The latest to heart from tarte

Purchasing makeup can be a daunting task when we’re provided with so many options. We search for companies with a wide range of colors, quality ingredients, and pretty packaging that will make us swoon, and HOPE that it won’t break the bank! In my opinion (and one that’s that shared by many fellow beautyholics), tartehas always been a brand you can feel confident will deliver on each of these wants and then some.

Many of our wht members have been singing tarte’s praises and we know LOTS of their products have made permanent homes in your makeup bags. For those of you new to the line, tarte was started nine years ago by Maureen Kelly, and has grown into a brand that prides itself on being “earth engineered”, cruelty free, and vegan. 98% of their products are made without parabens, phthalates, sulfates, or synthetic fragrances. It doesn’t stop there. Their packaging, as many of you know, is to die for! That being said, it’s also made from recyclable, and/or post–consumer recycled material, making this brand a green choice as well.

We tested a collection of the latest items from tarte, including the Recreate Silicone–Free Primer, Park Avenue Princess Matte Waterproof Bronzer, Tarte MultiplEYE Waterproof Mascara, and the Picture Perfect Eyelash Curler. The overall consensus, you ask? That tarte has, yet again, won us over!

To make things even better, tarte has supplied us with one set of these reviewed products to giveaway to a wht member . In the meantime, here are the details on this fab four collection of beauty from tarte:

Recreate Silicone–Free Primer – A silicone-free face primer that promises to minimize the appearance of pores. It’s powered by a “Wrinkle Rewind” technology that has been clinically proven to decrease wrinkles, increase firmness and skin’s moisture content. What I love about this primer is it works great on sensitive, oily and acne-prone skin. Recreate provided a wonderful base, allowed makeup to go on smoothly and look flawless, and also didn’t leave me oily! This is the first primer I’ve used that achieved everything I wanted and will definitely become my new go-to primer.

Park Avenue Princess Matte Waterproof Bronzer – This bronzer is the sister to tarte’s Park Avenue Princess Mineral Powder Bronzer, which has always been a favorite of mine. This matte version has the perfect blend of pigment (described as a light yellow golden bronze), allowing for a subtle, sun-kissed glow. It contains a ton of ingredients that are good for your skin, including Vitamin A, C, and E, and the most amazing part of this bronzer… it’s waterproof! While I didn’t get a chance to swim with it, I will say, it was still perfectly in place at the end of a hot day of sweating and being outside. That’s a huge perk in the summer, when makeup never seems to stay put. The packaging is also so chic; quilted and shiny bronze. It looks like a high fashion accessory and is one of my favorite compacts to date.

Tarte MultiplEYE Waterproof Mascara – This onyx-black mascara contains a HydroPlant Peptide and a soy-amino super protein, which help to stimulate lash growth. Fellow wht tester Mel said she “would rank it up there with some of the better mascaras, including tarte’s famed “Lights, Camera, Lashes”. She said the formula goes on smoothly with only minor clumping, is layerable, and doesn’t smudge. It also doesn’t flake off at all throughout the day and is definitely waterproof and required a healthy amount of eye makeup remover to get it all off.

Picture Perfect Eyelash Curler – It might just look like another ordinary curler, but with its easy grip handles and ergonomic design, it achieves great curl without the pinching! The trick, they say, is to squeeze the handles together until they touch, then release. Mel also tested this and said “it’s so easy to use and this curler curves perfectly around my lashes. I only need to use it once to get the perfect amount of curl.” Not to mention, this curler looks good! The handles and silicon pads are colored with tarte’s trademark purple. With that combo of looks, comfort, ease, and results, Mel had no qualms declaring this “the best eyelash curler I’ve used!”

Malibu Secret

For the past little while, I’ve been using Malibu Secret Body Treatment and it’s one of those moisturizers that I find myself reaching for again and again.

The cream makes the claim to be an anti-aging treatment for the whole body, which is definitely an interesting concept. What ingredients make this anti-aging? Well, it’s packed with antioxidants which are good for your skin because they prevent free radical damage. What that means is that this body cream is good for anyone whether you’re displaying signs of aging or not!

