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[#1]

In light of today being Valentine’s Day, I’m going to tell you a story about a woman who was ready to give up on finding true love when she was swept off her feet by tarte Amazonian Clay Full-Coverage Foundation with SPF 15. For once in her life, she felt complete, comfortable in her own skin, and protected. It accepted her flaws and made her a better version of herself. At first, she didn’t think she could be any happier, but things quickly changed. She soon found herself falling for Amazonian Butter Lipstick and Amazonian Clay Blush, too. Luckily, they all got along beautifully and lived happily ever after!

Yes, that hopeless makeup romantic is me. I’m pleased to report that I’m still in love with the tarte Journey to Natural Beauty Collection.

It's full of matches made in makeup heaven and is as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside (it comes in a chic, foldable clutch with adorable details…I wouldn’t expect anything less from Maureen Kelly!). While each component makes me very happy, I can’t help but choose favorites, and mine happen to be the three heroes of my Valentine’s Day story: Amazonian Clay Foundation, Amazonian Butter Lipstick, and Amazonian Clay Blush.

It’s hard to put my feelings for Amazonian Clay Foundation into words. I thought I’d found the perfect foundation for my skin type so many times, but, for what I’m looking for, this one truly blows the others out of the water. I need a foundation that’s matte and provides seamless, full coverage. In order to get that combination before, I’d have to use liquid foundation and concealer followed by powder foundation…and maybe a little more concealer. Now, all I have to do to make my complexion look flawless (and trust me, it’s FAR from it) is blend the creamy foundation all over my face with the included Airbrush Finish Bamboo Foundation Brush and, depending on the day, add a dab or two of concealer. I don’t think my skin has ever looked better. After just one day of wearing it into the office, I converted a coworker who described my skin as looking “luminescent.”

Like soul mates, the perfect lipstick is hard to find. That’s part of what makes Amazonian Butter Lipstick in Plummy Rose so special. The shade is like your lips, but better and a touch glossier. It’s a mauvey pink that’ll complement any complexion. Plus, the smooth, luscious formula is infused with emollient butters to keep your kisser moisturized. It looks and feels amazing.

Now onto my beloved Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Fearless. As soon as I opened the compact, it was love at first sight. It has a great mirror in it and the blush itself is imprinted with a cool design (it’s the little things!). Fearless is a soft pink shade with a hint of shimmer that lends a radiant, natural-looking flush (don’t worry, it looks more sparkly in the pan than it appears on the skin). It illuminates, works beautifully with the lip color, and perhaps best of all, stays put! I like to use a little bit on my lids, too, to tie everything together.

While those are the pieces I’m especially infatuated with, I’m also pretty taken with Lights, Camera, Flashes! Statement Mascara and the Brow Architect Brow Shaper. The mascara adds a WHOLE lot of wow factor (in a clinical study, two coats increased lash volume by 752%!). Eyeliner is always in my routine, but this formula makes my peepers pop so much on its own that I don’t even miss it. The dual-sided wand lets you single out each of your eyelashes for an extra-dramatic effect. Be as precise as you can, though, to avoid clumping. 

Prior to trying this collection, my brow-grooming regimen consisted of tweezing or waxing period…no pencils, etc. I have really dark eyebrows (they’re at least 1–2 shades darker than my natural hair color), so I was always fearful of making them look too fake. The Brow Architect has shown me what I was missing. It serves three different functions: pencil, concealer, and shaper. Naturally, I was most intimidated by the pencil part, but after filling in my brows with short, hair-like motions, I couldn’t believe how well it polished off my whole look. It adds a little something extra without being obvious. The concealer is a nice touch, too. It creates nice, clean lines and highlights the brow bone. And finally, the eyebrow brush puts any stragglers in place. Before this tool came into my life, I didn’t even realize I needed help with my brows, but learning from your mistakes is an important part of any good relationship.

Maureen Kelly, you’ve done it again with this collection! Your amazing offerings for the face, eyes, lips, and cheeks could make anyone makeup monogamous.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

—Missy