Tarte Smooth Operator Tinted Moisturizer

Image Courtesy of Tarte Cosmetics

I've been on a bit of a tinted moisturizer kick lately. I've never been one for heavy foundation, and after one too many episodes wherein I looked in the mirror halfway through the day and saw either no makeup at all or slipping and sliding foundation, I finally decided that I might as well just downsize all the way into the world of TM's. 

Off I went to my local Sephora for some play time. The SA I was talking to recommended Tarte's Smooth Operator Tinted Moisturizer. He said it had higher coverage than most TM's, but still gave the light, moisturizing feeling I was looking for. I decided on a whim to take the plunge. 

Tarte Smooth Operator Tinted Moisturizer

As it turns out, the SA was right. Smooth Operator is a fantastic tinted moisturizer, especially for those days when my skin needs an extra bit of help. First of all, Smooth Operator is actually good for my skin, packed with antioxidants  A, C and E, gingko biloba and ginseng. It's also water-resistant, oil-free, and has an SPF of 20. 

Secondly is the performance. It feels very creamy on application and immediately bonds with the skin, sinking in for a virtually flawless finish. Literally, once Smooth Operator has set on my skin, it becomes invisible. It truly is my skin but better. As for lasting power, I have yet to experience any sliding or pooling, but then again, it's Winter. What I'm more likely to deal with during this time of year is my foundation simply disappearing altogether as my dry skin just sucks it right up throughout the day. Not so with Smooth Operator. While it isn't moisturizing enough for me on its own, when I use it over my normal daily moisturizer, it's perfection. It stays on all day with a beautiful finish. It does not go shiny on me, nor do flakes begin to show up as the afternoon approaches, and I don't get a cakey look around my mouth and chin. 

Best of all is the coverage. Most tinted moisturizers I've tried have had so little coverage they've been virtually useless unless I'm having a really good skin day. Not so with Smooth Operator. It offers light to medium coverage that is easily buildable. It covers flaws easily without looking like makeup at all. I love to wear this on a daily basis when I need something to even out my skin tone and conceal minor imperfections...it looks so natural, it's as if I'm not wearing makeup at all, yet the effect is flawless skin. 

Smooth Operator has been my favorite higher-coverage tinted moisturizer so far. Between the light-to-medium coverage, the skin-healthy ingredients and the lasting performance, it really stands out from the crowd. 

Overall Grade: A