All of my life I have had skin issues. Acne, eczema, contact dermatitis…you name it, I’ve probably dealt with it. For the longest time, I just thought I had been dealt a bad hand when it came to my skin. But about eight years ago I had an experience that forced me to do a little experimenting and research into my skin battles. Long story short, I discovered that I was actually allergic to just about every chemical ingredient that is pumped into conventional cosmetics and that all of my skin woes stemmed from that allergy. Once I eliminated all chemical-laden products from my beauty regime, I discovered I actually have really lovely skin! Who knew?
My joy at finally uncovering the mystery of my skin issues was somewhat tempered by the fact that it was nearly impossible to find more natural alternatives to my everyday cosmetic must-haves. One of the hardest things for me to find was a good foundation that was more natural but also worked well and had even coverage. I have tried a TON of different brands, but never really loved any of them.
Until now.
Let me introduce you to Tarte Cosmetics. Tarte’s products are dermatologist tested, cruelty-free, and vegan. They are also made without parabens, mineral oil, phthalates, triclosan, sodium lauryl sulfate or gluten.
Their Amazonian clay 12-hour full coverage foundation is a big, BIG winner in my book. It provides excellent coverage, is not oily in the least and has never irritated my highly sensitive skin (which is saying a lot). It comes in a wide variety of shades to match every skin tone and it goes on smooth and lasts all day. Seriously, y’all, this stuff is the BOMB. The only bad thing I can say about this product is the packaging, specifically, the screw-on cap. I drop that sucker EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. If they could just change it to a flip top cap or something, that would be perfect.
I was so impressed by the foundation that I decided to give their BB tinted treatment 12-hour primer a try. I’ve never used primer before but I decided to try it under my make-up because, let’s face it, I’m getting old. Like the foundation, the primer goes on very smooth and even. It has a lovely texture and is not at all oily on the skin. In fact, I found the primer to be very slightly drying when the air is drier. Because the primer is tinted, I often use it alone (without foundation over it) if I want a tiny bit of coverage but I don’t want to go all out with the make-up (like when I go to the grocery store). Again, the only thing I don’t like about the primer is the stupid screw-on cap.
I highly recommend these products to anyone who is looking for a natural alternative to foundations and primers. And if you have highly sensitive skin, like me, this may be the saving grace for your face. See what I did there? I’m so clever.
*This is not a sponsored post. I just really dig this stuff and wanted to share my enthusiasm!
Good to know, I’ve been looking for an alternative for my sensitive skin, too! 🙂