The Makings Of A Cover-Up — Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Full Coverage Foundation

In the beauty arena, Amazonian Clay is buzzing harder than an overzealous “Press Your Luck” contestant — and no one has quite explored the benefits of this skin refining ingredient as thoroughly as eco-friendly makeup line Tarte Cosmetics, releasing such “best in show” products as their Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Illuminating Serum, Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush (I swear by the Amused, Exposed, and Dollface shades), and emphasEYES Waterproof Amazonian Clay Cream Eyeshadow. The latest addition to their ever-expanding Amazonian Clay family: the Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Full Coverage Foundation ($38 at QVC.com).

Until now, Tarte only offered one liquid foundation option: the ReCreate Anti-Aging Foundation with Wrinkle Rewind Technology, containing micronized mineral pigments to provide the necessary coverage, along with moisturizing peat extract, wheat extract (a natural humectant), and antioxidant-rich goji berry — all of which worked together to moisturize the skin and smooth fine lines and wrinkles. I loved the ReCreate Anti-Aging Foundation, but I did hope for a formula that was even lighter and less discernible.

Enter the Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Full Coverage Foundation, which delivers such a natural finish that your skin practically looks airbrushed. Packaged in a brown tube that resembles the one used for the Smooth Operator tinted moisturizer, this creamy foundation is formulated with mineral pigments that soothe the skin while providing the necessary color to give your face appear like a smooth, unblemished, virginal canvas. The vitamin E in the formula protects skin from free radicals, while also acting as an anti-inflammatory, calming any redness and irritation, and a combination of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide yield an SPF 15 factor, shielding your complexion from the sun’s rays.

But, of course, the key ingredient here is Amazonian clay. What in the world is that, you ask? Well, this white clay is typically found in Marajó, an island at the mouth of the Amazon River in Brazil. The clay consists of mineral deposits and rocks that once lined the banks of the Amazon River and were crushed and micronized into tiny particles due to the constant movement of the river waters over their surface. These minerals were then carried along the Amazon River, finally depositing at its mouth, absorbing the oils of the botanicals nearby and drying out under the sun’s rays to become a rich clay.

Researchers have found that this clay contains such nutrients as: calcium, which stimulates cell renewal and fortifies the lipid layer, thereby creating a protective barrier along the epidermis that ensures no excess loss of moisture; iron, which helps skin that looks pale and dull regain its luminosity; potassium, which hydrates skin and stimulates cellular generation, thereby helping you attain younger-looking skin; and sulphur, which is commonly used in anti-acne treatments.

Thanks to these remarkable minerals and nutrients, Amazonian Clay helps to reduce the appearance of pores, tighten the skin, minimize discoloration and, most notably, strike the perfect balance of moisture. This last quality (I casually refer to it as skin ESP) is perhaps its most astounding benefit:  whether you have normal, oily, dry, or combination skin, Amazonian Clay adapts to the needs of your skin type, delivering moisture as needed, tackling bacteria that could lead to breakouts, controlling oil production, soothing inflammations and essentially tailoring its workload to address your skin’s concerns.

What I adore about this foundation, then, is that it soothes and nourishes my skin while also delivering the perfect amount of coverage. Waterproof and oil-free, this foundation will help you conceal dark spots, redness, minor blemishes or rashes, birthmarks an freckles, dark circles, and shadowy areas without looking too thick or cake-like. In fact, when you have it on, most people won’t even notice that you’re wearing foundation!

The foundation won’t crease, run, smear, clump, flake or clog pores and lead to breakouts (all common gripes when it comes to liquid foundations) and it does deliver natural-looking coverage while smoothing out the surface of the skin. That being said, if you have major skin problems (cystic acne, psoriasis, etc.), you may want to use this as your base and then apply a slightly heavier foundation atop it since it doesn’t offer strong enough coverage for such severe conditions (in other words, “full coverage” might be a bit of a misnomer in that regard). But, if you’ve got fairly normal skin (be it dry or oily), this should more than suffice.

To apply, you should use the Airbrush Finish Bamboo Foundation Brush (which comes with purchase), using circular movements and essentially buffing the skin. If you’re having a breakout or there’s a particular area that requires a bit more attention, you can stipple some of the color onto that area for greater coverage and then diffuse the foundation by again using circular, buffing movements. The hefty brush features extra soft bristles that feel so soothing against the skin that you’ll actually look forward to applying your foundation every day. I actually think the brush alone could be a best-seller for Tarte!

The foundation is available in eight shades: Fair, Ivory, Light, Light-Medium, Medium, Tan, Tan-Deep, and Deep. To purchase, visit QVC.com

For more details, make sure to check out the video above!