The only authorised UK stockist of Tarte cosmetics is QVC. During the QVC Beauty day a couple of weeks ago everything was on four easy pay so I decided it was the perfect time to get a Tarte Haul. After much umming and ahing I finally put three Tarte products in my basket and waited eagerly for their arrival.
Tarteist Pro Palette
This was a no brainer. I am an eyeshadwow freak and I had seen loads of reviews on YouTube. I was excited. The palette is heavy, the black and gold is sexy. So far so good.
However on opening the palette it became clear that this palette had already been returned by someone. The acetate sheet in the palette that protects the shadows from the mirror and the outer packaging were covered in a white shimmery powder.
It put me off straight away. I cleaned the palette up and swatched it. Although I like it, I dont love it. The 16 matte shades have different textures. The lighter shades have a creamier texture but are not really colours that I would wear.
The deeper shades have a drier, chalkier texture but they are very very pigmented. The shimmery shades have a lovely smooth texture and are really pretty…. but I dont love this palette … and it arrived in a manky condition. The addition of a blender brush did not sway my opinion. I would rather spend my coins on a Viseart palette.
Magic Wands
You may be wondering why I ordered the Magic Wands. For no other reason than that my curiousity got the better of me. I am not a unicorn fan but I was curious… and a couple of the brushes are purple. In addition they are pretty good value, coming in at about £6 per brush including postage and packaging. If you are a unicorn lover the packaging and the unicorn tissue paper will sit well with you. I just put it in the bin.
As with all new brushes I washed them before using them and they were quick drying, the colour did not bleed and no bristles were lost. Then I used them on my face. Surprisingly these are some good brushes. I did a full face of makeup with them and it was pretty easy. All of them pick up ALOT of product so take care when using pigmented products.
Powder brush is good for meteorites and other finishing powders. It does not work with powder foundation or powder products that give coverage in my opinion. The foundation brush reminds me of the Cover FX cream foundation brush (not as good but similar). If you like to buff in your liquid or cream product – this is a good option. The eyeshadow packing brush is small so good for my eyes. The blending brush does not have a point so good for a difuse wash of colour on the lid. The contour brush is the one I will use the least but the shape is good for cream contour, which you can then blend out with the buffing brush. These are definitely brushes for your dressing table rather than your makeup bag. They have a good weight and are comfortable to hold. Overall this is a good brush set.
Marine Boost Serum
This is the product that I was most excited for. I love a spritz and my skin is going through a dry phase, the like of which I have not experienced for about 15 years. Rainforest of The Sea? Errr no, this is more like mediteranian orchard. There is orange peel oil, and peppermint oil – both of which can be sensitizing on the skin. There is a smidge of ingredient of the moment coconut water, some algae extract. Think Caudalie Beauty Exlir… but from Tarte.
On the skin, it is not particularly hydrating. I would not use it to prime my skin before makeup as it did not provide a smoother surface than my face cream. Additionally, something in the formula makes me sneeze. Not a dainty aichooo. I’m talking about a sneeze that draws in all the air from the room – cartoon style. All that air is then expelled at the speed of sound from my nose. It is the kind of sneeze that makes my brain reverberate in my skull. The kind of sneeze that leaves me slightly dizzy. It is not a pleasant experience
When I ordered these products, I thought that I would be keeping the eyeshaow palette and the mist. I was so-so about the brushes but the benefit of QVC is that you can send items back. Having tried the products however, I’ve kept the brushes and the palette and mist have been returned. Ordering from QVC can be a real faff, and their postage costs are expensive, but the benefit of being able to return items makes it worth it.
If you are a Tarte fan, let me know what was in your Tarte haul in the comments below. You can read more Tarte reviews here and here. Follow me on Instagram for more beauty news and mini reviews.