Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Illuminating Serum

The moment I saw Tarte's Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Illuminating Serum ($32), I purchased one. Then my friends at Tarte sent me one. It was an exciting time.

This natural skin brightener is infused with Amazonian clay, vitamins, and tea extract to moisturize and replenish the skin as it adds a hint of glimmer. Who wouldn't find that exciting?

No matter your skin concern, Amazonian clay neutralizes your skin so you are left with a radiant complexion. I have no idea how it does that, but my dry skin is happy with it. Oily skin? Amazonian clay minimizes oil in and around pores to balance skin and keep products in place. Dry skin? This nourishing clay hydrates skin naturally to restore moisture. Combination skin? Amazonian clay will intuitively identify your skin concerns and deliver benefits to restore harmony. The result is makeup that wears better, longer, and truer!

Tarte says, reach "skin enlightenment" by applying a pearl-sized amount alone or mixing the illuminator with your foundation. This natural skin brightener is infused with Amazonian clay, vitamins, and tea extract to moisturize and replenish skin as it adds a hint of glimmer - and tint for me. What else would you expect from Tarte, home of skinvigorating ingredients?

The ingredient list of good stuff for your skin is too long to recite here. It includes sugar cane extract to help improve the skin's texture; apple, lemon, and orange extracts, a trifecta of natural fruit antioxidants that nourish the skin; camellia oleifera leaf to add healing benefits; ginseng root with stress-relieving and antioxidant properties; ginkgo biloba to reduce inflammation; and vitamins A, C, and E. By now, you know Tarte doesn't use the nasty stuff or test on animals. It's a cruelty-free company.

This was a hard product to swatch for you. I applied it basically unblended at the top of my arm. You can see that it's skin-toned, but darker than my lily-white skin. I blended it out, but not totally, to show you a blended swatch below. My photo was taken in the waning sunlight of afternoon. You'll see from this photo why I said above that it was a tinted illuminator for me. It carries enough tint to give me some golden color while it's adding a gleam to my skin.

It's actually a perfect summer highlighter for me. I can use it in the same way I would use NARS Super Orgasm Illuminator. For that reason, I'm excited by it. I love color options!

You can find Tarte's Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Illuminating Serum at Tarte's Web site, Sephora, Ulta, Beauty.com, Henri Bendel, QVC, and boutiques nationwide. If you want a fabulous summer illuminator for fair skin or a year-round one for most other skin tones, you will love it.

Since I have two Smooth Operator Illuminators, one is destined for a giveaway contest in the near future. I don't think I can use up both - particularly given the number of highlighters I own, love, and use. One of you will be able to love it too - gratis!

Photo at top courtesy of Tarte