Review: Tarte Clean Slate Timeless Smoothing Primer

Hello Ladies && Gents!

Every now and then I like to buy highly recomended products and give them a whirl. For last month I decided to try out Tarte’s Clean Slate Timeless Smoothing Primer ($39.00).

Now I had a hard time deciding whether or not I was even going to review this primer because I have had mixed emotions regarding its effectiveness.At the beginning of September, I purchased this primer in conjunction with the Tarte Amazonian Clay Liquid Foundation ($38.00).

The Primer itself is very soft, and is a very thick moose like consistency. When placed on the skin it moisturizes and makes the face look “matte”. One down side to the composition of this product is that, it takes quite a bit of product to cover the entire face. (Tip: Use a liquid foundation brush for applying product)

Let me just start off by saying that I HATED this product when combined with the Tarte  liquid foundation.

The foundation itself was an amazing, full coverage product that gave me a photo ready look. However, when paired with the Clean Slate Primer, my foundation was sliding off my face by midday! Now when I drop over $80 on products I have high expectations of their effectiveness. Especially when they are backed by Beauty Gurus like EssieButton, HeyClaire and of course the sales representatives at Ulta.

Going into this purchase I was expecting flawless looking skin. What I achieved instead was a messy, greasy, overly done foundation look. My major issues with this primer (even after I changed foundations, several times!) were the following…

1. It made me very oily
2. My foundation would “slide” off my face (Literally!!)
3. It didn’t last all day
4. It would give me lines, where there were none

#4 is the one that most recently has been bothering me the most. I don’t want my primer or foundation for that matter to make me look older!

Thinking that I was just being hard on this primer (especially since it came with high reviews) I switched to a new power foundation.  What I have come to figure out, it that if you’re doing a light foundation (and concealer look) this primer works fine. It doesn’t last all day, but its an okay product.

Now if you’re like me, and like to have a more full coverage foundation, and have oily skin, I wouldn’t recommend this product to you. It didn’t do what it was said it would, much worse it made me look older. Not a fan of this product and I love Tarte as a brand. I have to say highly disappointed!

oh-well! Time to move on to a new Primer!

(Have you tried this primer? If so what are your thoughts on the product?)

Kisses