BASIC MAKEUP ESSENTIALS- Foundations- Tarte& bareMinerals

Hey Everyone!

Today I wanted to write about a post regarding basic makeup essentials that one would need if they are looking to start a makeup collection of some sort. I use mainly bareMinerals and Tarte so all of the products that I will be taking about are going to be from their collections.

1) A good base: The first thing in achieving an amazing makeup look is flawless skin. Your complexion truly makes a difference. I thought that foundation was really unnecessary but in reality it sort of is ( if you have good blemish free skin then just a little bit is enough). A good foundation will even out your skin tone, and give you a flawless finish. No joke.

My recommendations: Bare minerals READY foundation, Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 hour full-coverage foundation, and Tarte Amazonian Clay Airbrush Foundation

       

Now, this foundation retails for $29. This foundation is perfect for those newbies, as it is pressed, unlike the original formula-which can get a bit messy. This works for all skin types and has a very natural finish, so not dewy or matte but natural. My favorite way to apply this is using the Real Techniques buffing brush, as it just works it into the skin and giving you a natural finish. This foundation has worked wonders for many people, and me included, and this does not contain Bismuth Oxychloride, which caused a lot of breakout for people from their original formulation. 

So, know amount of words can describe this foundation because IT'S AMAZING!!! hehe. It is a medium-to-full coverage foundation and let me tell you-this covers EVERYTHING. I can't use this everyday because I don't need full coverage everyday. But, my skin looks flawless whenever I wear it. So it is supposed to be a matte finish foundation, but I think it becomes a little dewy as the day goes on. This foundation retails for $38 dollars. I think it is worth every penny and I would definitely repurchase! I think all skin types can get away with wearing it, but if your skin is on the drier side, I recommend prepping it with Tarte's Maracuja Oil or using a primer, as sometimes it can cling to your dry patches. 

Another powder foundation I highly recommend, is the Tarte Amazonian Clay Airbrush Foundation. This is supposed to be like the liquid version only it comes in a powder form. I think I have to say that this is hands down, the best powder foundation that works for me. The mesh technology that the packaging comes with is amazing, it doesn't get messy and you pick up the right amount of product. It retails for $36, and I think the brush that was made for this product is a must with this foundation. The brush fits perfectly into the mesh and it deposits the right amount of product. The finish of this foundation is amazing. I think it's supposed to have a natural finish, but after it sets in, it gives me thisg, dewy look. The powder is finely milled and it does not look cakey or patchy at all. I think I like this one a little better than the bareMinerals one. Again, I think this works for every skin type. And it does not cling to dry patches whatsoever like the liquid one does. 

Hope this was useful!

-Krutika

TARTE-BE MATTEnificent palette review/swatches

Hey Everyone,

As you might have heard, Tarte came out with their Spring collection at the beginning of this month, and a big trend in their product is Colored Clay. They launched a new Matte palette in line with the whole CC theme. This palette includes 6 matte eyeshadows, one limited edition blush, and 2 liner/shadows, and one little two-sided brush. It retails for $35 and can be found at Sephora, Sephora.com, Ulta, Ulta.com, and Tarte.com. I am pretty sure it will show up on QVC at some point but just don't know when...

As always, the packaging is so cute! I think this palette is really a good size, and great for traveling. 

As you can see the shadows are really good pink colors. I think they work on a variety of skin tones, are good for everyday looks. The shadows are very silky and smooth to the touch. The pay-off is good too, and overall I think its a keeper. Everyone should have a good Matte palette in their collection, and if you don't have one I think you should grab this up. The brown/black shadows aren't really like a regular eyeshadow, and I think they have a thicker texture. So, I would call this more of a liner/shadow. I used the brown color for my brows and the black for my lash line. The blush- ahhhmazing! I am a Tarte blush junkie, so naturally I would want a new limited-edition blush. I have tan skin, so I thought this color might not show up well, but I have to say it gives me the most natural glow ever. The color is a good nude-pink shade. You can't go wrong at all. The double ended brush is made out of good quality and definitely good for touch-ups if you are traveling. However, I would not use it to apply a full on eye look. I like the handles to be longer while applying my eyeshadows. 

