tarte shape tape foundation review – hydrating vs. matte

The tarte shape tape concealer has taken over the make-up world since its release two years ago, becoming the #1 concealer for many make-up lovers around the world. This year, tarte has expanded the shape tape collection by adding two new foundations, the tarte shape tape foundation with a hydrating and matte formula. I’m going to compare and review these foundations on my dry skin type in today’s post.

The tarte shape tape foundations come in a purple cardboard box. There are slight differences, the hydrating version has blue details and an image of a droplet while the matte version has violet details and no image. Both foundations have a volume of 30 mL and come in 18 different shades.

Looking at the ingredients list, both foundations are completely different when it comes to the formula. There are similarities in ingredients, but are present in different concentrations (ingredients are always listed in order from highest to lowest concentrations). The tarte shape tape matte foundation is listed on the tarte website to be completely vegan. The hydrating version isn’t, but I can’t say which ingredient is de cause of that.

Just like the concealer, the tarte shape tape foundation has a doe foot applicator. It is of course bigger than a concealer doe foot applicator, so you can easily apply a good amount on your face. I don’t really like to apply my foundation using this kind of applicator. I prefer a pump and it’s especially more difficult if you want to mix the foundation with other products, but I do think it is more cost effective since you apply the product directly on the face instead of on another surface.

The tarte shape tape hydrating foundation is described as a buildable, gel foundation with a luminous finish, featuring the same complexion-perfecting qualities as the shape tape concealer, with an added boost of skin-smoothing and oil-free hydration. The addition of Collagen and Hyaluronic Acid continuously hydrates while helping to plump skin and without creasing and fading for up to twelve hours.

The bottle is made of frosted glass with the same blue details as the box. I love the pattern on top and how luxurious the bottle feels and looks. The only downside is that you can’t really see the true shade very well due to the frosted glass.

Here are swatches of the tarte shape type hydrating foundation in the shades light-medium honey, light-medium sand, medium honey and medium sand. Honey has a peachy undertone, Sand has a yellow undertone. I have a yellow undertone and since the Winter period has just ended, my skin tone is at its lightest. At this moment light-medium sand is the shade for me.

The formula feels very lightweight and creamy, without feeling oily. It has a pleasant, subtle scent but I can’t make out what it exactly is. After it has settled, the foundation still feels slightly tacky and leaves a soft sheen.

The tarte shape tape matte foundation is described as a oil-free, full-coverage foundation with a flawless matte finish. The long-lasting, vegan formula absorbs oil and shine while leaving the skin crease-less, smoothing over pores with an airbrushed finish while keeping the skin hydrated.

Like the hydrating version, the bottle is made of frosted glass with the same violet as the box.

Here are swatches of the tarte shape type matte foundation in the shades light-medium neutral, light-medium sand, medium neutral. To recap, sand has a yellow undertone while neutral, has an undertone of pink and yellow. Again, since I’m at my lightest, light-medium neutral would be the best match for me at this moment.

This formula also feels lightweight and creamy, without feeling oily. It has a similar scent as the other version but is less noticeable. Also, this formula feels slightly thicker. After it has settled, the foundation still dry and leaves a matte finish, but isn’t completely flat. I consider this to be a velvet matte finish.

On the left picture above, I’m only wearing a hydrating primer like I always do before applying foundation. On the right picture, I’m wearing the tarte shape tape hydrating foundation on the left part, and the matte foundation on the right part. For both sides, I applied the foundation using a beauty sponge. I’ve applied one layer of foundation, which only needed one dip to cover half of my face.

I think both foundations have a beautiful coverage. The matte version definitely has more coverage, which you can slightly see on my cheeks. The left side has some redness still peeking through the foundation. You can also see a slight difference between the light-medium sand and light-medium neutral shade, but it is very subtle. The hydrating version is absolutely more radiant compared the the matte version, which is especially noticeable on the cheek area. It isn’t very noticeable but my pores are slightly more noticeable with the hydrating version while the matte is more blurred but tend to emphasize and cling more to my dry spots.

Here is the foundation after applying the rest of my make-up. I didn’t powder except to set my concealer underneath the eyes. I can still see that the left, hydrating side is more radiant compared to the right, matte side. Even the highlighter applied on the left side looks more radiant. I still like how both sides look. I’m usually a fan of hydrating and radiant looking foundations, but the matte side looks very beautiful and natural as well.

Here are the tarte shape tape foundation in hydrating and matte during the initial application and after eight hours of wear time. My skin got slightly more oily on both sides but it held up beautifully. The highlight, blush and bronzer still looks great on my skin and didn’t really fade. It isn’t very hot at this moment so I don’t know how this will last with a more warm and humid environment but I have to say that I’m very impressed with both foundations. They’re both equally as comfortable and I like both finishes.

If I had to pick, I would choose the tarte shape tape hydrating foundation, because I prefer a dewy finish and it looks so beautifully natural. I especially like it because it doesn’t cling on dry spots and I don’t have big pores so I don’t mind them being less blurred. I might prefer the tarte shape tape matte foundation during the Summer season, since it has oil-absorbing properties. Either way, they’re both very beautiful foundations, each having their own pro’s and cons which so it comes to what your skin type is and your preference in finish.

To sum up:
Hydrating:
+ Healthy looking and natural finish, lightweight and buildable coverage
– Does not blur pores

Matte:
+ Comfortable matte finish, lightweight and good coverage, blurred pores
– Clings on dry spots

The  tarte shape tape hydrating and matte foundations are available for €40,00 Euro each at tartecosmetics.com and Sephora.com. Both websites ship directly to The Netherlands. Please be aware that all the prices mentioned are excluding shipping and customs fees/taxes. tartecosmetics.com does offer free shipping from time-to-time, so I would suggest to subscribe to their newsletter for any updates on any discounts.

Do you prefer a dewy or a matte finish when it comes to foundation?

*These products were sent to me for review. Please check out my disclosure page for more information.