Review: Tarte Shape Tape Matte Foundation vs Hydrating Foundation*

Hey Guys,
Today I'm going to share my thoughts on the new Tarte Shape Tape Foundation. As many of you know, the Tarte Shape Tape Concealer is my holy grail concealer. It covers my dark cirlcles unlike anything else and doesn't look or feel cakey and thick on my skin. When I heard that they were coming out with foundation I was so excited! I was able to get PR samples of both formulas and wanted to share my honest thoughts about each. Keep reading to hear how each foundation worked for me!

Tarte Shape Tape Matte Foundation $39.00

Here is what is said about this product on the Tarte site:
"A vegan & oil-free full coverage foundation with a creamy texture & modern matte finish to complement our cult-favorite concealer. Provides the same full coverage as its concealing predecessor – it smooths over pores & imperfections with rich, airbrushed full coverage that dries to a flawless matte finish using a unique, concealer-inspired wand. The formula absorbs oil & shine while leaving skin creaseless, hydrated, free of flakiness or cakiness & helping to improve skin health with every application."

More info about the product:

• dermatologist tested
• hypoallergenic
• waterproof
• longwear
• vegan 
• oil free
• talc-free
• alcohol-free

Both formulas are formulated without:

• parabens
• mineral oil
• phthalates
• sodium lauryl sulfates
• gluten

Here are swatches of two shades:

Left is Light Sand and right is Light Medium Neutral. Light Sand is a bit too yellow for me and Light Medium is a bit to dark. I have been mixing the shades to create a better match. Light Neutral is the correct shade that I need.

Onto my thoughts: 
This formula is super matte. It may be one of the most mattifying foundations that I own. It dries quick so its best to apply in sections. This foundation can look a little cakey on random parts of my face which normally doesn't happen. That being said, I think it has great coverage and does control my oil pretty well. I have combo skin and my t-zone gets the most oil. I was glad to see that it held up throughout the work day with barley and show of oily spots.  I would agree that it is long wearing. I don't think my pores look any smaller but the foundation does give a more even canvas. I have received compliments from a couple people when wearing it. I did have a bit of a hard time with finding the right color to match me. I'm not the best with color matching so the colors that I received didn't match me 100%. I requested light medium neutral and light sand. Light medium neutral was a bit too dark and light sand was a bit too light and yellow toned. I mixed them and got an okay match. I think light medium neutral will match me in the early summer months.  After trying the Hydrating formula I found that the Light Neutral is the best match color wise for me. Overall, I did like this foundation and think it worked well with my skin.

Tarte Shape Tape Hydrating Foundation $39.00

Here is what is said about this product on the Tarte site:

"A hypoallergenic, luminous-finish gel foundation featuring the same iconic, buildable full coverage as shape tape concealer with an added boost of skin-smoothing, oil-free hydration. Provides the same rich, creamy full coverage as shape tape concealer in a skin-smoothing, weightless gel. The collagen & hyaluronic acid-packed formula continuously hydrates while helping to plump skin & refine pores, without creasing, caking or fading for 12 hours."

More info about the product:

• hypoallergenic
• tarte 12-hour power
• oil-free
• dermatologist tested

Contains:

biopolymer filling spheres: expanding spheres help smooth surface imperfections while promoting water retention & hydration

hyaluronic acid: naturally-occurring ingredient in the human body which delivers moisture, firmness & suppleness to skin

collagen: helps plump the appearance of fine lines & wrinkles 

barley extract: helps restore the lipid barrier to smooth over fine lines & wrinkles

dermal filler: cross-linked hyaluronic acid that works overtime to help restore skin volume & smoothness

vitamin C: antioxidant free radical fighter that helps prevent premature signs of aging & brightens skin

Amazonian clay: nature’s most perfect ingredient for better, longer, truer wear

Here are swatches of two shades:

Left is Fair Beige and right is Light Neutral. Fair Beige is too light for me but Light Neutral matches me pretty well.

On to my thoughts:

Even though I knew there was a chance that this formula might not work for my skin type, I still wanted to try it out to compare it and share my thoughts. This formula is more of a gel like consistency and is said be hydrating. It definitely felt more lightweight and applied a little easier since it didn't dry as quick. I would definitely say that the coverage is more medium than full coverage like the matte formula. You can layer it but I only did 2 layers. I have an issue with foundation breaking down on my nose and looking cakey in that area which still happened a little with this formula. It does feel hydrating for sure however, I can definitely see more shine in my t-zone by lunch time than with the matte formula. That being said, it still doesn't look bad.

Here are swatches of all four shades next to each other:

L-R: Light Sand (matte) Light Medium Neutral (matte) Light Fair (hydrating) & Light Neutral (hydrating)

Overall, I do like both formulas. I prefer the matte because that is the finish I gravitate towards. It also holds up better in my t-zone. I think if you have super oily skin you are going to want to go with the matte formula. If you have normal or even combo skin, either one or both may work for you. If you have dry skin, I would definitely go with the hydrating formula. I'm glad that Tarte has released more shades in each formula and hope that they continue to expand the options. I think it would be more convenient if this foundation wasn't just an Ulta exclusive and was also carried at Sephora too. That being said, Ulta has coupons way more often, has better discounts, and a better rewards system. You can take advantage of these things when buying this foundation at Ulta. Of course, you can also get it on the Tarte website as well!

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Have you tried either of these Tarte foundations? Post your comments below!

*This post contains some affiliate links which I could be compensated for. I was sent these products as PR samples. However, the thoughts and opinions in this post are my own. I am always 100% honest in my reviews for all products discussed on my blog.