I am playing around with a new DSLR camera, so I apologize for the the angle/lighting on the swatches. If you look closely you can see the blush all the way to the left. The name of the blush is called Elevated and if you go clockwise, the shadow names are the following: sand out from the crowd (base), peach for the stars (lid), two plums up (outer corner), pink outside the box (lid), rose to the occasion (crease), view from the taupe (crease), dream in chocolate (liner), don't stand back (liner). 

Again I apologize for the swatches, but I am still new to displaying colors and stuff. 

For reference, I have tan skin- and the shadows still show up on my lids. They are meant to have a soft look so don't be alarmed if the colors don't jump right at ya. I think this would be great for all skin tones, but the deeper skin tones might want to swatch it out just to make sure the colors show up and don't look ashy. But, overall, I think this is worth the $36. 

Hope this helps!

-Krutika

TARTE FEB.2014 TSV- COLOR CLAY COLLECTION

Hello Lovlies,

So there is another TSV that is coming up next from Tarte-Feb 4th to be exact. This is a 7 piece collection that pretty much has something for the eyes, lips, and face. So, it's a pretty well-rounded collection.

It is retailing for about $59 and change and it's available for Auto-Delivery.

This is the travel case-its pretty big!

The new CC color stick! I ordered this kit in tan and this is a little bit darker than my skin tone.. but let's see how it plays out.

The bronzer/blush looks gorgeous and I don't see it being a problem for my skin tone. Obviously I would not use this to contour my face, but I think it's a very pretty everyday color.

The brush is one of my favorite things. I love how it is flat-edged and small. You can really get around the nose and underneath your eyes, pretty easily with this thing. The handle is wooden, which I love!

The eyeliner is black in color, and I am sure it will not be disappointing!

Don't let this picture fool you. This is a very sheer lip gloss, and is actually not too sticky. I have darker lips so this comes off as a very natural color on my lips. And the doe-foot applicator is really awesome!

And finally, the main product out of the collection-the new colored clay liquid foundation. Now, this color is lighter than the color stick so I am not really sure how to use them together. This foundation definitely needs to be used with a light hand, so it will not end up looking cakey. The problem with ordering on QVC is that the shade selection is veryyy limited. Actually, that is a problem with Tarte in general-the only problem that  I have with their products lol. I find that they basically only offer two darker shades-tan/deep. Most of the time they don't offer any color in between.. and I don't really want to purchase two different foundations to make the color work. So hopefully this does not turn out too ashy. I will update you guys once I use this foundation a little bit more. The packaging is exactly like the Amazonian Clay Airbrushed Powder Foundation. While it was ideal for the powder foundation-not so much for the liquid version. 

Overall, the kit is a good price and you get a something for every part of your face. Performance wise, Tarte has never disappointed me (touch-wood). Like I said, my only complaint would be the shade range. 

The item number for the single shipment is: #A254260

and for Auto-Delivery: #A254679. 

You get one more shipment in August, and one next year in February. 

Enjoy and let me know what you think!

-Krutika

Perfect Holiday Flush with Tarte's Leave her Blushing set of 3 Amazonian Clay Blushes& blush brush

Hey Everyone!

I am a big blush junkie. So of course when all of the blush collections for the Holidays from Tarte came out, I was probably one of the first ones to jump on the bandwagon.

This particular comes with three individual deluxe sized Amazonian Clay blushes and they are each .05 grams. This set retails for $34 and comes with a brush. Unfortunately this particular holiday set is only available at www.tartecosmetics.com

I purchased the one on QVC last month which comes with 3/4 blushes in this set plus an extra one. The set from qvc does not include a blush.

By far, these are the BEST blushes I have ever come across. I think that their pigmentation, wear, ingredients, etc. are far more superior than that of Bare Minerals. If you are looking for an introductory set from Tarte- this is the one!

I believe the set that I am talking about does not include the second blush from the left. The colors are gorgeous and you will not be disappointed!

-krutika

More from Acure Organics!

Hey Everyone,

So after being especially happy with the eye cream/Argan oil from Acure Organics I was graciously sent some samples from them to try out.

I have been testing these products out for about 4 weeks now and it's safe to say I am happy with them!

