The trend today seems to be a very thin, runny almost serum-like foundation. The Amazonian Clay Foundation could not be more different. This is perhaps the thickest foundation I own. That being said, it has a very whipped, mousse-like consistency that doesn’t feel even remotely heavy on the skin. It also doesn’t look heavy. It just looks and feels like skin.
It has a nice buildable medium coverage (that seems like such a cliché doesn’t it?) and a matte finish. Though the trend is towards a more luminous finish these days, it’s easy to make the Tarte foundation a bit more glowy if you prefer by using a luminizing primer or adding something like the BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector to the foundation. Whatever your choice, the finish never looks heavy or caked on. It has a very natural skin-like finish that is perfect for everyday wear.
Tarte’s Amazonian Clay Foundation wears surprisingly well too! It gives you enough time to blend (which it does with ease) and then sets to be pretty budge-proof. You can powder if you’d like, but it’s not necessary to keep it in place. It doesn’t seem to transfer easily to things like cell phones or sunglasses, which is a definite plus in my book! Though I can’t say I’ve done a dedicated “wear test,” just my casual observance seems to be that it doesn’t fade or wear away much throughout the day. It does look pretty much the same by the end of the day as it did at the beginning of the day.
What skin type would this best suit? It’s kind of difficult for me to tell since I don’t have much dryness at the moment. That being said, it’s not at all drying and I haven’t found it to be clingy or dry in consistency. As far as the combo to oilier of us, it actually does keep shine at bay! If you’re particularly oily, it’s not going to eliminate any need to blot throughout the day, but if you’re in the mild to moderate range of oiliness, you very well might make it through a day without touching up. A nice blot may improve the appearance, but you’re not likely to become a greasy mess without it. Unlike most with similar capabilities, your skin doesn’t feel parched by the end of the day either! It’s quite amazing how well the Amazonian Clay seem to maintain a balance in the skin!
Perhaps my biggest concern is how a foundation affects the appearance of the texture of my skin. My pores are a huge issue to me and most foundations magnify them at least a tiny bit, if not a whole lot! I’m thrilled to report that the Tarte foundation is definitely excellent at not emphasizing pores or uneven texture!!! It also doesn’t seem to settle or pool into deeper pores or cavernous acne scars. I might just have to claim this as the best foundation I’ve tried for de-emphasizing skin texture!
As far as packaging goes, it’s ok and it works for the product itself. It’s contained in an inverted squeeze tube. I kind of like a pump, but that wouldn’t work with the thick mousse that is the Amazonian Clay Foundation. It’s easy to squeeze out the foundation and you have pretty good control over how much product you’re getting, so I’m completely fine with the packaging. It’s also very lightweight and it’s plastic, so if you travel (which I pretty much never do), it’s fantastic for throwing in your bag with no worries. Though you can’t see into the tube, there is a “window” of sorts on the side so you don’t have to rely solely on the feel to determine if you’re running low. Perhaps not the prettiest of packages, but it’s perfectly functional and really no reason to complain.
In case you can’t tell, I have fallen completely in love with the Tarte Amazonian Clay Foundation…again. It ticks pretty much every box for me and I kind of wonder why I ever bothered trying something different. Add to that a relatively reasonable price tag of $39 for 1.7oz (that’s almost twice as much as most!), an impressive 25 shades, and it’s vegan-friendly? Definitely an absolute winner in my book! If you haven’t tried the Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Full Coverage Foundation yet or are like me and have forgotten it in the back of a drawer, I highly recommend giving it a try! It’s an absolute wonderful foundation that deserves another look. J
