You want to look beautiful, but you don’t want to harm animals in the process. In your search for ethical products, you may have come across the Tarte Cosmetics line. The company claims to be cruelty-free, and offers many vegan products, but there are several discrepancies between their claims and their implementation.
First of all, Tarte uses carmine in their popular product, the “Natural Beauty Cheek Stain.” This substance is made from crushed beetles, so it’s hardly cruelty-free. Also, Tarte recently sold out to KOSE, a non-cruelty-free Japanese brand. Though Tarte’s representatives claim their line is still cruelty-free (except for carmine, which they conveniently ignore), the parent company (KOSE) isn’t. This is certainly a troubling gray area for vegans and vegetarians.
Nevertheless, despite these discrepancies, the Tarte website, www.tartecosmetics.com, still claims its products are cruelty-free. Many of the products actually are vegan and cruelty-free, but if you want to purchase products from this company, you’d better ask questions and read the labels carefully. We perused the site and discovered many viable options.
We felt drawn to the Rainforest of the Sea High Tides and Good Vibes Eyeshadow Palette ($39.00). The kaleidoscopic palette contains twelve different shades, bearing such intriguing names as “Buried Gold”, “Beach Therapy”, and “Aquaholic.” You’ll feel like a glamorous mermaid in these glittery colors. They’re formulated without the use of parabens, mineral oil, phthalates, triclosan, sodium lauryl sulfate, or gluten. The colors can be used separately or layered together for a deep sea sparkle! Have fun experimenting.
At the end of a fun night or a busy day, wash your face with Tarte’s Deep Dive Cleansing Gel ($25.00). It’s infused with lavender oil and Indian gooseberry extract. Customer reviews of this product are nothing short of glowing. Your face will glow, as well, when you apply this elixir to your skin. You only need to dispense one pump onto your fingertips and rub the gel into your skin for 30-60 seconds to get that clean, refreshed feeling. Ahhhhhh……
Tarte’s Sugar Rush line offers a fun, all-vegan selection of products. Be sure to try their Cake Butter Whipped Body Butter. This item is an olfactory sensation, since it smells like cake. It also feels great on your skin, softening and moisturizing it with a dynamic combination of vitamin E, shea butter, and sweet almond oil. It’s dermatologist-tested, so you know it’s safe to use. You’ll want to use this butter again and again, but please don’t eat it!
Tarte runs special offers constantly, and their banners will pop up on the site, announcing various discounts. Shipping is free on all orders over $40, and you’ll also receive a free gift. Most of Tarte’s products are vegetarian and cruelty-free, but not all. Be sure to check the labels or contact the company with any questions, and remember to Google the company name for up-to-date reports.
