Tarte Pink Sands H20 Lip Gloss & Color Splash Lipstick Reviews & Swatches

Pink Sands

Tarte Pink Sands H20 Lip Gloss ($19.00 for 0.135 oz.) is a medium-dark, pink-tinted base with lots of bright, gold shimmer. It had medium coverage that applied evenly, though it sank into my deeper lip lines slightly–not enough that it was noticeable from a normal viewing distance. Based on the description of it being a lovechild between “your favorite lipgloss and lip balm,” it suggests it was intended to be sheerer. It did have the “intense, ultra-lacquered shine” as promised. The texture was smooth, plush, and lightly tacky; it felt thicker but not actually heavy on my lips. It wore well for four hours and was hydrating while worn. There was a slight vanilla scent but no discernible taste.

Top Dupes
Ingredients

Top Dupes

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Fenty Beauty Vaycray (LE, ) is more shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
Fenty Beauty Fu$$y (P, $18.00) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (85% similar).
Huda Beauty Angelic (P, $18.00) is more shimmery, brighter (85% similar).
Ciate Luna (P, $18.00) is lighter, warmer, less glossy (85% similar).

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Ingredients

Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Polyglyceryl-2 Diisostearate, Vp/Hexadecene Copolymer, Silica, Microcrystalline Wax/Cera Microcristallina, Octyldodecanol, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Trimethylolpropane Triisostearate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Mica, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Tin Oxide, Sodium Saccharin, Isostearic Acid, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Water, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Algae Extract, Gardenia Taitensis Flower Extract, Tocopherol, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Red 7 Lake (Ci 15850), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491, Ci 77492).

Pink Sands

A-

Limited Edition

8.5

Product

Pigmentation

8.5

Texture

8.5

Longevity

Application

90%

Total

Pink Sands

Tarte Pink Sands Color Splash Hydrating Lipstick ($21.00 for 0.12 oz.) is a pale coral with moderate, warm undertones and a cream finish. It had semi-opaque pigmentation but was hard to build up due to the more emollient texture that slid around and tended to look streaky when more was applied. While comfortable to apply, the color had tendency to sink into my lip lines more and more as time went on. The formula felt lightweight and hydrating for the three hours it lasted for. I’m normally a fan of this formula but found this particular shade a bit of a miss, though often these lighter shades tend to under-perform so it wasn’t a huge surprise.

Top Dupes

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Pat McGrath Peep Show (P, $38.00) is darker (90% similar).
Dior Tender Matte (340) (LE, $35.00) is lighter, warmer, less glossy (90% similar).
Kat Von D Muneca (P, $19.00) is darker, cooler, less glossy (90% similar).
Colour Pop Fiesta (LE, $5.50) is brighter, cooler (85% similar).
Cle de Peau Hummingbird (P, $65.00) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (85% similar).
Hourglass True Love Means (LE, $34.00) is darker, warmer (85% similar).
NARS Julie (P, $34.00) is darker, cooler (80% similar).
YSL Peach Passion (13) (P, $34.00) is more shimmery, darker (80% similar).
NARS Brigitte (P, $34.00) is darker, cooler (80% similar).
Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Memento (DC, $17.00) is darker (80% similar).

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Formula Overview

$21.00/0.12 oz. - $175.00 Per Ounce

The formula is supposed to be “long-wearing,” “full coverage,” and hydrating. The consistency has an incredibly smooth, creamy feel to it and has enough substance and thickness to it that it adheres well to the lips and usually doesn’t pull into lip lines. I felt like the formula felt slightly more emollient initially and “dried” a bit to more of a satin-to-cream finish after a few minutes (but not a true dry down, as it wasn’t transfer-resistant!).

The majority of shades were very pigmented, easy to apply, comfortable to wear with light to moderate hydration over time, and lasted between four and seven hours on me. A few of the lightest and darkest shades weren’t as pigmented or were less flattering on the lips compared to more of the medium shades. There did not seem to be any added fragrance to it (smelled slightly waxy), and I didn’t notice any taste.

Browse all of our Tarte Color Splash Hydrating Lipstick swatches.

Ingredients

Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Octyldodecanol, Polyethylene, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Phytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Mica, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Cera Microcristallina/Microcrystalline Wax, Hydrated Silica, Kaolin, Water, Isohexadecane, Silica, Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Olive Oil, Vp/Eicosene Copolymer, Hydrogenated Polycyclopentadiene, Sorbitan Oleate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Candelilla Cera/ Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Tribehenin, Olea Europaea (Olive) Oil Unsaponifiables, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Shorea Stenoptera Seed Butter, Tocopheryl Acetate, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Cera Carnauba/Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Sorbitan Isostearate, Tocopherol, Fragrance, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Lactic Acid, Benzyl Benzoate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Algae Extract, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Gardenia Taitensis Flower Extract, Tin Oxide, Citric Acid, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Yellow 5 Lake (Ci 19140), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491, Ci 77499), Red 7 Lake (Ci 15850).