REVIEW: Rainforest of the Sea Water Foundation SPF 15 - and Explaining the Name of the Item

I have said it before, and I'll say it again: Tarte has an interesting idea of what constitutes a 'full coverage' foundation. Of all their 'full coverage' foundations I have tried, with the exception of one, (the Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Full Coverage Foundation), all have been medium coverage at best. In the interest of fairness, though, the ones I tried would appear to have been discontinued, and there are new formats to replace them that I haven't yet tried. I am skeptical, though: fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice...but you can't fool a fool again. (That quote from former President George W. Bush always cracks me up.)

Sadly, it would appear that my skepticism in the coverage claims, re: Tarte's liquid foundations, has been well earned (in my opinion).

Anywho, this is a review of Tarte's new Rainforest of the Sea Water Foundation. Notice that the name isn't 'seawater foundation'? There's a reason for that: This foundation is water based, as opposed to the usual emollient/oil based liquid foundations, but that water is not SEAWATER. The product line this is from is the 'Rainforest of the Sea' , and it's water based...so Rainforest of the Sea Water Foundation. Just thought I'd clear that up, for what that's worth.

Love that color gradient on the cap - the foundation brush is sold separately

Here's the copy from Tarte's website, describing this foundation:
Product performance: Deliver the ultimate in hydration-boosting coverage with tarte’s 12-hour water foundation. The concentrated, full coverage fluid formula features 20 percent water to quench dry skin as it covers and masks any redness, dark spots and uneven skin tone, while softening the look of pores and fine lines. The custom dropper applicator delivers your perfect level of moisture-rich coverage in an array of shades to match any skin tone. Powered by tarte’s antioxidant-packed Rainforest of the Sea™ complex and non-chemical SPF 15 sunscreen, the hypoallergenic formula helps restore, brighten and defend skin from free radical damage and early signs of aging for a smooth, soft, radiant complexion.

Sounds great, right? Absolutely (in theory). But, in practice, I have some issues:

• The coverage melted into my skin, and it was lovely...but it wasn't full coverage. I could still see things I was trying to cover up through the foundation. The only 'full coverage' I got from this foundation was when I applied a full-face of the foundation.
• Currently, my skin has morphed from 'winter dry' to combination/dry. (My upper cheeks are dry - everywhere else seems to be 'normal' - not overly dry, not overly oily.) The hydration didn't last 12 hours, nor did it provide much coverage. For all it's talk of 'hydration', my dry patches were still dry, and the foundation clung to those patches.
• It caked on me when I tried to build it into a 'full coverage' foundation. Yuck.
• A water based foundation usually, by definition, is generally going to be lighter in coverage - that's just the 'nature of the beast' (so to speak). Additionally, water-based foundations are generally marketed toward those who can't or won't tolerate a heavy coverage foundation. (Acne prone skins immediately come to mind as a prime example.) Even with an antioxidant cocktail, water based foundations just don't provide enough moisture for dry skins - they're better off with a more traditional, emollient, foundation.

I'm not saying it's a bad product, I'm saying that it should be marketed differently: as a sheer to medium coverage, water based foundation, for those who want a light-weight, barely-there, coverage - as opposed to how Tarte IS marketing it: long lasting, deeply hydrating, full coverage.

This retails for $39 at retailers who sell Tarte - namely TarteCosmetics.com and Sephora.com