Tuesday Takeover: Cydney Helsdown

I've got another Tuesday Takeover guest post for you this week and its from the naturally gorgeous Cydney Helsdown who I first discovered on Twitter!
Cydney is another fellow mummy blogger, who blogs about not only beauty but lifestyle, mummy posts, food and travel.. so it's definitely worth checking her blog here.

She's going to be reviewing some Tarte products today which I've not actually had the chance to access much so I'm glad she's guest posted this for me.

Read on to see her thoughts on the Tarte Kit which includes the Amazonian Clay foundation, Maneater mascara and more!
I'm super excited to be collaborating with Safiyah to bring you this Tarte Cosmetics review. Tarte as a brand is one of my favourites out there! They are very active on social media, sharing the best beauty tips, along with daily tutorials and they have a pretty banging instagram too. Tarte are a cruelty free brand (which is a huge plus for me, as I try to be as ethical as possible when it comes to beauty). They also don't use harsh ingredients like mineral oils, parabens or SLS. YAY

My skin is like the Sahara desert at the best of times, soaking up any moisture I put onto it within seconds. So, wearing makeup that is hydrating and full of natural ingredients, is really important for me. 

I have used just one Tarte product previously, which I was really pleased with (see the Tarte Rainforest Concealer review HERE if you're interested). So for my birthday earlier this year, I invested in a Tarte Kit, which came at an amazing price on QVC and in easy pay instalments. Let's just say, I could not resist! I don't usually splurge on makeup as I'm quite minimal with what I wear, picking up most of my beauty needs at Boots. But as I'm becoming more adventurous with makeup, I wanted to treat myself. The kit included everything above apart from the powder foundation (and brush). And honestly my other products have gone into retirement. The foundation, palette, lipstick/lipgloss combo, eyeliner and mascara is everything you need to beat your face to the Gods!Right let's start with the Amazonian Clay Foundation. 

Positives first: what I love the most is it DOES give a great coverage without feeling heavy. It's easy to build layers without feeling cakey and does let the skin breathe. They are right when they say its long lasting. However it feels a bit 'chalky' to me, I prefer a smoother, more liquid like texture. Also, this shade is also a little too light for me (it would probably be the perfect shade in the winter). On this note, I would like to see Tarte come out with more shades, supposedly they adapt to the skin, but I find the shades very limiting. I suppose you could mix it with a darker foundation but I feel that beats the point...? On the whole, it's still a thumbs up from me.I have a real love/hate relationship with this Maneater mascara. I get a lot of compliments when I wear it, as it does give you that bold dramatic effect. I always get asked if I'm wearing fake lashes when I have it on, which is always a good thing! But personally it's too clumpy for me. I find it melts onto my eyelids/brown bone, leaving black smudges. And the brush is not my favourite to use (I prefer a fuller brush with more bristles). On the other hand, I only need to apply one coat to achieve my desired look. 

I'm going to briefly meniton the eyeliner as I don't really wear it on a day to day basis - it is very soft, which makes it super easy to apply, there's nothing worse than an eyeliner that scratches your lid! It tends to stay out for a while but rubs off very easily. But I'd say it's the nicest formula of eyeliner I've ever worn, so I would definitely recommend.The powder foundation is an absolute dream to apply, it is weightless and I love seeing the gradual airbrushed effect it gives my skin. When I first bought it, it was way too dark but now that I've tanned, it's nearly a perfect match. I guess that's one of the drawbacks of purchasing makeup online, is not being able to see which shade would be best, especially being mixed with my skin changing shades throughout the seasons *eye roll*.Okay, onto the lipstick/gloss combo. The lipstick is SO buttery, it's actually quite addictive to put on because it's so smooth. The swatch at the top is the gloss applied on top of the lipstick. The lipstick on it's own is the middle swatch and the gloss on it's own at the bottom. The only negative comment I'd have to mention is that it is not long lasting, I have to re-apply often throughout the day. But it's a lovely colour and I imagine would suit most skin tones.Ladies and gents, this palette is gorgeous. The pictures really don't do it justice. The shades are so wearable for every day and are highly pigmented. The swatches from top to bottom are; lace (which I use as a highlighter), meow, passion, foxy, purr, saucy, hypnotic and midnight. Even for someone who doesn't often wear eyeshadow, I adore all these shades. They're very easy to blend, and all the colours compliment each other so you can't go wrong. The packaging is also hella cute. 

I was trying not to ramble when I started this post, but here I am an essay later, oops. What can I say, I like to be thorough and honest. I hope you've found it somewhat helpful and has given you an insight into this brand!