It’s the weekend and I try hard to put the computer down and engage with my family but this is too urgent. Ever accidentally find a clue that alerts your attention to something you’re doing wrong unknowingly? Then after that clue, a deluge of more clues are placed right in your lap? Then when you realize you must close a door on something that isn’t good, a beautiful window opens? Well, that’s been my last 3 days.
Last week I wrote a post on 6 products you should replace so you can reduce your daily intake of harmful chemicals. The 6th suggestion was makeup. I listed a lot of makeup by Tarte Cosmetics. Once I finish each post, I promptly Facebook my new post. This post was a popular one and I got quite a few shares and comments on FB mainly from women telling me my post had been helpful (which makes me so so so happy). However, there was one comment calling me out for recommending Tarte’s Gifted mascara since it contains propylene glycol-an ingredient I had listed as harmful earlier in the post. My credibility was definitely being questioned. Wow, do I feel stupid. This reader was right and I knew it was time to take a good, hard look at the makeup company I have promoted for the last 2 years.
While the Facebook comment stung, this was something that rang a bell for me. Tarte not being as natural as they claim is something that has been nagging at me for a while. In fact, there is a term for when a company uses words and marketing strategies to claim that they are natural when they are not and it is called GREEN WASHING. Tarte is the poster child for green washing. With their bamboo lids as well as the maracuja and amazonian clay products, it’s easy to deduct that this is a natural brand.
I am taking full responsibility for being irresponsible for not doing enough research on Tarte before I suggested my readers try it. Quite honestly I was so excited to find a company that was mainstream that offered natural products that were superior and/or comparable to lines like MAC, Cover Girl, and Benefit. A huge plus was that they are in Sephora which is convenient when it comes to picking the right colors. Plus, I’m gullible. In my defense, if you go to the Tarte website they heavily market their products as natural, cruelty free and eco friendly.
How bad is tarte? Well, it depends on the products. If you refer to EWG’s Skin Deep website, you will find that most Tarte products are rated about a 2-6 on a scale from 1-10. 10 is a very toxic product. My beloved mascara is a 4. My favorite lipstick is a 6. Tarte is better then many makeup companies but after the research I’ve done this weekend, it’s not good enough for me to be using on a daily basis.
I’d like to touch upon a few other issues I’ve discovered with Tarte. A company that claims to be “cruelty free” and uses carmine as an ingredient, is not being honest. Carmine is a “natural” dye used in many makeup products and is actually crushed beetles. Using propylene glycol is absolutely unacceptable. They are also using fragrance in several products with no indication that it is coming from natural sources. Artificial fragrances should be avoided like the plague. What’s more is that Tarte did not start out as a natural brand. I can’t help but feel that the “high performance naturals” came into play as a marketing ploy.
I never take to this blog to bash anything or anyone-even my x-husband, lol. I get products sent to me often and would never write about the ones I don’t like. I feel it’s just unnecessary negativity. This is different and I feel strongly that I needed to inform you and apologize. If you want to know more facts about Tarte THIS article is very informative and where I got the majority of my info.
I will continue to finish up my tarte products. I can’t stand wasting and like I said, Tarte tends to be more natural then most. I have decided to give a new cosmetic company a go 100 Percent Pure is a well known company that I know for sure is safe and truly natural. They do have stores in Chicago, Maryland, Washington and California. Their price point is comparable to Tarte as well.
Update: I love 100 Percent Pure and use almost every makeup product they have to offer! Go HERE for my 100 Percent Pure swap out list!
MORE 100 PERCENT PURE POSTS:
- 1 Year Later 100 Percent Pure Hits & Misses
- A Romantic Makeup Look
- Swap it Out: Tarte Cosmetics vs. 100 Percent Pure
- The 3 Best 100 Percent Pure Makeup Products
- Sun Goddess Makeup Look by 100 Percent Pure
- 100 Percent Pure Makeup Haul Review
Sincere apologies, Jenni
