Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush Palette Color Wheel Review and Swatches

I Bought It, Affiliate Links




One of my all time favorite Tarte products has to be their Amazonian Clay Blushes. The colors have just the right amount of pigmentation, they show up but don't overwhelm your face and are just so pretty! I had some years ago, but hit the pan and never replaced them when I finished them. The life of a beauty blogger... you have so much other stuff that sometimes it is very hard to justify purchasing a favorite product again.

When I was drooling over the new holiday shadow palettes they released, this new blush color wheel palette caught my eye. It's a great way to get a selection of the blushes that I like so much, but I don't need to have the full sized versions!

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Tarte's Pretty Paintbox Collector's Makeup Case Review and Swatches

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I am a complete and total sucker for holiday palettes. If you look in my vanity drawer at home, you'll find a huge selection of holiday palettes, and this year already seems to have even better palettes than in the past! I've already splurged on the Tarte palettes from their site and Sephora, and I'm trying really hard to not buy the one from ULTA as well, but... we'll see!

Of the palettes I've bought so far, this one is the one I've been reaching for most often. Read on to learn more about it and see swatches of each of the shadows!

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Tarte's Rainforest After Dark Palette Swatch and Review

Product Sent for Review Affiliate Link



This fall, Tarte came out with an amazing palette that I think is pretty much a must have. I'm ashamed to admit that it has taken me a few weeks to post about it, simply because it really is ideal for fall and it has been so warm at my house that I didn't want to break it out! This palette is limited edition and it seems to already be sold out on Tarte's website, though you can find it over on Sephora still.



In this palette:
• Highlighter in Champagne
• Bronzer in Park Avenue Princess
• Blush in Unleashed
• 6 Shadows: Bare to Explore (pink beige), Make a Mauve (plum mauve), Plum Away with Me (dark plum), Up to No Gold (gold), Tangled Up in You (tan), Don’t Turn A-Brown (dark brown)








So far I've mostly been using the Bare to Explore/Make a Mauve duo on my lids with Plum Away With Me as a liner. A little bit of the amazing gold, Up to No Gold seems to punch up any look, it's quickly becoming a favorite of mine!


Tarte's Rainforest After Dark Palette
Product Sent for Review Affiliate Link

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Tarte CC Undercover Cover and Eye Primer Review

Product Sent for Review



Have you seen the goodies that Tarte has been coming out with lately? I admit that I've been testing these two for a month or so, and I'm just now getting around to mentioning them. But, they're pretty amazing.




Tarte Colored Clay CC Undereye Corrector
"This multi-tasking, full coverage corrector expertly masks undereye discolorations and dark circles in two universal shades. The light-diffusing particles brighten undereye areas and soften the appearance of fine lines as color-correcting colored clay helps to offset the look of dark circles."

This is a faintly peach concealer, and while it comes in a pan, it does feel hydrating. I have the light-medium shade, there's also a tan-medium. The peach is just enough to color correct my undereye circles, though I think it is more of a light-medium coverage. I do still add a little concealer over the corrector, though I don't need much. This is only because I need more coverage, otherwise it blends into my skin and looks pretty natural.

The corrector stays put all day long. I've been using it quite a bit lately (I definitely have problems sleeping the further along I get in my pregnancy!) I know I'll be using this corrector after the baby arrives, basically every day!

Tarte Colored Clay CC Eye Primer Stick
"Infused with color-correcting and skin-nourishing colored clay, this smoothing eye primer absorbs excess oil on the lids, offering a neutral base for the perfect eyeshadow application. The lightweight waterproof formula works overtime to address the appearance of redness and discoloration... Simply prep the lid with the easy-glide, neutral pencil tip prior to makeup application for better wear and truer shadow payoff that can last for up to 12 hours."

This eye primer is pretty similar to the NYX Eye Shadow Base that I talk about all the time. They're both creamy and offer coverage to help cover up my visible vessels. I love that. But there are a few important differences. First, the Tarte is a bit... thinner? I'm not sure how to describe this. The consistency is a bit different (one is a stick and one comes in a pot afterall), and the Tarte definitely leaves a thinner layer on my lids. But it still covers everything up, and it is a little bit closer to my actual skin tone. And with the Tarte as a primer, my shadows do last a little bit longer.

Finally, it really is easier to be able to just draw the primer all over my lid and pat it in to blend it, rather than dipping my finger into a big pot. This is definitely a product that I'll be repurchasing!

Tarte Cosmetics
Product Sent for Review

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How I Apply Liquid Foundation for a Flawless (and Natural) Finish!

Products sent for review

Now that I'm a "little" older (not really that old, I'm 35), it is definitely harder to get a great finish with my foundation. I don't have wrinkles, but I swear it's like a foundation can settle into every little dry spot or imperfection. Just by applying via my "old" way (aka- my young self just slathering on with fingers and maybe blending a little by the nose with a sponge) can result in disaster. Truly. And it isn't even the fault of the foundation, it's me!

After reading some online about foundation application, watching a ton of YouTube videos and breaking out my old Kevin Aucoin makeup books (the man was a master), I've tried out a ton of different foundation techniques. This is what I've settled on as the quickest and best method for a flawless foundation application. And really, it isn't that quick. Sigh.

