As the Fifa World Cup 2014 puts Brazil in the spotlight, the football-obsessed nation has more to offer than Neymar, Rio Carnival and samba. The Amazon river and rainforests are endowed with natural beauty ingredients, which are now bottled into enticing cosmetics by American brand Tarte.
Brian Granoff demonstrating how a pop of Cheek Stain can give the complexion a gorgeous glow.
Exclusively retailed at Sephora stores, Tarte products contain high-performance natural ingredients such as Amazonian clay that Brazilian women use for maintaining soft and youthful-looking skin.
The Amazon River is approximately 6,400km long. Its flowing water collects highly nutritious plant and fruit matter that get deposited in the clay at the river basin.
Amazonian Butter Lipstick (740 baht).
Tarte partners with a Brazilian cooperative to sustainably harvest the Amazonian clay, which is naturally baked in the sun to seal in the botanical nutrients. The baked clay is then shaved down to a finely milled powder that serves as a skin-balancing ingredients in foundation, powder, blush and exfoliating facial masks.
“We call the Amazonian clay a GPS for the skin because it can find the dry and oily areas and accordingly moisturises or mattifies to balance the skin,’’ said Tarte’s make-up artist, Brian Granoff.
Powered by the clay, the oil-free liquid foundation addresses skin concerns while offering a matte finish, whereas the airbrush powder foundation is enriched with light-reflecting gemstones that add dimension to a natural-looking coverage.
For those new to Tarte, Granoff recommends the Amazonian Clay 12-hour Blush as a must-have for a flattering flush.
“In my opinion, blush is an essential make-up item that balances the eyes, the lips, the entire face while giving the skin a healthy colour,” he said. “Staying power is especially important in Thailand’s hot and humid weather. Women want make-up that stays, and the long-wearing blush and our other products last for 12 hours. They work overtime for your skin.’’
Giving glowing cheeks, the Cheek Stain is another option to add a pop of colour to the complexion. The stain is actually Tarte’s debut product, which now contains a blend of the five most active antioxidant-rich superfruits (maracuja, goji, açaí, acerola and pomegranate).
Cheek Stain (1,200 baht).
Maracuja (passion fruit) has its own product in the Maracuja Oil, which is recommended as a hydrating and skin-brightening treatment.
Sustainable harvesting of maracuja in the Amazon rainforest involves the hand-picking of fruit, before the nutrient-rich seeds and pulp are hand-pressed in a unique ritual to preserve nutritious essential fatty acids and vitamin C.
The rainforest’s lush vegetation also provides botanical ingredients for the hydrating Amazonian Butter Lipsticks presented in chic, eco-friendly paper packaging in specially-designed prints. Appealing packaging also include the sassy purple faux snakeskin tubes for mascaras.
“Tarte’s founder and CEO Maureen Kelly believes that make-up should be like an accessory. When pulling it out from your purse, it should be fashion-forward,” said Granoff.
Because Kelly couldn’t find pure and powerful cosmetics in the market, she launched her own brand in 1999, with Tarte products featuring what she calls “skinvigorating” ingredients, such as superfruits and plant extracts, vitamins, minerals, essential oils and other naturally-derived ingredients.
Product formulation excludes controversial chemicals such as parabens, phthalates, sulfates, sodium lauryl sulfate and synthetic fragrances, making the cosmetics safe and gentle on the skin.
“You’re wearing make-up the whole day — longer than you sleep — so it’s important to choose products that are healthy to the skin,” Granoff emphasised.
