $24.50)
• Amazonian Clay 12-hour Blush in Peaceful (Retail Price: $25)
• EmphasEYES Amazonian Clay Waterproof Cream Eyeshadow (Retail Price: $22)
• SmolderEYES Amazonian Clay Waterproof Eyeliner (Retail: $25)
• LipSurgence Natural Lip Luster (Retail: $24)
• Blush Bamboo Brush (Retail Price: $27)
• Eyeshadow Bamboo Brush (Retail Price: $28)
• Sharpener
• FREE Deluxe Mineral Powder Bronzer in Park Ave Princess (Retail: $10)
• FREE Sample of Tarte’s Pure Maracuja Oil (7mL)

The concealer, blush, and cream shadows are the items I really wanted to get my hands on.  I chose the concealer in Medium for my NC-25 to NC-30 complexion. Base on the swatches online, Tarte's shades seem to run a bit lighter than other brands. Certainly hope I chose the right shade.

This set is under item number A218483 and A219234 for Auto Delivery at QVC.com.  According to the Muse, the free bronzer and Maracuja oil will be included in the first shipment of your set but not in future deliveries if you you go with the Auto Delivery option.  The price is good until July 2.  You can get the set to $60 USD afterwards.

Now, tell me if it sounds logical to fall into this trap? Would you have the will power to resist???