I prep my skin with a lightweight moisturizer (or BB cream that doesn't have much coverage, I like the Stila 10 in 1) and an eye cream. I wait a few minutes for it to sink in and then start on foundation. I apply a little to the back of my hand, if I need to mix other shades in then I do it there.

I use a dense brush. This is the IT Cosmetics foundation brush from this set at QVC, but I also really like the Urban Decay Optical Blur Brush. I know there's great love for the MAC skunk brush here, but I'm just not really a fan for some reason.

I dab a little onto the brush and then put that onto the areas I'll want to cover with dotting. I put it on my nose, the middle of my forehead, chin and cheeks, though really very close to my nose. I apply most of my foundation to the center of my face and use less as I get to the edges, so I have almost none really on my actual cheeks and on my forehead.

Once I have my foundation roughly where I want it, I stipple the area to spread out the foundation into an even application. I let that sit for a minute or two, and I wipe off any excess foundation from my brush onto a kleenex. Then I go back with the same brush and go over the areas with small round circles. If I'm applying concealer, this is when I do it (I apply in a less exaggerated triangle that is suddenly all the rage. More details in my how to use concealer post.)

Next I grab my Beauty Blender sponge. And yeah, it kind of does need to be the Beauty Blender. None of the "dupes" have quite the right consistency, so they don't have the same results. I bounce the sponge all over the place, using the smaller end around my eyes and nose and the wide end on my forehead and cheeks.

Then I wait a few minutes. If I haven't done my eyes, this is a good time to do it. But if my eye makeup is a bit more intense, I usually start with my eyes (so I can wipe off any fallout without messing up my foundation) and then do my face. So, I'll go and do my hair now.

I think the real secret to why this look works is the kleenex. I learned this about 5 years ago from Elke Von Freudenberg, and I had stopped for a few years, but now I'm obsessed again! Take a kleenex and gently blot your face. Be gentle, you don't want to remove the pigment, but instead you'll take out some of the oil and "liquid" of the foundation. I usually don't blot my nose much, somehow that seems to mess up my nose. But this is a must for my chin, cheeks and forehead.

Finally, I apply a very lightweight powder to set everything. I put it under my eyes and in my t-zone only. Lately I've really been loving this Aqualillies for tarte Amazonian clay finishing powder. It's lightweight like the MUFE HD, but more mattifying. It's apparently limited edition, but I hope Tarte sees the light and keeps it around!





Products sent for review

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Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush

Have you seen Tarte's new Amazonian Clay blushes? Sure, they have all these reasons they include the clay in products (something about helping minimize oil or hydrating based on your skin's needs). What I know is that I love their new Amazonian clay products. The colors are always amazing and the products just make me look... pretty.


These blushes are much more pigmented than other blushes, so a little will go a long way. With a big brush I get a nice wash of color, creating a really pretty glow. They would pair up really well with Tarte's cheek stains as well for even more glowing. I've found that these blushes last pretty much all day.

Available in 8 shades:
• Amused: bright pink
• Blissful: warm peach
• Blushing bride: plummy rose
• Dollface: light pink
• Exposed: nude
• Flush: deep berry
• Natural Beauty: red
• Tipsy: coral


Available only at Sephora and Sephora.com
Tarte Cosmetics

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Tarte neutralEYES Natural Eye Palette

I heart Tarte's eye shadows, and this new spring palette looks right up my alley. The colors are fairly neutral and look like they'd work in nearly any situation from work to running errands around town. Click the image above to get a closer look.

Top row (L-R): matte bone, matte taupe, matte olive green, shimmering bronze, matte deep teal
Bottom row (L-R): matte soft pink, shimmering soft peach, matte brown, matte plum, matte navy

The palette comes with emphasEYES aqua-gel eyeliner in brown, a double-ended shadow brush and a sample of lifted natural eye primer.

Tarte Cosmetics

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A Contest and Review: Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes

I'm a big Tarte fan. This brand is somewhat small, meaning they have a smaller product line of products that just seem to work. They have great lip and cheek stains, fantastic foundations, great pigmented eye shadows, I really could go on and on. One thing about this company is that they have a great way to find Tarte Sale on their blog.

So, I am a bit surprised that it took me this long to review Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes. I guess I've been secretly hoarding it? It made it's way into my regular makeup stash a long time ago, and when Tarte offered one up as a giveaway on my site I knew I had to finally review it.

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Vera Farmiga's Golden Globes Look

Exactly who is this woman? I kept seeing her and her name pop up over and over this awards season. I had no idea who she was. Turns out, she's the blonde that George Clooney fell for in up in the air, she's just a brunette now and I couldn't recognize her. Vera Farmiga actually looks better as a brunette the more I see pictures of her, and I really loved her Golden Globes look. She's truly just so pretty, there's no other way to describe it.

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My Favorite Eye Palettes for Fall 2009

I am a big sucker for eye shadow palettes. I need to buy at least two or three every season. It's a sickness and has caused me to have lack of storage space. This fall two of the best palettes out there are from the same company, Tarte. I love Tarte's shadows! They are well pigmented, easy to blend and the eye shadows last forever.


Femme Fatale Palette

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