Spring 2016: Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Collection.

Tarte's spring 2016 collection Rainforest of the Sea™ is not only a beautiful makeup collection, it includes skincare that contains their new complex appropriately named Rainforest of the Sea™. This complex is tarte's next generation of ingredients that are made up of powerful antioxidant-rich algae and marine extracts to not only defend against environmental aggressors like all antioxidants, but these ingredients are designed to brighten and lend to a more radiant complexion. It's extraordinary to infuse that into makeup along with skincare that works right with the color products, don't you think?

Everything from the packaging to the products in the Rainforest of the Sea™ collection are breathtakingly beautiful. Once I saw the Eyeshadow Palette and Lighting Palette, I knew this was a must-have collection for the season.

I ordered the Rainforest of the Sea™ Eyeshadow Palette ($34) the second I saw it. This limited edition eyeshadow palette features eight beautiful shadows that are so luxe, they are almost creamy. This is tarte's formula that is velvety; I've always been a fan. This new formula with the Rainforest of the Sea™ complex hydrates and brightens the lids with the creamy powder formula. It feels amazing on and lasts all day. They are pigmented, buildable and never crease. The palette contains shades for your lid, brow bone, lining, creasing — everything is in this palette. The shades range from ivory and gold to bronze and dark brown. 

I'm also really liking the Rainforest of the Sea™ Skin Twinkle Lighting Palette ($42). With three shades for strobing and highlighting that work for all complexions, this is a palette you need to look at it. These perfecting powders feel amazing on the skin and do what they are intended for in a beautiful way. These shades reflect light off the skin to give it a soft focus glow when use correctly. It's not that difficult you just have to play with them and make it work for you. These shades will seriously work for all complexions as noted. The middle shade is a matte shade and it's actually a setting powder to use under the eyes and brighten/correct darkness. This is probably my favorite power in the palette because I find a lot of brightening powders highlight the fine lines around my eyes, but being a matte brightening formula, this one brightens and seems to blur the area diffusing any lines. The other shades are luminous perfecting powders for illuminating the contours and highs and lows of the face. They are not hard lighting powders and just give off a beautiful, natural glow to the skin. The easiest way to apply the powders in the Skin Twinkle Lighting Palette is with the Double-Ended Highlighter Brush ($34) which was made especially for the collection.

The other standouts in the collection for me is the Rainforest of the Sea™ Wipeout Color-Correcting Palette ($45) and the Rainforest of the Sea™ Drench Lip Splash Lipstick ($22).

I told you how important color-correcting was earlier this week in my top color-correcting makeup post and if I had tried the Rainforest of the Sea™ Wipeout Color-Correcting Palette before then, this palette would have definitely made the list. This all-in-one color-correcting palette features six creamy shades that works with any skintone to conceal and correct things like dark circles, redness and acne. It also has shades to contour and highlight the skin. The texture is easy to use and blend over the skin. It does not settle into the skin or fine lines — it actually seems to glide over them and minimizes the look of imperfections while giving it a brightened, soft focus look.

The shades of the Rainforest of the Sea™ Wipeout Color-Correcting Palette are numbered and it comes with a visual guide so application is simple. You can use your fingers to apply and blend or use the limited-edition Rainforest of the Sea™ Color-Correcting Brush ($24) which does ensure a flawless application. Its double-ended and was made for applying and blending cream products.

I have two shades of the Rainforest of the Sea™ Drench Lip Splash Lipstick. I was sent the shade Top-Down to try and after trying it and really liking the formula (I told you I was embracing this matte trend), I ordered Skinny Dip. Rainforest of the Sea™ Drench Lip Splash Lipstick is a satin matte lipstick that offers full coverage with not too much of a dull matte appearance on the lips. This is more of a creamy matte lipstick that is super hydrating. Again, this is because of tarte's Rainforest of the Sea™ complex which is combined in the lipstick with natural butters and oils. That means, the matte formula does not settle into the lines of the lips like a lot of matte shades nor does it dry out the lips. I am actually going to order more. There are actually 12 shades available from light nude dark blackberry.

The Rainforest of the Sea™ also features a unique 12-hour Water Foundation, Aquacealer Concealer, So Fine Micro-liner, Quench Lip Rescue and some skincare products that are all infused with the Rainforest of the Sea™ complex. I tried the Rainforest of the Sea™ Deep Dive Cleansing Gel which did a nice job at removing makeup and cleansing the skin while leaving it feeling hydrated. See the entire tarte Rainforest of the Sea™ line up here: Rainforest of the Sea™ Collection.

The tarte Rainforest of the Sea™ collection is available now at tartecosmetics.com and Sephora where it is an exclusive collection.

Spring is Coming — Make Sure Skin is Ready with AmLactin.

SPONSORED

Spring will be here in just over ten days! I, for one, cannot wait. I am in full-on spring prep mode. I am ready for the warmer weather, new makeup, clothes and spending more time outdoors. It is time that I get my skin ready for spring too. While it is cold outside and warm inside during the winter months, my skin has built up some extra layers of dry skin as a result of this low relative humidity. It definitely needs some extra attention. It's time to peel away those layers and uncover more soft, smooth and radiant skin with AmLactin Alpha-Hydroxy Skin Care just in time for spring.

AmLactin Alpha-Hydroxy Skin Care

AmLactin moisturizers are so effective at transforming dry, rough skin into soft skin. You see, each product is formulated with alpha-hydroxy therapy which gently exfoliates dry, dead skin cells and intensely hydrates. With creamy emollients and rich humectants that help retain the skin’s natural moisture, water is drawn to the skin so it looks and feels soft and smooth.

With so many products to choose from in the AmLactin line-up, there are plenty of ways to make sure skin is ready for spring.

