tarte Miracle of Maracuja 8-Piece Skin Smart Collection Swatches and Review

Okay, you guys.  If you've never had a tarte QVC exclusive collection that's on Special Value, well, you just have to get it right now.  I have been a fan of tarte and have been getting their exclusive QVC sets for a couple of years now, but I think this is the best set I've encountered so far. Check out this Miracle of Maracuja 8-piece Skin Smart Collection that is set to debut on QVC on Friday, March 16, 2012 (Note: Mark your calendars--the entire set (consisting of 8 pieces) will sell for under $60 for one day only--this Friday, March 16):

The collection is valued at $200 and includes:

-New QVC-exclusive airbrush-finish Bamboo Blush Brush ($28)

-New Airblush Maracuja Blush ($25) - infused with maracuja oil. Includes Amused, a shimmering poppy.

-Maracuja Waterproof Creaseless Concealer ($24), infused with maracuja oil with a creamy, rich feel.

-Pure Maracuja Oil ($46)- a complexion oil infused with Vitamin C

-New Cashmere Waterproof Gliding Liner ($18). The Cashmere shade is a QVC exlusive, a rich black.

-Lights, Camera, Lashes! ($19) mascara, one of tarte's bestsellers.

-A new shade of Maracuja Divine Shine Lip Gloss ($12), Peaceful

New QVC-exclusive Beauty & the Box Amazonian Clay Eyeshadow Quad ($22). The shades are Pink Cloud, Silver Mist, Purple Fog, and Dark Ash.

I oohed and ahhhed when I saw the products, because for $59.96 plus S&H of $7.22, this is a real steal.  But wait, it gets better.  You can get them on 2 easy payments of $29.98, plus tax and S&H.  I mean, I'd pay this price for the Pure Maracuja Oil and Maracuja concealer alone, but to get 8 products that are mostly full-size for this price? Insane, if you ask me, but the good kind!

Let's take a look at the products in this kit:


Beauty & the Box Amazonian Clay Eyeshadow Quad (sorry nicked this pretty product with my finger after I tried to take the stubborn plastic film out!)




Beauty & the Box Amazonian Clay eyeshadow quad






This Beauty & the Box Amazonian Clay eyeshadow quad is small but packs a mean punch. It has little strips of the four shades called Pink Cloud, Silver Mist, Purple Fog, and Dark Ash. As you can tell in the swatches, they are very pigmented and rich, and they really do glide like butter on the lids. This is a small box so it is very easy to bring for travel or out of town trips. I also like the convenient box with the neat little strips of color.


Airblush Maracuja Blush in Poppy




Airblush Maracuja Blush in Poppy L-R: blended, heavy swatch





This blush is absolutely gorgeous. For some reason I am loving cream blushes lately; I like bringing them to work for touch-ups because you don't need a brush but only clean fingers to apply them. Poppy is a bright- you guessed it- poppy shade that is actually very wearable as you can see in the swatches. This reminds me of NARS' Cactus Flower cream blush. I like that when blended into the skin, it creates this lit-from-within look, like you just came back from a brisk walk in cold weather. This is one of my favorites from this kit. So pretty!


Bamboo Blush Brush









This Bamboo blush brush is designed to work with the Airblush cream blushes. It is a duo-fibre brush that has a soft dense head that is perfect to work in cream blushes and blend them into a seamless look. I really like the bamboo handles- very Zen-like and classy, and environmentally-friendly at the same time (bamboo is a highly-sustainable plant). This is one of the brushes that would look really nice and classy on my vanity.


Pure Maracuja Oil











The Pure Maracuja Oil is I think the star of the collection. I am in love with this product. I use a lot of complexion oils as opposed to creams at night because I feel they work better with my retinoids and Vitamin C serums. The Pure Maracuja oil works just as great as my emu oil in moisturizing my skin at night and make it feel and look supple when I wake up in the morning. I have not tried the Maracuja oil for a protracted amount of time, but according to tarte, here are some test results on people who have used the product for a while:

1. In a consumer use study, 100% of subjects agree pure maracuja oil application directions are easy to understand and the product is easy to use.
2. In a consumer use study, 90.7% of subjects agree pure maracuja oil absorbs quickly and does not leave any oily residue on skin after application.
3. In a consumer use study, 96.3% of subjects agree skin appeared smoother after three weeks of use.
4. In a consumer use study, 88.9% of subjects agree skin appeared more radiant/ luminous after three weeks of use.
5. In a consumer use study, 83.3% of subjects agree there is a visible improvement in even skin tone after three weeks of use.
6. In a consumer use study, 88.9% of subjects agree there is a visible improvement in skin texture after three weeks of use.
7. In a consumer use study, 90.7% of subjects agree there is a visible improvement in skin's moisture after three weeks of use.
8. In a consumer use study, 64.8% of subjects agree pore size looks visibly reduced after three weeks of use.
9. In a consumer use study, 77.8% of subjects agree fine lines and wrinkles look visibly reduced after three weeks of use.
10. In a consumer use study, 81.5% of subjects agree skin elasticity has visibly improved after three weeks of use.

I will come up with a follow-up review after I've used this product for at least 8 weeks, and I will let you guys know. So far, so good though. I like to mix a few drops with some water and apply it on my face and neck after cleansing and applying Vit. C serum and retinoids. It gives a nice, supple look and feel on the skin in the morning.


Waterproof Gliding Liner in Cashmere







The Waterproof Gliding Liner in Cashmere is your usual black pencil liner, but this one really glides nice and buttery on the skin. It does smudge easily for a nice smoky eye look. I have tried washing it off with soap and water, and did come off fairly easily, but without soap, I had a little difficulty taking it off. I like this for tightlining and waterlining purposes. It's your standard soft, buttery pencil liner.


Lights, Camera, Lashes! mascara



I will also make a separate review on this mascara, but it does give my short, sparse lashes the volumizing boost and lengthening properties that it needs.


Maracuja Divine Shine Lip Gloss in Peaceful









I am definitely not a fan of click pen lipglosses, so this packaging is a bit disappointing, but I know that tarte is known for their click pen glosses so I can't complain about that. I am just not a fan of this packaging. That said, I really like the product. It looks very moist and luscious on the lips, and I like to apply this over a lipstick to give the shiny, moist lip look. It smells and tastes minty, so it is kinda refreshing on the lips.


Maracuja creaseless concealer in Medium




Maracuja creaseless concealer in Medium


Maracuja creaseless concealer in Medium

I tried the Medium shade and it is the perfect shade for me. It is a thick concealer that has great coverage. I didn't expect it to be too thick, but it does warm up to your finger, so you get to blend the product on your skin seamlessly. I like that it is in a long-nosed tube for easy application. I applied it on my undereye area in soft, patting motions, and it effectively concealed my stubborn dark undereye area. I did set it with a salmon-colored mineral powder for a long-lasting coverage. True to its name, it really did not crease on the fine lines under the eye, and it looked quite natural.

All in all, this set has excellent value. As I said, I would pay this price just for the Maracuja concealer and Pure Maracuja Oil alone. You can pre-order your set here.

The Shades Of U Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars

Note: Media sample was provided by a representative of the company for consideration. All opinions are completely mine.