Sheer Berry: Natural Lip Stain in Moody by Tarte

Hi All!

I'm bringing you another Sheer Berry color. This is the last one I have photographed, but I know I have a couple more hiding in my stash, so if I stumble upon another great one I might have to post it. Hopefully you guys aren't sick of these colors yet!

Today, I'm showing you Moody, one of the "Natural Lip Stain with Lipsurgence Technology" lip colors from Tarte. I'm not sure what Lipsurgence is, but it is supposed to increase lips' moisture content by a whopping SIX THOUSAND PER CENT.

I do not believe this claim. In fact, I believe it to be a patent falsehood.

In fact, I know a lot of people find these drying. I don't find them drying, necessarily, but I certainly don't find this lip product as moisturizing as most lip balms. I also don't think this is what most people think of as a lip stain. It really is more like a tinted balm, since it doesn't leave behind color and it stays glossy, but isn't sticky. It applies evenly, and doesn't settle into lip lines, though this doesn't last very long on me; it tends to wear off after only an hour or two. Also, this has a cloying sweet mint scent. I forget about it after the first five or ten minutes of wear, but this scent seems stronger than a lot of cosmetics' scents. (I should mention: it also smells just like the mint fudge we used to make at my first job, at an amusement park, and it brings back bad memories. I may be biased.) There is no discernible flavor, just a hint of a minty tingle. Of all the sheer berry lip products I've reviewed so far, this is the most orange/red; it's like a sheer brick. If the other colors you've been seeing highlighted in this series were too purple for your liking, this might be just what you've been waiting for.

 With .08 oz of product (less than the average .1 to .14 oz for lipsticks), and retailing for $24, this isn't exactly a steal, but if you're a fan of the comfort of tinted balms but want something glossier than the average balm, this might just be your Holy Grail lip product. Another great thing I should mention about Tarte in general is that they are a natural beauty company; they formulate most of their products without sulfates, phthalates, parabens, or synthetic fragrances. This product in particular has earned Sephora's "Natural Seal", meaning it has fewer of these bad ingredients I've already mentioned, and more natural ingredients; Tarte prides itself on using super fruits to make their products healthy. They are also eco-conscious in their packaging; while there is still a lot of it, as in most high-end brands, they try to use recyclable and recycled materials. While I am wary of lots of these claims because of how lucrative they can be for companies, and how unregulated these claims are, I think it is great when companies at least make an effort.

So, here's what the lip stain looks like: it's plastic, with a silver-plastic cap and silver font.

  Natural Lip Stain by Tarte 

And here it is in my hand; it's pretty large, but only has .08 oz of product in it, less than the average lipstick.

Moody Natural Lip Stain

And here's another shot of the product, uncapped this time.

Here's a swatch of the color on my hand.

Moody Natural Lip Stain, by Tarte

And here's a blurry shot of it on my lips without flash. Even though it's sheer, it gives a nice, brick-red sort of tint.

Moody, no flash

Here we have a clearer shot taken with flash. You can see how glossy it is here.

Moody Natural Lip Stain, Flash

 And here's a full-face photo with flash, showing Moody on my lips. As you can see, it's not too dramatic; it's a nice alternative to a classic red lip for daytime, or for those of you who might not be comfortable wearing shocking red lipstick.

Moody on my lips; flash. 

Here's another full-face shot, this time without the flash.

Moody on my lips, no flash. 

The packaging is fairly unique; it's a gloss stick, but encased in a chubby pencil. The product screws up, so you don't have to worry about sharpening it. I do dislike how rounded the top of the product gets, though; it's hard to get a sharp line. Not that you need to, since it's so sheer; it's actually very easy to apply.

Rating: 7 out of 10 

I'm going to give this product a 7/10, because I love how easy it is to apply, and that you don't have to sharpen it despite its "lip pencil" form. It's a lovely color as well. I just wish it were a better value, and didn't have the cloying sweet mint scent. If you'd like a sheer berry color but want something warmer toned, or if you'd just like to ease into a red lip, this could be a great option!