Using the AmLactin Moisturizing Body Lotion, the AmLactin Cerapeutic Restoring Body Lotion or the AmLactin Ultra Hydrating Body Cream daily after you shower or bathe will get your skin off to a great start. I like using the Moisturizing Body Lotion after my morning shower and then the Ultra Hydrating Body Cream before bed to wake up with really soft skin in the morning.

AmLactin Alpha-Hydroxy Skin Care

Another thing that I have been doing before bed is using the AmLactin Foot Cream. I apply the Foot Cream and then put on a pair of cotton socks right before bed and wake up to beautiful feet. I mean, who wants to wear sandals with dry, cracked, scaly feet? Not me! Now I can paint my toenails and wear sandals this spring and not be embarrassed.

AmLactin Alpha-Hydroxy Skin Care

Want to learn more? Visit AmLactin on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

GIVEAWAY

Would you like to try AmLactin for FREE?

ONE winner will win over $100 worth of AmLactin Skin Care products! Follow these steps to enter my soft skin giveaway.

Visit AmLactin’s website and look at each product: AmLactin.

Then, in the comment box below, tell me which AmLactin product you’d most like to try so your skin is ready for spring!

Giveaway ends on 3/19/2016 at 11:59 PM EST. Representatives of AmLactin are responsible for shipment of the prize. You must be a resident of the United States and at least 18 years old to enter.

Uncover smooth, radiant skin with AmLactin Alpha-Hydroxy Skin Care. Its unique exfoliating and hydrating alpha-hydroxy therapy gently removes dead skin cells to reveal soft, hydrated skin. It’s the difference between skin care and skin therapy. AmLactin moisturizers are available on Amazon.com and at your local Target, CVS, Walgreens, Costco, Walmart and Rite Aid.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of AmLactin Skin Care. The opinions and text are all mine.

Teri Cosenzi

I'm Teri, your resident beauty expert. While I'm not playing with beauty products, painting my nails or shopping for makeup with my daughter who loves trying products with me, you will probably find me sneaking off to Florida with my husband of over 25 years or cheering on one of my three sons. I like baking, re-decorating, drinking tea, fussing with my flowers and facials.

Top 10 Color Correcting Makeup Products.

Everywhere I turn, I see a new color correcting makeup product pop up. Whether it's a new pitch, being sent to me or on the store shelf, it seems like it is the latest trend. This new trend is actually not so new. Color correcting is a longtime secret of makeup artists to color correct or balance uneven skin. It's really a smart thing to color correct your skin before putting on makeup so skin is flawless.

There are certain colors that you should use to color correct certain problems.

Yellow - Use yellow to correct dullness
Green - Use green to correct redness
Peach/Apricot - Use Peach/Apricot to correct dark circles and spots
Lavender/Blue - Use lavender/blue to correct sallow skin
Pink - Use pink to brighten dull skin

Top color-correcting makeup products to neutralize complexion concerns. If you need to hide dark circles, cancel out redness or warm up dullness in your skin, you need a color-corrector!

Here are the top 10 color correcting makeup products. With the right product and a little know-how, you will be on your way to neutralizing your complexion concerns: disguise dark circles, resolve redness and dismiss dullness.

1. Urban Decay Naked Skin Color Correction Fluid - Correct imperfections and play up your best features with this innovative, lightweight formula that instantly color-corrects and blurs flaws. Available in five shades to color correct your issue. Buy it for $28 at Sephora or urbandecay.com.

2. MAKE UP FOR EVER Step 1 Skin Equalizer Primers – Perfect for color correcting, these lightweight primers leave your skin looking fresh for hours while they smooth the look of the skin prepping it for makeup. Available in six color correcting shades to target all of your concerns. Buy it for $37 at Sephora.

3. BECCA Backlight Targeted Colour Corrector - These highly pigmented colour correctors contain light reflecting pearls to blur away imperfections as they correct flaws. The formula adheres to the skin so well! It comes in four colours. Buy it for $30 at Sephora and beccacosmetics.com.

4. Smashbox Color Correcting Stick - This creamy stick evens out and transforms the complexion with precision. It is super easy to use. If you are hesitant to start using color-correcting products, this is the one to start with. It is available in four shades. Buy it at Sephora and smashbox.com.

5. SEPHORA + PANTONE UNIVERSE Correct + Conceal Palettes – These exclusive palettes feature a range of expertly-selected shades and full-coverage formulas that address common concerns. Choose from Light/Medium or Medium/Dark. Buy it for $49 exclusively at Sephora.

6. Givenchy Prisme Libre - This color-correcting loose powder takes four shades of color-correcting powders and marries them in one compact to offer skin radiance and luminosity in the perfect customized shade. It is extremely fine and mattifying. Choose from five colors. Buy it for $54 at Sephora, Neiman Marcus or Barney's New York.

7. Marc Jacobs Beauty Cover Stick Color Corrector – Marc’s ingenious portable, twist-up stick comes in three creamy, marbleized hues that can be used all over or to spot treat concerns. Buy it for $42 at Sephora.

8. Lancôme Miracle CC Cushion Color Correcting Primer - This is a unique color-correcting primer that provides buildable weightless coverage that feels like nothing on the skin. Use it all over on for spot corrections. Available in four color-correcting shades. Buy it for $39.50 exclusively at Sephora.

9. Yves Saint Laurent TOUCHE ÈCLAT Neutralizers – The award-winning complexion highlighter is now available as a must-have, color correcting highlighter to instantly cancel and neutralize color imperfections. The one-click brush allows you to the problem with ease! Buy it for $38 at Sephora.

10. STILA Correct & Perfect Palette - This palette is an all-one-palette because it features seven different color-correcting shades that will help to neutralize all skintone imperfections. They are creamy and buildable. Buy it for $45 at Sephora or stilacosmetics.com.