As someone with oily skin, I grew up accepting the lie that hydrating, dewy, or ‘natural’ complexion products weren’t meant for me. Although I’ve gotten over that lie, I still feel apprehensive when trying products marketed to normal-to-dry skin. Keep reading for my Tarte Maracuja Hydrating Tinted Moisturizer review to learn how this hydrating base product held up against my oily skin.

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A Little About the Brand

Founded in 1999 by Maureen Kelly, Tarte Cosmetics is an American cosmetics brand that focuses on providing consumers with high-powered natural makeup. After feeling disappointed with the performance of other natural makeup on the market, Tarte was born!

The brand is most well-known for cult-classic products such as the Amazonian Clay Blushes, Tartlette Palettes, and the Shape Tape Concealer. However, the brand went through a huge controversy in 2018 when the brand launched an extension to the Shape Tape family, the Shape Tape Foundation. Despite the inclusive shade range of the cult-classic concealer, when the Shape Tape foundation range launched in 2018 there were only 12 shades. As whole, the range largely excluded deep-skinned people of color.

The disregard for deep-skinned beauty lovers ignited a huge conversation around the need for shade inclusivity in beauty. At the time, the disappointing shade range caused a brand boycott within the beauty community.

However, since the 2018 scandal, Tarte continues to make strides towards launching inclusive shade ranges for complexion products. The brand’s newest complexion products, the Face Tape foundation comes in 50 shades and the Maracuja Tinted Moisturizer comes in 20 shades.

In 2014, Japanese company, Kose purchased a majority stake in Tarte Cosmetics. In 2018 and 2019 Tarte announced the launch of two sub-brands, Awake and Sugar Rush. Awake aims to provide effective, affordable skincare while Sugar Rush is a down-market makeup brand aimed at teens.

Tarte Maracuja Hydrating Tinted Moisturizer Claims

According to Tarte, the Maracuja Hydrating Tinted Moisturizer provides ultra-lightweight, sheer coverage while infusing skin with maracuja super fruit for up to 12 hours of hydration and wear.  Additionally, the sheer, buildable coverage will help to minimize the appearance of imperfections.

Packaging & Price

The Tarte Maracuja Hydrating Tinted Moisturizer comes in a simple, squeeze-tube with purple and white floral detailing. Additionally, a see-through portion of the tube allows buyers to see the shade of each tinted moisturizer. However, it is confusing to see that the tube name does not align with the name listed online.

Each tube contains 1.0 oz of product – a standard size for most liquid complexion products. However, at $29.00, Tarte’s Tinted Moisturizer is much more affordable than similar prestige complexion products.

Is Tarte Cruelty Free & Vegan?

Tarte is 100% Cruelty-Free – neither Tarte nor either of its sub-brands test their products or ingredients on animals. Additionally, Tarte offers many Vegan-friendly products including the Maracuja Hydrating Tinted Moisturizer.

Also, Tarte products do not contain paragons, mineral oil, phthalates, triclosan, gluten, or SLS.

RELATED: Check out my ultimate roundup of affordable Cruelty-Free brands.

Ingredient Claims

According to the Tarte website, the Maracuja Hydrating Tinted Moisturizer contains “skinvigorating” ingredients that provide the benefits of skincare. Those ingredients include Hyaluranic Acid, Maracuja Oil, and Turmeric.

First, Hyaluronic Acid delivers moisture and helps to firm the skin. Meanwhile Maracuja Oil helps to provide firmer, brighter, smoother-looking, hydrated skin. Finally, Turmeric Root Extract soothes and helps to reduce the appearance of redness.

Top 10 Ingredients in the Tarte Maracuja Hydrating Tinted Moisturizer

Ingredient	Benefit & Common Uses
Dimethicone	A gentle, but effective ingredient commonly used emollient synthetic derived from natural silicon in skincare and makeup.
Isononyl Isononanoate	A synthetic ester that functions as an emollient skin-softening agent commonly used in cosmetic products.
Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate	Slows water loss from the skin by forming a barrier on the skin’s surface. Also, may be used to thicken oils within makeup an personal care products.
Glycerin	A naturally occurring alcohol compound found in all animal, plant, and human tissues, including the skin and blood. Glyerin is commonly used to add smoothness and lubrication to formulas. Also, as a humectant, it helps to prevent water loss in products.
Phenyl Trimethicone	Phenyl Trimethicone is a silicone fluid that helps slow the loss of water in the skin by forming a barrier on the skin’s surface.
Magnesium Sulfate	Commonly called Epsom Salt, is a white crystalline compound used to dilute other solids or to increase the volume of a product.
Octyldodecanol	A colorless, odorless, long chain fatty acid that helps to prevent liquid and oil components in products from separating. Also, in skincare, this fatty acid acts as lubricant to help the skin look smoother.
Hydrogenated Castor Oil	An emollient that stops water loss and keeps the skin feeling soft.
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone	A skin conditioning and emulsifying silicone.
Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate	A natural emulsifier that makes formulas feel soft and powdery that is gentle enough for baby and sensitive skin.

