ProductWhores

Brighten the Eyes

Is it weird that when I say the name Marajuca, I have the song "Baracuda" playing in my head?  Anyway, Marajuca (oooh,Marajuca) C-Brighter Eye Treatment by Tarte is one of the first eye creams I've tried and can say I've actually stuck with!  I usually try an eye cream out for a few weeks and then give up on it, but this one is a keeper!  First of all, it goes on so smooth, sinks right into skin and leaves my eyes looking fresh (despite the fact I procrastinate all my work assignments and have a toddler who wakes early so I am up half the night and rise early for the day).  I can't speak to the specifics of whether or not it's tightening the skin under my eyes as it claims to do, but I definitely look more awake and the skin is definitely softer.  Great product - affordable at $38.00 and free of all those icky parabens and sulfates and those other -lates (Phthalates) which I can't ever spell and can barely pronounce.

Note:  A sample of this item was sent to me by a PR representative working with Tarte.

Tarte Holiday 2012!

Tarte's Baby It's Bold Outside Holiday 2012 collection is nothing short of amazing!  I have to say that every fall I anxiously await Tarte's Holiday release because I always, always love everything.  They have a knack for putting together palettes and box sets that are affordable, stunning and contain colors and products that will actually get used!  My absolute stand-out faves for this season, which I got all gushy over with excitement over when I saw them, are the Big Thrill Color Collection and For the Love of Lipgloss!  First of all both are Ulta exclusives, so you'll need to go online or head to your local Ulta to snag them.  The Big Thrill  set includes 16 of Tarte's signature square eye shadows infused with Amazonian clay in an array of fresh colors and 3 of Tarte's award winning and best selling Amazonian clay 12-hour blushes in 3 brand NEW shades fit for the season. This collector's palette also features 3 vitamin lip glosses neatly tucked away inside the mini drawer.  I am super impressed with everything in the box as well as the box itself (packaging is super adorable!)  Price is $48.00 and would make an amazing gift.  It even comes with a step-by-step illustrated guide to help you find your new look (keeping in mind there are thousands of combos considering how much you get in the box).  For the Love of Lipgloss is a stunning collection of 15 glosses perfect for yourself or to gift to others!  There are three individual boxes of 5 glosses (which come with handy to/from labels on the back) so you could separate out the set or give as one large one.  Colors are beautiful (each one is named after a member of the Tarte family - adorable!) and each one is super-wearable.  The set retails for $32.00 and is worth every penny. 

Note:  Samples of the above products were sent to me by a PR representative working with Tarte

Start Over with a Clean Slate

Looking back, I don't remember the moment when I said "huh, I should use primer" but man, am I glad I did!  Seriously, primers are the most amazing invention and every single woman should use one (even if she doesn't wear make up).  I mean, primers, well, prime but they can also smooth skin, color correct and hid wrinkles so what's not to love!  Clean Slate Poreless 12-hr Perfecting Primer is the latest one from Tarte and after using for just a week it's quickly shot to the top of my list (right there along with the good 'ol classic Smashbox one).  I love how smooth my skin feels and how great it works to make my foundation stay all day.  This stuff is mattifying (adore) which is especially important if I don't want to call attention to my imperfections.  As far as dimishing fine lines and pores, I don't see anything spectacular but it does such a great job of holding my foundation that my skin looks flawless!  Retails for $30.00 and they also released a brightening primer - Clean Slate Flawless 12-Hr - which I'm definitely gonna check out when I finish off my Poreless one.

Note:  A sample of the above product was sent to me by a PR representative working with Tarte.

Take Off From Tarte

Tarte's rapidly grown into one of my favorite brands so I love anytime they have a discount on their delightful products.  From now until April 20th, you can take 15% off your order by using the code MOM15 at checkout.  Buy something for your mom, then buy something for yourself.  It's only fair...    

Beauty & The Box

I want this set so bad I can taste it!  This new ridiculously pretty Amazonian Clay Eyeshadow quad by Tarte is such a gorgeous nude collection of shadows, I need to own it... immediately.  The packaging is beautiful, the shadows stunningly beachy and the mascara delightfully portable.  Plus, the price is awesome - I can think of a million other ways I would blow $22.00 without batting an eye.  Hello, Sephora, I'll be seeing you tomorrow evening.

Rise And Shine

 

 

Well, I think we can all agree that if there was an award for Best Lip Gloss Packaging (and really, why isn't there?) that this year, it would go to Tarte's new Maracuja Divine Shine Lip Glosses.  Seriously, are they not the cutest things?  The floral wrap around the lip gloss pens just makes me so happy.  I have a ton of lip gloss (like, way more than any normal girl should probably ever possess) and I think these might be my favorite wands of all time.  Just pulling them out of my purse makes me happy in a way it normally takes cupcakes to do.  The glosses are new for spring and come in ten shades, everything from a light pink to a dark red.  I tried out four of the shades - Blushing Bride (a plummy rose), Flush (a ripe berry), Tipsy (a coral) and Glisten (a peachy nude).  It takes about 100 clicks (and that's a conservative estimate!) to get the gloss to first start coming out, but once you do that, getting out any future color only takes a click or two.  The color flows onto a synthetic brush - it's not my favorite brush for glosses, but they work fine, so I can't complain about them.  The glosses aren't overly sticky (a plus!) and I adore the minty taste to them.  The color lasts about three hours or so on me after application (about average for gloss on me) and they're not drying at all.  Well worth the money, especially Flush and Blushing Bride, my favorites of the ones I tried.  Now, Tarte, can you start making other makeup that comes in this fun floral packaging?  Because it would make me very happy at 8am when I'm trying to make my overtired self look cute to use it.  I even have some ideas if you want them.  Call me!  

