I have a review today on this chilly Saturday!  I have recently obtained 3 Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blushes.  The first one was Fearless, a pinky coral blush I obtained in a swap (brand new!) on an Ipsy group on Facebook (hey thanks, friend!).  The next one I got  was Dollface, which I bought for a complete steal on eBay.  At that point I knew that these blushes worked incredibly well on my super fair, combination, acne prone skin, so I did something I rarely do and splurged on the full priced limited edition shade, Celebrated (I usually do not buy limited edition shades because I get so mad when I cannot repurchase them).

From the Sephora website:

What it is:
A long-wearing, solar-baked blush that lasts up to 12 hours.

What it does:
Infused with natural clay harvested from the banks of the Amazon River and naturally baked by the sun, this nutrient-rich blush benefits all skin types for a fade-free flawless finish that lasts an amazing 12 hours. Inspired by tarte’s bestselling shades of cheek stains and lip tints, the colors range from soft to vivid to suit a wide variety of skintones. For oily skin types, Amazonian clay minimizes oil in and around pores to balance skin and keep product in place. Those with dry skin will benefit from the clay’s nourishing and hydrating properties, which naturally restore skin’s moisture. Combination skin types can rely on its ability to zero in on skin concerns and deliver benefits to restore complexion harmony. The result: Blush that wears better, longer, and truer.

What it is formulated WITHOUT:
– Parabens
– Sulfates
– Phthalates

What else you need to know:
This product is free of petrochemicals, synthetic fragrances, GMOs, and triclosan.

Ok, WOW, those are some crazy claims.  Here’s my take…I don’t think anything can be really moisturizing and oil controlling at the same time.  I have 3 matte shades and I find them, well, mattifying.  I get shiny throughout the day and if I touch up with these (which is not necessary as the color really does stay all day), it does take down oil and shine!  I would say these are great for normal to oily skin.  If you’re super dry, you may find that you would want to stick to liquid or cream blushes, of course.  I don’t think they have found the magical moisturizing powder formula (is there such a thing?).  As for ingredients harvested from the Amazon and dried in the sun…really?  I’m just not even touching that.  For Pete’s sake, Tarte.  I do find it interesting that there are lots of non-natural ingredients in here, but we’re supposed to buy the product based on what’s *not* in the product.  Wow, that’s some marketing!  But hey, I’m glad it doesn’t contain hand sanitizer ingredients!  LOL!

Ok, let’s get to something about this product that I LOVE, the packaging.  First of all, the compacts match the product inside.  If you’re in a hurry, you don’t need to fumble around, just grab what you’re looking for based on color.

(Tarte Fearless, Celebrated, Dollface)

Now, here’s what I love even more.  As an ex-makeup artist, I got used to using palettes.  I have most of my powder products in palettes as it’s just easier for me.  These blushes are actually made for popping out of the compact easily and popping into palettes if you want to, without having to de-pot them with heat or sharp objects and possibly ruining your product!  There is a hole in the back of the compact to push a pin through, but I have found that you can just tap the compact into your hand with a little force and the pan will come out…be careful, you don’t want to drop and break the precious!  The AMAZING thing they have thought of is the big magnet in the compact so you can *put the pan back in* any time you want to travel with the blush in the compact.  So, for example I’m going out of town next week and will take just one of these with me and will pop it out of my palette and into the compact and away I will go.

OMG seriously?!  THANK YOU, TARTE!

When I’m not traveling, I can have them all in my Z-palette (I love the lavender one).

(Top row: Tarte Dollface, Tarte Fearless, Tarte Celebrated, MAC Pink Swoon, Bottom Row: MAC Full of Joy, MAC Well Dressed, MAC Unconventional, La Femme Misty Plum, La Femme Scarlet)

And now, photos of me wearing each Tarte blush!  I have found these particular shades to work well on my NW10 skin, apply easily, blend out well, and wear well for 8+ hours, though I usually don’t wear my makeup for 12 hours.

Tarte Celebrated:

Celebrated is the softest of the softest nudes.  This is the blush I reach for when I want my blush soft and “foolproof.”  It’s listed as a pink nude, but it goes peachy on me.  I adore this like I cannot even tell you.  It is one of the most pale-friendly blushes I’ve ever found.

Tarte Dollface:

Dollface is a very cool toned blue based pink. It looks beautiful on pale skin, but has enough color to look great on medium skin as well.  It blends out beautifully and can be worn with a number of lip colors.  I rocked it with red lipstick yesterday and it looked oh so retro.

Tarte Fearless:

Fearless is a coral pink that is more pink than orange, which means I can actually wear it.  Fearless is everything I wanted MAC Fleur Power to be, which was too deep and too orange for my fair, pink skin. This is a super fun spring and summer color!

In summary – will Tarte overcome my beloved MAC as my favorite blush?  Hmm, Tarte blushes are $29 and MAC pro blush pans are $17, so probably not.  However, the packaging is superior in being able to re-use the compacts (although you can Back To MAC the compacts at MAC if you do not want them).  I would say the quality is similar, so it is just up to you as to what you want out of your blush, as well as finding your perfect color!  For me, finding pale girl friendly blushes is really difficult – I have been putting that palette together for a looooooong time.

What are your favorite blushes?  Do you wear powder blushes, liquid, cream?  Have you tried Tarte?  Let me know in the comments!