The reason that I keep using this though is because the formula is really nice. It’s silky smooth, lightweight, and fast absorbing. It also smells tropical – a mix of coconut and vanilla and not at all overpowering. You can get this body cream online or check the website for retail outlets near you!

Enter the Demeter Fragrance Library

While I have been obsessed with beauty products and make up since my teens, I must admit I am pretty much a perfume novice. Once things moved beyond the lemony, alcohol laden fragrances of junior high, my interest didn’t follow. I think the overbearing stench of perfume and aftershave in the halls of my high school (courtesy of heavy-handed teens), only pushed me further away from appreciating a great scent.

Once I moved on to higher end beauty products, the corresponding level of fragrances began to intimidate me. Top, middle and bottom notes? Suddenly, choosing a bottle of perfume was harder than ordering wine in a snooty restaurant.Paralyzed with indecision, I stuck to one, mainstream (albeit wonderfully scented) body oil discovered in college over 10 years ago! Then, one happy shopping day, I discovered the amazing Demeter Fragrance Library.

In the midst of a beauty shopping spree with my sister, Susan, the two of us stumbled upon a sparkling display of Demeter bottles. We stopped in out tracks, and spent the next hour (at least) sniffing and spraying every unique scent Demeter had to offer.

We were lured in by the elegant square bottles with a simple pop of color – a single stripe bisecting the label and uniquely shaded to match each scent. We stayed for the huge selection of scents in yummy, even quirky scents with names so basic (Gingerbread, Orange Juice, Clover) there was no guesswork involved.

The Demeter Fragrance Library is so far from intimidating, that it helped me discover the joy in buying and choosing perfume. How can you not have fun sniffing scents labeled Gin & Tonic, Christmas in New York and Chocolate Covered Cherries? I walked away with a few bottles that day and have continued to explore the world of fragrance – but I always head back to Demeter when I need a small bottle of pick me up!

Which all makes sense, as this company believes “fragrance should make you smile every time you smell it” and their mission is “to make the pleasure and luxury of fine fragrance … fun and easy to afford.” Mission definitely accomplished.

This straightforward approach can be seen in the Demeter collection of single-note and single-experience fragrances that are “inspired by real life everyday objects and experiences – scents that are drawn from memories.” A few of my nostalgia invoking Demeter favorites are Honeysuckle (warm summer evenings), Raspberry Jam (helping my Grandma make jellies with berries fresh from her yard) andFireplace (late night campfire!).

Best of all, Demeter is not a company to rest on its laurels and continues to add new and unique scents to its library. Our lucky review team got their hands on a couple of Demeter’s most popular fragrances ($20 -1 oz spray), including Pink Grapefruit and Laundromat, as well as the latest Demeter must have; Baby Powder, promising to be “as clean and as fresh as it gets.” Make sure to check the comments for the teams thoughts.

As for me? I couldn’t be satisfied with just one scent, and since Demeter fragrances are made to be mixed and layered I went with two fantastic picks:

Dirt – Think rich, fertile, pristine soil – not “dirty” – and you’ll get the idea of this incredible scent. Sort of sweet, sort of earthy and completely intoxicating. One whiff and I was transported to days spent frolicking with my cousins on my Grandparents country land and evenings sprawled across the cool grass watching the sky. So I was tickled to read that this scent “was made to smell exactly like the dirt from the fields around the Pennsylvania family farm belonging to our founding perfumer” and as a PA girl, I can say this scent is spot on!

Pure Soap – I must have watched too many home improvement shows, because once I picked out Dirt, I felt compelled to go with a second scent on the opposite end of the color wheel (urm, scent wheel?) and went with Pure Soap, promising the clean smell of “freshly showered skin, with a trace of Ivory Soap.” Of course, it can be worn alone, and is nice for when you want to smell good, but not like you are wearing perfume. And if you are active in the dating pool, this “just naturally clean” scent would be perfect for all those non-date dates (going for a hike, meeting for coffee). It oozes natural beauty and confidence with a hint of girl next door – guys dig it.

Naturally, my Pure Soap and Dirt combo is a hit as well. Demeter scents are lighter and airier than many perfumes in this price range and are meant to mesh with one another. This new combo has been my go to daily scent so far this summer. It smells fresh, clean and youthful and just as Demeter intends, puts a smile on my face every morning.