[REVIEW] Tarte Colored Clay CC Primer

For days when I need to look a little bit more flawless, I use a primer to prep my skin for makeup after applying moisturiser. Despite being used to face primers, I’ve only ever tried out cream-based and gel-based primers such as the Too Faced Primed & Poreless Skin Smoothing Face Primer and MAC Prep+Prime Natural Radiance Skin Primer. For the reason that I love Tarte and this product is fairly new in the market, I decided to give its Colored Clay CC Primer a go as it seems different compared to other primers I’ve used. Find out if I liked this primer!

Here’s what the Tarte website says about this primer:

Buff your way to complexion perfection with this revolutionary correcting stick! Infused with our new color correcting coloured clay, this skinvigorating™ primer easily blends into skin for an even, all-over airbrushed look.

Before I even mention anything about the primer, let’s just say that I dislike the packaging because mine fell apart. The product comes in a palm-sized twist-up bottle, similar to how lipsticks are packaged. Yes, it is pretty standard and convenient to use, but for my particular one, the twisty part with the product inside it separated from the actual tube. Hence, it annoys me that I have to remove the twisty part from the tube and screw the product up manually. Perhaps I was just unlucky.

Now, let’s get to the primer itself. Upon removing the cover, you would notice three different colours on the primer – a skin-tone colour, a light purple colour and a mint green colour. As stated above, each colour serves a different function and sure enough, this product works really well on my oily combination skin.

To use the primer, I just twist the product up, apply a little straight out of the tube on my T-zone, cheeks and chin area, then blend it out with my fingers for an even coverage. The texture of the primer is very soft, silky and it glides on super smoothly on the skin. The first thing I noticed after application is the softening effect this product gives my skin. If you take selfies and use photo apps to ‘blur’ out your imperfections, you’d know what I mean exactly. This primer does just that and even without any BB cream or foundation over it, my skin looks poreless, smooth and brightened.

Also, this really worked as a multi-purpose primer for me. After application, the blemishes and scars on my skin did get less noticeable and the best thing about this primer is that it didn’t change the colour of my skin like some other primers would. After completing the rest of my makeup and after long hours of wear, I love how using this primer helps my makeup stay put the entire day. Usually, after long hours, the redness on my skin would start showing through my makeup and my blush and bronzer would have disappeared. This primer changed all that.

Despite loving Tarte, I really never expected to like this product because it looks mediocre and compared to the other Tarte products, this just didn’t seem very appealing. However, after using it for almost two weeks now, I can attest that it really does work as it claims and I really really like it. The primer covers my pores but doesn’t clog them or cause me to break out and I love how I look with it on. It’s not heavily scented, is cruelty-free, vegan, lightweight, easy to apply and it works.

For me, the only two downsides would be the hefty price tag and wonky packaging.

Tarte Colored Clay CC Primer is available at all Sephora outlets in Malaysia and retails for approximately RM112.