Tarte EyeQuatic Waterproof Summer Essentials Set and Eco-Cheek Stain

Picture this. It's a hot and humid summer day in NYC and you're out with some girlfriends. On the agenda are some shopping, some casual outdoor lunching, and possibly even a stroll in Central Park. Sounds like a good plan, right? Well if you're rocking these hot little items from Tarte, you will most certainly not have to worry about your makeup staying flawless! The limited edition EyeQuatic Waterproof Summer Essentials Set boasts three duo eyeshadows, each with both a cream shadow and a powder shadow end, in some bold and beautiful colors. These shadows are designed to be creaseless, budge-proof, and able to withstand the balmy summer months. Admittedly, I was drawn to this set for the gorgeous lavender purple shadow (seriously, who can resist a gorgeous purple?!?). Upon closer inspection (and some swatching), I discovered that all of the shades included in this collection are stunners. In addition to the lavender, Tanzanite, there are two other "lock and roll" shadows: a bold turquoise (aptly named Turquoise :-) ) and a lovely neutral champagne called Citrine. The cream colors applied like a dream, amazingly smooth and with great color pay-off. The powder shadows, however, were less outstanding. When swatched on my hand, they were rather dry and hard to apply. Perhaps this characteristic was due to the overuse of the testers that I sampled, resulting in their dryness. I plan on trying them again to see if my theory applies. If it does, then I love the ensemble. If not, I am uncomfortable recommending the shadows without reservations (though in my opinion, it's worth it just for the cream shadows!) A Lights, Camera, Splashes! 4-n-1 Natural Waterproof Mascara in black is also included in the set and is guaranteed to keep your lashes stay looking fabulous throughout the day. So you would all be happy with those four great products, huh? Well, there's one more item.....an adorable print head scarf that echoes the shadow colors! It is just too cute! I am really digging this set, for sure, and hope that my misadventure with the powder shadows was just that!

So you say you need a cheek color to go along with your gorgeous eyes, now? Don't you worry, I have you covered! While not included in this set, Tarte has released a new shade of their popular cheek stain, a gorgeous coral with a hint of shimmer, called Eco-Cheek. First of all, I love the name! So eco-chic, it is! This gel blush incorporates Tarte's unique T5 Superfruit Complex, a blend of five superfruits: goji, acai, marcuja, acerola, and pomegranate. These superfruits have excellent anti-oxidant properties and include vitamins that are great for the skin. Eco-Cheek smells terrific, too. The fragrance is light and fruity. This cheek stain is simple to apply and blends easily to produce a beautiful peachy cheek color.

All of these products mentioned have been given Sephora's "natural seal," and are devoid of parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, petro-chemicals, and phthalates. That sounds great to me!

The EyeQuatic Set retails for $35 (wowee!) and the Eco-Cheek stain is $28. Both can be found at Sephora stores (or online at http://www.sephora.com/), http://www.tartecosmetics.com/, and other locations Tarte products are sold.

Definitely be sure to scoop up the set while you can! The only really unfortunate part is that it's limited edition!

Top: Eco-Cheek Stain

Bottom (swatched with cream shadow first and then its accompanying powder next to it):

Tanzanite, Turquoise, Citrine

What do you all think? Have these products caught your eyes as well?