August 20, 2009

Tarte ReCreate Foundation Review

The Muse has been fiddling about with Tarte ReCreate Foundation for a few months now. It’s chock full of interesting features one of which is very important, anti-aging. Can’t say there are a slew of anti-aging foundations on the market that I know of. The novelty of a foundation that would aid me in keeping my skin youthful and fresh sounded incredible.


Jump ahead for the deets and review.

Like many foundation, Tarte ReCreate Foundation has plenty of good points and a few bad.

It’s paraben-free, natural formula is a very good point particularly if you’re super conscious of what goes into your makeup. The fact that it contains an SPF 15 is another good point but I do think that’s a tad low in the sun protection department. And most important of all it’s interesting “wrinkle rewind” technology which holds a claim of being clinically proven to decrease fine lines and wrinkles while increasing moisture, toning, and firming the skin.


All this is very appealing however I may not be getting the full benefit of it as I don’t have fine lines or wrinkles on my face as of yet so I can’t speak for whether it’s improving any of that. I also can’t say if it’s working at keeping my skin youthful as a few short months of use would never be enough time to judge that however that doesn’t stop me from loving the idea that it could very well be protecting my skin and preventing wrinkles.

The formula is creamy, moisturizing and blends flawlessly onto my skin. It’s a tad on the runny side but not in a bad way as that allows it to easily absorb into my dry skin. It’s not incredibly pigmented but it’s rich enough to allow light to medium coverage but if you have major skin care woes you’re wanting to cover it probably won’t completely help that case (even though it says full coverage I felt it wasn’t pigmented enough for total coverage). I’ve heard it tends to sink and settle into pores but I don’t have large pores so it sits comfortable on my skin and almost feels like a glove…it’s not a silicon feel but it feels interesting during first application.

I’m also a big lover of the packaging. It comes in a pump style tube that dispenses just the right amount of product. Fantastically clean, mess-free distribution makes it a winner in the packaging department!


Now my main problem with it…

The shades.

All the colors have an incredible amount of unflattering beige to them. Even the very lightest ivory looks like a muddy beige shade. This in itself was a deal breaker for me as it made me look terribly old and uneven. The shade was just wrong. I did do a ton of swatches of other shades and all of them were just sadly wrong for my tone. MAC seems to have a similar problem when it comes to foundation as many of their shades have incredible amounts of either orange or beige and of course drugstore brands as well.


Overall, if the interesting concept of an anti-aging foundation appeals to me in a major way and I like the formula of the foundation as well as it’s light and feels nice on my face. However, the shade selection does need considerably improvement and I can’t say I’d indulge again once I’m done with this one.

Anyone try Tarte ReCreate?

Love it?

Not so much?

Tell the Muse!

4 Comments

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  • Andrea

    I LOVE this stuff. I got it in that awesome gift set Sephora has for $54. I have been using Estee Lauder Double Wear for years (and will never stop unless someone convinces me that it isn’t the HG of all medium to heavy coverage foundations). This stuff, however, is less coverage. It’s more oily, although I hate to use that word. Maybe it’s just runnier. I agree with you on the color. I mix it with a little tinted moisturizer or some of my EL foundation, and it works perfectly for weekends or days when I want a more natural look.

    I would buy this again (probably another of the same kits from Sephora b/c that gives me the concealer, which is good to carry in your purse, the powder, which sucks, the bronzer, which I love, and the full-sized primer, which I also really like. It’s worth it just for the primer and the foundation.

  • Mina

    I agree – good features, but the lightest color – porcelain – is too dark for my skin tone & far too orangey…

    • the Muse

      mina colors were way off weren’t they!? either too orange, too beige, or too mud 🙁