Daily Exposure

The very first time I stepped inside a Sephora during my trip to New York in September, I managed to restrict myself to three things. (I would step inside Sephora a few more times before departing the US, but at least I attempted to be selective initially.) NARS Sheer Glow. Benefit Go TropiCORAL Lip & Cheek Kit, an impulse buy. And Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Exposed. I'd ardently lusted after Exposed for months, but with the unavailability of Tarte in Australia and not wanting to resort to eBay, it was out of my reach. The moment that I finally saw it with my eyes, I couldn't grab it from the shelf fast enough.

l-r: Tarte Exposed, Illamasqua Naked Rose, Benefit Dallas

l-r: NARS Douceur, Illamasqua Zygomatic, Tarte Exposed

I'm not sure if this is true of all Tarte blushes, but I could barely get any pigment on my finger when I tried to swatch Exposed. Either the surface has hardened on the one I have, or they're all like that. In contrast, the one Illamasqua powder blush I have (Naked Rose) is ultra smooth, very finely milled and packed with pigment. I was surprised to find the Tarte was noticeably drier in texture. I almost just want to get a cotton bud and scratch the surface all over, just to see if that makes a difference in releasing pigment and making it softer.

Having said that, Exposed fares better when applied with a brush. I don't get the same issues in needing to swipe several times just to get a decent arm swatch. The soft, neutral pink colour pulls slightly red on me, but overall I like the brightening, natural flush that it gives. The pigmentation isn't overly strong, which I prefer, as I find very pigmented blushes tend to look ruddy and obvious on my cheeks. Exposed is one of those reliable, everyday shades that you can reach for in the mornings without thought. It's a tad easier to wear than NARS Douceur because it's less brown, though it's a little too red to be used primarily to sculpt the face.

Does it wear for 12 hours? Not that I've experienced. If I use this in the morning, I don't really see much of it left on my cheeks at the end of the day, though I do try to apply blush relatively sparingly so I can understand if it's faded after several hours. In terms of lasting power, I think NARS performs the best of the blushes I've tried. I marginally prefer Douceur to Exposed, but the two are similar enough to someone not obsessed with makeup that one or the other will do. But really, if you love blush, you probably already have both.