here’s the tea on tarte™ foundations
There’s one thing that all good foundation makeup has in common: it covers everything, but feels like nothing.
But how do you choose from the hundreds of foundations on the market? Well, first of all, foundation is personal. You may change up what you’re wearing based on the day (or night) ahead of you. That being said, you first need to ask yourself what level of coverage you are looking for. You might, for example, prefer light coverage by day & fuller coverage by night.
With that, consider any skin concerns you may have. If you have acne or dark spots, you might want a foundation with fuller coverage. If you have oily skin, you’ll probably want a foundation with a mattifying finish.
In addition to coverage & finish, look at the ingredients. If you have dry or mature skin, look for a hydrating formula, like those infused with hyaluronic acid. If you have sensitive skin, don’t worry — all our foundations are dermatologist tested (& vegan)!
Of course, you’ll want to find a foundation that suits your skin tone. We offer a large range of shades, plus shade-matching services. Don't know how to choose a foundation color online? For an instant shade match, try our virtual try-on tool. Between 2 shades? There’s no risk in ordering them both with free returns on all U.S. orders!
Ahead, learn everything you need to know about how to choose a foundation from our best sellers & why real tartelettes straight from tarte™ HQ swear by them.
face tape™ foundation
tape™ foundation is a full-coverage foundation without the full feel! It covers everything from redness & blemishes to age spots. With a natural matte finish that never looks or feels dry, nobody ever has to know! It’s great for most skin types, most ideal for combination, oily & dry skin.
“My favorite foundation is definitely face tape™,” tarte™ Social Media Coordinator Ava Berg said. “It evens out my skin so perfectly, covering my dark undereyes & redness,” she said, adding that “its finish pairs with my dry skin beautifully.”
Our proprietary tape technology™ helps smooth texture & blur the appearance of pores, fine lines & wrinkles, creating a smooth canvas.
“It creates a great base for me to blend in bronzer & blush for a full coverage, natural look,” Ava said.
Snow mushroom helps hydrate, reduce inflammation & brighten skin, while antioxidant-rich apple fruit extract helps protect against free radicals. Finally, hyaluronic acid delivers moisture, firmness & suppleness.
If you need a foundation to get you through the day, face tape™ delivers tarte 12-hour power™ & is transfer-proof, waterproof & sweatproof.
“I could truly not live without it,” Ava said.
Amazonian clay 16-hour full coverage foundation
Whip up your best skin with our best-selling Amazonian foundation. The soft matte, never flat mousse is featherlight & delivers full coverage for 16 hours of wear.
“This formula is my go-to for longwear, ‘no touch-up needed’ makeup,” Executive Director of Sales & Education Mary Hall said.
Save the cake for dessert — this baby won’t cake or crease! The poreless technology glides on, erasing the look of pores, fine lines & wrinkles for an airbrushed finish.
“It covers my age spots & redness without looking cakey,” Mary said.
This foundation gets its powers from sustainably sourced, hand-harvested Amazonian clay. Our Amazonian clay travels down the Amazon river, picking up nutrients from plants & minerals until we harvest it. It’s then infused into our foundation (& other products in our Amazonian clay collection) to deliver better, longer, truer wear. It really is nature’s most perfect ingredient!
In addition to clay, this foundation is infused with vitamin E, a natural preservative that also acts as an anti-inflammatory emollient & antioxidant, as well as mineral pigments to soothe & soften skin.
It’s most ideal for oily & combination skin, but more mature skin like Mary’s will love it too!
maracuja tinted moisturizer
Lazy gals & guys, this is the foundation for you. This 2-in-1 skincare foundation let’s you skip a step in your AM routine, so you can hit snooze.
maracuja tinted moisturizer is infused with skin-lovin’ superfruit maracuja & more good-for-your-skin ingredients. Maracuja oil delivers firmer, brighter, smoother-looking skin. As if this star ingredient couldn’t get any better, tarte™ partners with an all-female cooperative in the Amazon to sustainably source maracuja. The co-op empowers women by providing them with the resources they need to succeed & support their families.
In addition, hyaluronic acid delivers moisture, firmness & suppleness. Vegan collagen complex helps hydrate skin & helps skin appear firmer. Turmeric helps reduce appearance of redness. Aloe is known for soothing, healing & antiseptic properties.
“I love the hydrating qualities for when my skin feels a little dry & I need that extra hydration,” tarte™ Assistant Manager of E-Commerce Demand Planning Melissa Lee said.
It delivers light, buildable coverage with a natural radiant finish that feels & looks like YOU.
