So this post is long in the making but hopefully, you are are still interested in it! I bought Flush when I went to BeautyCon way back in July of last year but never got around to opening it up. It wasn't until a full set of Exposed popped up on ULTA that got me curious enough to buy and try it. *Spoiler Alert* Totally fell in love with the color, went on a scavenger hunt to find Flush, tried that one and was possessed to buy 3 more, bringing my total up to 5. I've been testing these out for almost 2 months now so I have definitely found a lot of things to say, so shall we get started?
Tarte Cheek Stains are FORMULATED with a special blend of 5 superfruits rich in antioxidants, including the ubiquitous maracuja, to replenish, rebuild, and brighten skin. Now I'm not too sure how antioxidants in a makeup product that isn't applied directly to my skin nor it copious amounts can "rebuild" my skin but I definitely do notice that my cheeks are dewier, giving the appearance of brighter skin. I take replenishing to mean that it hydrates my skin and while I don't notice any dryness on my cheeks when I'm using this product, I don't think it will be enough to moisturize dry cheeks, especially if you have foundation and the like underneath.
PACKAGING on these lovelies are absolutely darling! I know its the inside that counts but one look at the exterior got me intrigued enough to wonder if the inside matched the outside--which I'm happy to report it does! While the packaging is very attractive, the FUNCTIONALITY irks me. The caps are twist off instead of pull-off. On one hand, you never have to worry about the cap coming off in your bag but those precious seconds it takes to unscrew the cap in the mornings makes me reach for something else instead. Two, these are twist up. Rather, you push them up from the bottom, kind of like a Push Pop popsicle of you remember those. They don't wind down so make sure not to push up too much.
These come in two FORMULAS: gel or cream. I'll get into which ones are which in a second but TEXTURE and FEEL is what one would expect of a gel and cream. The gel ones are slicker and lighter whereas the creams are denser. It doesn't affect their blendability, fortunately. PIGMENTATION varies among the formula. I found the gel ones to be sheer and the creams to be more pigmented. When I'm describing pigment, I'm looking at how even the color is, not the depth of the color, if you get what I mean. These Cheek Stains have a citrus scent that isn't sharp--very fresh and sweet. I only detect the scent when it's up close to my nose so for those who are sensitive to fragrance shouldn't have much of a problem.
I use my fingers to APPLY these as both the cream and gel are very blendable. I've tried using it straight from the tube and that was a disaster with the creams and so-so with the gels. I don't like using brushes for creamy products as I hate having to wash my brushes frequently. Even if you get too much on your cheek, persistent patting motions will blend it out into the most natural flush ever! I finally understand the hype of cream/gel blushes as they truly do look like you're blushing from within. Powder oftentimes sits on top, not really melding in with the skin and I definitely have that problem since I'm also quite heavy-handed. Beginners or people looking for seamlessly blushing cheeks will definitely love this! They apply well over foundation and powder without being patchy so no need to worry. I will mention, however, that if you do not set your foundation first and you're wearing a particularly dewy one, some foundation may be rubbed off as you apply. LONGEVITY of these will depend on what your base makeup, skincare, skin type, weather conditions, etc are like. Right now, I have relatively normal cheeks and using both my matte and dewy foundations, these lasted throughout the day--8-10 hours, give or take. Traditional staining they do not but boy, do these last!
SWATCHES
Exposed is described as a fresh nude pink. While it looks quite beige in the packaging, on my yellow-toned, light medium skin, there is a slight pinky hue that doesn't call attention to the cheeks. While not the color I flush naturally, it's quite subtle for those who are going for a lighter look. This is a cream formula.
Fearless is a powerful pink coral. Hearing the name, "Fearless", I was expecting a bright color. Instead, I get a sheer baby pink color but it is buildable. This is great for mimicking an "I've been frolicking in the snow all day" kind of look. I also like using it when I want a more youthful feel. Another cream formula.
Blushing Bride is an elegant rosy pink. I'd describe it as a magenta color but not intense or neon. It has a slightly pink frost finish to it--when you blend it out, it lends a nice sheen to the cheeks without calling attention pores on the skin. Cream all the way, baby!
Natural Beauty totally reminds me of Snow White. It's a classic rosy red that is great with an understated eye and red lips. This is my third favorite color out of the ones I have. Gel formula here!
Finally, we have Flush. It's a sheer berry color and my favorite out of the bunch. I naturally flush somewhere between a coral and red but this brightens my complexion while adding sufficient color to my face. When I wake up in the mornings, I can look haggard. When I pop a bit of this on my cheeks, I instantly look a little less tired, even if I don't have any concealer on my under eyes, though I should concentrate more on covering my dark circles if I want to look less tired, really. A gel, which is probably why I love it so much.
OTHER THOUGHTS
These cheek stains caused quite the controversy when they were released. Not only had the packaging changed, the amount in each product had been cut in half while price stayed the same; Robyn over on Brightest Bulb in the Box has the full breakdown on that if you wanted more details. Basically, the concern was whether or not you would be able to finish the product before it expired or grew unsightly things (tl;dr no). I personally don't mind that they cut back in terms of product as I would hate for it to go bad before I can use it up but I do understand frustrations over the price. As Robyn points out, the pricing is actually competitive for the branding as a high end product. Currently, the Tarte Cheek Stain retails for $30usd for 0.5 oz ($60usd per oz). I've personally been using these for a little over two months and they show almost no signs of use--the only thing that gives it away is my fingerprints, a very good sign as to the longevity of these products.
BOTTOM LINE
I would definitely recommend these, especially Flush, Exposed, and Natural Beauty, in that order. To be completely honest, Flush and Natural Beauty give a similar effect on my cheeks (rosy) and Exposed is a great subtle option, especially if you like go heavy on the eyes and nude on the lips. Fearless and Blushing Bride are nice, light pink options but it isn't necessary to have both. I would go with Fearless as I like the brightening baby pink look over the sheen-y cheeks but it's up to your personal preference. There are three other colors that I'll probably look into come summer when those kinds of colors are my choice du jour.
I've only tried one other type of cream blush product, the Revlon PhotoReady Creme Blush, so I'm still new to this whole cream blush concept. I have a Bourjois one that I recently picked up but if you have a favorite one from any brand, let me know!
I've only tried one other type of cream blush product, the Revlon PhotoReady Creme Blush, so I'm still new to this whole cream blush concept. I have a Bourjois one that I recently picked up but if you have a favorite one from any brand, let me know!
I never tried the original formula before the revamp so my opinions are based on the recent ones.
If you tried the old formula, how did you get on with it?
WHERE TO BUY
I love The Balm and also Benefit. The package is so pretty and their products are amazing!
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