I did a little shopping at the Tarte Cosmetic Online Store recently and finally got to try out their new Mineral Powder Bronzer. I have loads of bronzers but I couldn’t resist this one. It looked so perfect on the website!

It is quite good and quite expensive. But it will last me a long, long time as just a touch does the job and does it quite well.

What Tarte Has to Say About This Bronzer ...

www.tartecosmetics.com

We know… it’s so hard to attain the sun-burnished glow of the girl who summers on the East Hampton-Palm Beach-St. Bart’s circuit. This luxe bronze comes pretty close: just add pearls and a sweater set for instant uptown chic.

They don't mention that the ingredients are mostly mineral but, upon looking at the list of things in this bronzer, there are mostly minerals with a few other ingredients added.

Ingredients

Speaking of the ingredients list…

polyethylene, zinc stearate, HDI/trimethylol hexyllactone crosspolymer, tricaprylin, nylon-12, boron nitride, caprylic/ capric triglyceride, magnesium myristate, lanolin (lanolin alcohol), isopropyl myristate, isopropyl palmitate, hydrogenated lecithin, retinyl palmitate, tocopheryl acetate, tocopherol, ascorbyl palmitate, methylparaben, propylparaben, imidazolidinylurea. May Contain ( /-): mica, bismuth oxychloride, iron oxides, titanium dioxide, ultramarines, manganese violet, carmine, chromium oxide greens, chromium hydroxide green, red 6 lake, red 7 lake, red 27 lake, yellow 5 lake, yellow 6 lake, blue 1 lake

The Packaging

There are two shade of this bronzer. Hotel Heiress is a dark bronze while Park Avenue Princess is a light bronze. Because I am pale as a ghost, I got the lighter shade.

The compact is to die for like most of Tarte's compacts are. The magnetic compact looks exactly like rich tan leather but is really "leatherette". There is a cute little chain on the top which is really just for decoration but you can use it to open the compact if you want. The compact is held closed by hidden magnets so you flip it open and close it by simply tapping on the top. Seriously, the case is just really rich and gorgeous. It's perfect to carry with you for touch ups because it looks so great that you can use it in public and no one would think anything of you using cosmetics out in the open. They would be thinking how rich you are to have make up in such a great compact. The compact is small, a couple of inches at the most, and sleek.

Inside is a round pan of power bronzer and a mirror on the inside of the top of the compact. Park Avenue Princess is described as "highly pearled light yellow gold" while Hotel Heiress (I wonder who they were talking about when they named this one? Ha!) is "deep bronze shimmer". No brush or applicator comes with this compact.

My Experience

I knew I didn't want the darker shade because it would look way too fake on my pale skin. I was a bit leery about a yellow tinged bronzer but it actually is just a nice light tan color that doesn't have a lot of glitter or sparkles but does have a pearly look to it that makes my skin glow.

I use my fluffy powder brush and sweep it across the bronzer after I have applied a bit of foundation and a little gel cheekstain. I am always afraid of using too much bronzer so I tap the brush and lightly sweep it over my cheekbones, bridge of my nose, forehead, and chin. Wherever the sun would naturally hit, I sweep this bronzer. This includes my shoulder blades and décolleté.

The result is flattering. I look like I spent a few days in the sun - minus the burn - and definitely look healthier. Because the shade I chose is lighter than many bronzers are, it looks quite feasible that the color is actually real rather than from a powder. I like that this bronzer doesn't glitter or shimmer and that it is subtle. Hotel Heiress is for you if you want a dramatic bronzer and like shimmer or are naturally tanned or darker skinned. Park Avenue Princess is for light and medium untanned skin or skin that has just a bit of color.

I have been out in the sun a few times with no sunscreen on purpose (I know, I'm bad but I think a tiny bit of color is healthy and it hasn't ruined my skin yet.) and I have a little touch of color. Using that as a base, I can build my tiny tan into a believable, albeit not a shocking celebrity type, one.

This powder lasts for hours on my skin and I had no adverse reactions from it. I don't notice a scent. It is light, airy, and natural looking. And not orange. My worry about the yellow undertone was actually unfounded because it offsets any orange that may come through so that my skin looks naturally bronzed without the telltale orange that so many bronzer leave on the skin.

I remove this bronzer with my usual facial cleanser or make up remover.

There isn't much product in this little compact but I only need one sweep of the brush to give my face and chest area a pretty, subtle glow.

It is expensive at $28.00, achingly so, but the combo of gorgeous (but unrefillable) compact and great, natural bronzer make this one a winner for me.

Buying Info

This bronzer is available wherever Tarte products are sold offline and on the Tarte Cosmetics website as well as several better beauty websites. It is $28.00 no matter where you buy it. That is a painful price and one I rarely would spend on a little compact of bronzer but this one has so many positives that I don't feel cheated. It also will last me a very long time because so little is needed to give me the glow I want.

Conclusion

Tarte Mineral Powder Bronzer looks great paired with one of their cheekstains. They just came out with one called Bronze Goddesss which would be ideal but I use it with Blushing Bride, Flush, or Tipsy. I first add a bit of natural looking gel color to my cheeks then sweep the bronzer wherever the sun would naturally tan my face. Park Avenue Princess is the ideal shade for light skinned women who don't like the fake orange or real dark look of most bronzers. Hotel Heiress looks like it will take you several shades up in color and is shimmery, which is good for nighttime or already tanned skin.

The compact is just lovely. It is a nice bronze leather look with a classy little chain attached. The mirror is fine for quick touch ups but I prefer a bigger viewing area when possible. This compact is sleek and classy and the bronzer is mostly minerals which are good for the skin. It has lasting power and a natural hue which stand out above many cheaper bronzers.

I like this stuff. It's crazy expensive but I will have it for a couple years at the rate I use it. I only need just a bit to make my skin glow.

I give this 4 stars. It's an indulgence but one that pays off in realistic looking bronzed skin.


Thanks to Shantel575 for adding this product to the database so I could review it.

A few other Tarte products I have reviewed:

TTarte Pressed Blush For Cheeks, Charisma

Tarte Slide Tin Lip Balm

Tarte Eyeshadow Duo

Recommended: Yes