Note: Samples of this product were sent to me by a PR representative working with Tarte 

Tarte Friends & Family 2011

The Friends & Family sales continue!  From now through December 12th on tartecosmetics.com, just enter the code FFDEC at checkout to get 30% off your purchase.  And if you spend $40 or more, you'll get free shipping as well.  Start filling your carts now!

Happy Tarte-lidays!

It's kind of crazy to be thinking about the holidays when it's not even Halloween but I was at the mall this weekend and it's definitely all decked out so I am embracing my favorite time of the year and am celebrating all the amazing holiday products new this year...in October!  Seriously, holiday-specific cosmetics are my absolute biggest splurge, and this year is going to be no different.  Tarte has just released two amazing gift sets that should definitely make it under your tree.  First of all, they have a limited edition LipSurgence set which made me squeal with delight.  Side note: if you haven't tried LipSurgence before, you just have to - they are super-moisturizing, come in gorgeous colors and are so easy to apply.  This set comes in a sparkly silver box and contains Perky (soft carnation pink tint), Swank (light cherry tint), Ashy (bright iridescent fushia luster), Glitzy (antique pink luster) and Dazzled (my favorite - this beautiful pearly coral/pink which looks stunning on).  Each color is completely wearable and definitely giftable.  Set costs $29.00.  The other incredible holiday set is Puttin On The Glitz - a three palette giftset which comes with a beautiful lip laquer and this stunning silver clutch.  I have never seen something like this before - you get so much product and it all comes in this adorable handbag for only $49.00.  Who wouldn't want it?  Each palette has 6 shadows and one additional bronzer, powder or highlighter (so you're getting 18 shadows, one bronzer, one blush and one highlighter in all).  Each palette also has snaps at the spine so you can snap them in and out of the clutch depending on which one you want to carry at night.   I love all the colors and Tarte has definitely taken the guesswork out of which shades should be paired with which.  The three looks are completely different so you will find a million ways to wear each one (one lends itself to the smokey eye, one is daytime glittery and the third is earthy).  Also, you can use the palettes on their own if you need a large handbag at night.  The lipgloss is so stunning I have been carrying it with me to wear at work and have also paired with all-over lip liner at night for a stunning deep coral/pink color.  This is a truly unique and amazing holiday gift.  Now the trick is who is most deserving in your life to receive this?  Oh, and an extra one for yourself, of course.  Or am I the only who shops that way?

Note:  Samples of the above were sent to me by a PR representative working with Tarte

Radiant & Rested

If it wasn't already obvious I love cosmetic sets.  I mean, there's something to be said for someone else (a company) choosing items that I would love and that would work well together.  That all said, for the most part, I will buy a set and then be bummed that I don't use half the stuff in it.  Well, Tarte, you clearly know what you're doing because your Radiant & Rested: Volume II collection is perfection in a purple box.  I seriously use every single thing in here on a daily basis so spending the $42.00 made this feel like a downright bargain.  Set contains Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Illuminating Serum (a brilliant highlighter that you can either wear alone or mixed with foundation to have an overall glow without discoball shiny-ness), The Bright Side (fantastic double-ended highlighter used to brighten the eyes), LipSurgence Natural Lip Tint in "Sweet" (shockingly wearable light pink in the smoothest lip pencil I've ever used - who knew lip color could be so moisturizing in stick form?!), Amazonian Clay 12-hour Blush in "Glisten" (gorgeous shimmery rose which would work on any complexion) and last, but not least, Provocateur Amazonian Clay Shimmering Powder in "Champagne" (hands-down best powder highlighter I've used - a staple in my handbag).  I love this collection but you have to know that it's exclusive to Sephora and is limited edition so no telling how long they'll have it!  Why must they kill me with the limited edition?!

smolderEYES creates drama

As much as I try to avoid drama in my life and the workplace (yet I am constantly watching reality TV which is always dramatic), I love creating dramatic looks with liner and the smolderEYES collection by Tarte is absolute perfection.  The chubby liner comes in 8 shades - Navy, Charcoal, Fig, Olive, Bronze, Golden Black, Plum and Brown - and all are so beautiful it's hard to choose just one.  What I love about this liner (as I love with all Tarte products, actually) the liners go on incredibly smooth and last the better part of the day so no need to re-apply.  Each liner has a fat end which you use to line the eye and then the other end has a little smudger which you use for, well, smudging.  These are so perfect to use for a smokey eye and are completely free of all those nasty chemicals that none of us want in our makeup.  Bonus: each liner comes with its own sharpener!  I love that because I am always losing my pencil sharpeners (or my dogs are destroying them for some unknown reason) so it's great to have a few extra on hand. If you tortured me to choose a few must-have colors of smolderEYES, I would have to choose Plum and Golden Black (traditional black with stunning golden flecks in it).  smolderEYES retail for $25.00 and are worth every penny!

Note:  A sample of this product was sent to me by a PR representative working with Tarte.