“I don’t have too many skin concerns, so the light coverage works great, but when I do have redness or dull skin, I like that this foundation is completely buildable,” Melissa added.
Plus, this tinted moisturize delivers 12-hour longwear & 12-hour hydration.
“It is my everyday go to face product & a must have in my makeup bag!,” Melissa said.
babassu foundcealer™ skincare foundation
This skincare-infused foundation is a moisturizer, concealer & foundation. It delivers medium-buildable coverage with natural radiant finish, thanks to babassu that gives skin a youthful glow.
“I don’t always wear foundation when I go out, as I like to keep my skin looking ‘real’ & don’t like the feel of makeup on my skin. But when I do, I choose babassu,” tarte™ Director of Talent Danielle Russo said. “I like to have a dewy glow, & babassu achieves that without the heavy feel & look.”
It’s clinically shown to hydrate & help skin appear plumper. Ultra-nourishing babassu helps nourish, moisturize & soothe skin, while hyaluronic acid retains moisture & hydrates. Meanwhile, sunflower seed helps regenerate & condition.
“It looks like my skin, but better, & I get tons of compliments on my skin when I wear it (not to toot my own horn, of course!). Plus, with its added benefits of skincare in a bottle, I feel like I am helping my skin versus covering it,” Danielle said.
With customizable coverage, you don’t have to worry about it looking cakey or dry.
“If you are looking for a moisturizing, yet non-greasy makeup pick that enhances your skin, babassu is it!,” Danielle said.
SEA hydroflex™ serum foundation
SEA hydroflex™ serum foundation is the yoga pants of foundation. This serum foundation delivers flexible, medium coverage with a natural finish that lets the true you shine through.
“hydroflex™ is my fave! I love that it evens out my skin tone without feeling like I am wearing a heavy foundation,” tarte™ Creative Product Manager Sarah Gooseman said.
hydroflex technology™ moves with your skin so it won't crease or cake, & our sweat protect complex keeps skin looking fresh throughout the day with waterproof & sweatproof wear. Our proprietary super serum complex is infused with 8 types of hyaluronic acid to promote better bare skin & deliver 12 hours of hydration.
“I have dry skin and it works great for me!,” Sarah said.
The formula is water-based (& fragrance-free), so it applies evenly & effortlessly, while nourishing the skin. Hyaluronic acid adds an addition burst of hydration. Niacinamide helps brighten, as does anti-inflammatory sea daffodil, & minimize look of pores. Our vegan collagen complex delivers a smooth & plump look, while marine plants help reduce look of lines & wrinkles.
If you’re a skincare lover, especially one with dry or combination skin, this will be a makeup bag staple!
shape tape™ cloud coverage CC cream
Reveal your dreamiest skin ever with this light-as-air CC cream. It delivers medium-buildable, flexible coverage with a bouncy, cloud-like texture that feels super comfy on skin & wears weightless.
“cloud cream is my everyday go-to!,” tarte™ Trade Marketing Manager Emily Parker said. “It’s the perfect amount of coverage to conceal any redness on my face, yet feels lightweight & never cakey.”
The natural matte, soft-focus finish looks like your skin, but even better thanks to tape technology™ that smooths & blurs imperfections. Plus, the 24-hour crease-proof formula minimizes the look of pores, fine lines, wrinkles & uneven texture.
“It literally looks like my skin and feels so lightweight after application. I’m obsessed!,” Emily said.
This foundation is suitable for most skin types, especially dry skin. Our cloud 9 complex, infused with powerhouse ingredients like snow mushroom, hyaluronic acid, squalane, prickly pear & castor oil, drenches skin in 24-hour hydration.
“My skin can feel dry at times, so the hydration in this product really keeps my skin looking moisturized & bright throughout the day,” Emily said.
Amazonian clay gem powder foundation
If liquid foundation isn’t your think, this powder will change your life. This talc-free, loose powder delivers featherlight, full coverage with a natural (not flat) finish. It blurs the appearance of pores, fine lines & wrinkles, delivering a soft-focus airbrushed effect.
“It literally looks like a filter, but is so lightweight & undetectable on my skin,” tarte™ Senior Director of Marketing Erica Sieni said.
The triple-gem complex nourishes, protects & brightens skin with ruby powder, smithsonite & tourmaline. Plus, Amazonian clay absorbs any excess oil & shine.
“If you get oily throughout the day like me, gem powder is perfect for you,” Erica added.
The best part? With 24-hour longwear, it won’t cake, flake or fade.
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Still can't decide? Take our foundation quiz for a personalized recco!