Ingredient Analysis

As you can see from the above chart, none of the advertised skincare ingredients make it into the top 10 ingredients of the moisturizer. Overall, this is not uncommon for makeup and skincare brands. In fact, the hyped ingredients are commonly listed further down the ingredient list.

With the above being said, the top 10 ingredients in the formula include many hydrating ingredients that help to prevent water loss and improve the appearance of skin’s texture. Looking at these ingredients, it is clear that the formula will provide skin smoothing and hydration benefits.

Product Swatches

As always, swatches are not a perfect indicator of quality. However, swatches can provide clues about a product’s color payoff and ability to blend once applied to the face. The below swatches were done using my fingers on a bare arm. No primer.

Obviously, foundation swatches tell consumers very little about product performance. However, I find that swatching foundations against one another helps me to select my shade.

Typically, I use my Anastasia Beverly Hills Luminous Foundation as my closest match. Overall, I have a neutral undertone. However, when I’m at my most fair I can get away with cool or peachy undertones. Within the Tarte Maracuja Hydrating Foundation, I own the shade 13B Fair-Light Beige.

Application & Wear-Time

On the Tarte website the brand explains that this Tinted Moisturizer should be applied over primed skin. Then, blend out with fingers. Although it is important to understand a brand’s recommended application method, I rarely find myself using my fingers to apply foundation.

Instead, I prefer using blending sponges (like these affordable ColourPop sponges) and brushes. Therefore, I tested this tinted moisturizer using my fingers, a few blending sponges, and dense complexion brushes. Overall, the Tarte Maracuja Hydrating Tinted Moisturizer applied with ease no matter what application method I used.

A sponge application provides the most seamless, blended finish. However, it will eat up more product. In contrast, a dense brush will produce more coverage with less product. However, the finish will not look as skin-like. The finger application falls somewhere in-between the two aforementioned techniques. Finally, no matter the application tool, the formula built up to a light-medium coverage.

Although the foundation promises to provide a radiant finish, the tinted moisturizer still held up against my oil slick skin. Without setting my face, the moisturizer lasted roughly 8 hours before I looked agressively dewy. Additionally, between the 6-8 mark, the tinted moisturizer wore away around areas where I commonly touch my face.

Nevertheless, As an oily gal I always prefer to set my base with powder. When applying over a primer and setting with powder, the tinted moisturizer lasted 12 hours without slipping and sliding off my face.

Also, the Tarte Tinted Moisturizer worked for my skin even during the worst of my eczema flare up this summer. In fact, on the rare occasion I needed to show my face for work, I applied a light layer of the Tarte Tinted Moisturizer. I never experienced any irritation!

Where is the Tarte Maracuja Hydrating Tinted Moisturizer sold?

• US: Dermstore, Sephora, Ulta
• Canada: Sephora Canada
• International: Tarte

Final Thoughts on the Tarte Maracuja Hydrating Tinted Moisturizer

Honestly, my love of the Maracuja Hydrating Tinted Moisturizer caught me off guard. During my eczema flare up and even after, this Tinted Moisturizer is the complexion product I find myself wearing most.

This Tinted Moisturizer provides a healthy, radiant, skin-like finish that isn’t aggressively dewy. Moreover, it blurs the look of skin imperfections without looking fake, cakey, or heavy.

Whether I set the Tinted Moisturizer with translucent powder or leave it as-is, this product plays well with other complexion products. Most importantly, it lasts throughout the day – even under a hot mask. With the above being said, oily-skinned makeup lovers like myself will need to set the Tinted Moisturizer or blot it periodically during the day to minimize the natural shine that builds up during the day.

Although I cannot vouch for the veracity of the skincare benefits, I can say that the Tarte Maracuja Hydrating Tinted Moisturizer left my skin looking brighter, healthier, smoother, more hydrated and less red. Overall, I recommend this under-hyped Tinted Moisturizer to skincare lovers looking for a lightweight, skin-like complexion product.

Are you looking for more complexion and skincare recommendations for oily skin?

For the best primer and foundation recommendations for oily skin, please check out my rankings. Also, for concealers that cover dark circles, please check out my concealer ranking.

In need of your next favorite setting spray or setting powder? Check out my setting product ranking.

Looking for a dedicated reviews? ? Read my L’Oreal True Match Foundation Review to see whether this classic drugstore foundation worked for my oily skin. Also, check out my review on the Tatcha Silk Canvas Primer or the Smashbox Photo Finish Oily & Shine Control Primer & Weightless Setting Spray.

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Have you tried the Tarte Maracuja Tinted Moisturizer? Do you have a favorite product from Tarte? Please let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

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