I Tried Tarte's Babassu Foundcealer & Learned It's As Good For My Skin As It Is For Coverage
My makeup style is somewhat all over the place. Some days I wear a full face — beat foundation, lashes, and all — and then others, I opt for glowy-looking skin and a wash of color on my cheeks. It's great for keeping my friends on their toes, not so great for my overflowing foundation drawer or when packing for trips. So I tested a brand new foundation that promises buildable coverage (from a barely-there tint to hide-it-all concealer-esque powers) with good-for-you vegan ingredients, to boot. I put the claims to the test in my own Tarte Babassu Foundcealer review and honestly, nothing could've prepared me for what I discovered.
I received the foundation days before it officially launches on March 21, so it's all still very hush-hush. The foundation came in a tiny tester pot with no labels, no directions, and no ingredients list. Tarte thought it would be more fun for me to try it without being swayed by directions.
So here's what I did:
Application: Damp Makeup Sponge
Not knowing what the suggested application was, I applied it like I would any other foundation: with a damp makeup sponge. Doing it this way gives me moderate coverage — I couldn't see the redness around my cheeks anymore, but my freckles were still showing — but I instantly noticed how dewy and fresh my face looked. The foundation was flexible and felt super hydrating — my skin felt like skin, with a bounce to it. At this point, I guessed that the mystery product Tarte had sent my way was a tinted moisturizer or some skincare-makeup hybrid. It felt too hydrating to be an actual foundation.
Application: Foundation Brush
On the right side of my face, I applied some more with a foundation brush and blended it in. All of a sudden, this stuff was hiding my freckles, minimizing my dark circles, and masking sun spots (maybe it is a foundation after all) — and all the while, the dewy finish stayed glowy as ever. But honestly, I couldn't stop thinking that this stuff was way too comfortable to be a foundation. What is this magical potion?
After an entire day of wearing the product, my skin still felt moist to the touch, and after three days of wearing the brand new foundation, my skin now looks healthier somehow. It feels hydrated and the lines under my eyes look softened. At first, I chalked it up to the fact that I was on vacation. I mean, who doesn't look better on vacation? But that's when Tarte finally let me in on the secret: for the last three days, I've been using their newest launch: Tarte's Babassu Foundcealer Vegan Skincare Foundation SPF 20.
My first thought was, I need to know what's in this stuff! And then I find out that my skin has been so hydrated lately thanks to the naturally-derived ingredients like vitamin E, hyaluronic acid, and babassu. Tarte describes it as a "superbalm" from the rainforest that nourishes, moisturizes, and soothes skin.
Plus, the formula is vegan, hypoallergenic, and non-comedogenic, so you don't have to worry about this foundation clogging up your pores or causing you to break out. And for those of us who hate wearing sunscreen with makeup (honestly, same), there's titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, both of which protect from broad spectrum UVA/UVB rays.
The Babassu Foundcealer Vegan Skincare Foundation SPF 20 will be available in 30 shades and five undertones at Tarte.com and in Sephora stores and online beginning March 21 for $39. Social media is already on fire with the news, so I suggest setting a reminder on your phone — you don't want to miss out.