The first is this mask called the Argan Stem Cell+CGF Facial Mask Cell Stimulating. Basically, it is a clay mask that reduces the size of your pores and removes any impurities while at the same time provides hydration. This retails for $15.99 for a 1oz. Overall, I am pleased with this mask. It does not dry out my skin after using it- which is a great thing! The smell is not overpower and reminds me of mint.

The next product is the Seriously Hydrating Toner. Many people skip on toner as they think it's not necessary. But, it is. A toner removes all the dirt that a cleanser does not. This one is for skins that need extra moisture. It strongly smells of calendula-which some may like and some may not. It retails for $15.99 for a 2oz bottle. I especially like the packaging as it comes in a glass bottle, but it is definitely not easy to tote around.

The third product is the Marula Oil. I really liked the Argan oil, but this one is my favorite! It literally absorbs into the skin without leaving a residue and it is so hydrating. What is surprising is that even though it is so hydrating it did not break me out! I will definitely repurchase this one. Dry skinned people will love this thing and the best part is, it does not smell at all. This one retails for $15.99 for a 1oz bottle.

Overall, I am really pleased with all three of the products. One thing to remember is, the smell of organic products will definitely be different from the more synthetic ones out there. This is because all of the products are made with natural and organic ingredients without harsh chemicals. Many people avoid organic products because of the smell, but trust me that the results and affects on one's body are much better and safer than drugstore/synthetic products!

All of these products can be purchased at www.acureorganics.com.


-Krutika

TARTE BOW&GO HOLIDAY TSV

Hello Everyone!

So this upcoming month is going to be crazy on QVC. All of these holiday beauty collections are coming out and it is insane.

On that note, Tarte will be coming out with a new TSV on Nov.18th but I got a chance to pre-order it.

It is called the Tarte Bow&Go 3-in-1 collection. 

Basically, it comes with three boxes. 

1) The first box contains 4 full size lipsurgence lip cremes.

2) The second box comes with 2 Amazonian clay liners and 2 full size mascaras.

3) The third and final box comes with a palette of 16 eyeshadows.

You can keep all three of them for yourself or gift them accordingly.

If you order it now, you can use the item number A252459.  I believe it retails for $49.98 and is available with 3 easy pay installments. 

I would definitely order this item and tt is available for auto-delivery as well. You will get one additional shipment in April. Tarte always gives you good value for your money. Grab the kit while you can.

-Krutika

ACURE SKINCARE

Hello Everyone!

Sorry it's been a while, but it has been CRAZY with tons and tons of school work/midterms.

As you know, I have been a religious user of Origins Skincare. But, I wanted to branch out and see what was available in the market that was more Organic. I heard good things about ACURE skincare and while I was at WholeFoods last week, I decided to give it a try.

I bought 2 things. An eye cream and a facial oil

1. The Eye Cream is called ACURE Chlorella+Edelweiss Stem Cell Eye Cream.
It comes in a 1oz and retails for $18.99. I personally think that is a pretty darn good price for an eye cream don't ya think?

This eye cream is unscented, so that is a given bonus. The consistency reminds me of a gel-like moisturizer. While putting it on, it may seem as though it might not be hydrating enough, but it most definitely is. I touched my under eye area a couple of hours later to find that the skin felt soft and supple. The packaging also is in a tube now. So don't worry about it getting contaminated. Overall, I think this is a good buy. And you couldn't get more organic/natural than this even if you wanted to. The ingredients are made up of good stuff like Goji berries/Acai Berries, etc.

2. The second item I bought was the Argan Oil. This also comes in a 1 oz  glass bottle, and has a little dropper. It retails for $14.99. So I have heard a number of things about Argan oil, but I had never tried it before. The Josie Maran oil is far to expensive in my mind, and this seemed like a perfect alternative. The smell is a little nutty, but goes away after applying it. The oil doesn't sit on top of the skin like Jojoba oil or Almond oil might. It just gets absorbed into the skin right away. This probably is an amazing oil for people with oily skins, and needless to say it works for drier skins. I would really recommend trying this out.

Overall, I am really happy with my purchases. This skincare brand can be found at Whole Foods and at  acureorganics.com (With free shipping :) ).

I am definitely looking forward to trying out more things from this line. Hope you enjoy!

-Krutika