Tarte emphasEYES Amazonian Clay Waterproof Liner

Tarte has a striking new line-up in its Summer 2011 Collection. Their emphasEYES Amazonian Clay Waterproof Liner ($22), available in six shades, is a hit! From the blackest black to a lush khaki, there will be at least two shades that will speak to you. Not only that, you'll get three products in one - a budge-proof cream shadow and eyeliner with a fabulous brush that gives you the tool you to create both looks.

Infused with micronized clay and reinforced by a natural waterproofing agent, these plush shadow/liners are a must for creating intense and long-lasting high-definition eyes. Tarte's natural Amazonian clay is one of nature's perfect ingredients, lending deep color pigments while nourishing the skin, reducing surface oil and improving overall texture for smooth application. The botanical waterproofing agent is "earth engineered" from a blend of natural plant waxes to form an impermeable layer that protects against rain, sweat, tears, and creasing. This fusion of nature and technology results in an intense, smooth cream that can be smudged onto lids as an allover shadow or used as a high-definition liner. The double-ended brush makes that your choice.

Each emphasEYES shadow/liner is housed in an airtight jar to keep the product's cushiony texture intact. Some cream/gel shadows and liners dry out fairly quickly. They start life dry, and they get worse over time. Not this one! When you dip its companion brush into the product, you'll see why. It's like a fine cream, and it blends like a dream.

Here are four of the shades. I left the black one out of this photo (it's shown above), but you'll see swatches below. I had to brighten this photo a tad because it was cloudy outside when I took it.

From the lop left, moving clockwise, are brown, bronze, plum, and green. Those titles are much too humble - much simpler than these gorgeous shades. There's something special about each one. The brown is a deep, dark brown - in some lights almost indistinguishable from black. It's the perfect shade for those who don't find full-on jet black flattering by day. The green is a trendy khaki - as pretty as it gets. It's my personal favorite among favorites. I consider it a must-have.

The swatch photo at right shows all the shades Tarte sent me, except for black. For the top three, I used the shadow end of the companion brush, and at the bottom, I used the perfect, thin liner end. Green is at the top of my arm (my arm is not naturally yellow, but the bruise is healing from my tumble). Bronze is below, and Plum is shown below the bronze. At the bottom in this photo is Brown. You can see how dark and rich the shade is.

I wanted to attempt to show you the difference between the rich, deep Brown and Black shades. At the top of the photo at left I painted Brown. Black is below. If you look very carefully, you'll see the difference. The photo was taken in indirect sunlight. It was fairly bright out, but the sun wasn't shining.

The photo at right shows all five shades I have. I don't have Indigo, although I'd like to. Navy liners are among my favorites. Green is similar to the new Khaki Platine, but without as much shimmer. I'm not sure how it gets any better! Would it be appropriate for me to gush now?

Bronze is a rich shade, one that will flatter any complexion. The Plum is among the trendy shades for 2011. It may not be my best shade, but I'll bet it will work for so many gals. Black and Brown? Who can't use them forever?

It's so generous that Tarte provides a brush with each of these emphasEYES Amazonian Clay Waterproof Liners - as if their skinvigorating ingredients weren't enough! When Tarte named these liners waterproof, they weren't overstating that feature. When used as either a shadow or liner, they won't move once they set - and they set quickly. They are perfect for summer, when moisture attacks from all angles.

These shadow/liners apply with a creamy ease that will surprise you. You won't struggle, and you won't have to fuss and start over. If you have sensitive eyes, like I do, you will find Tarte's liners perfect. Make sure to screw the caps on tightly after you use them, and these liners will make you glamorous and happy for a very long time.

You can purchase emphasEYES Amazonian Clay Waterproof Liner from Tarte, Sephora, Ulta, QVC, and beauty.com. You really need to try at least one.

Photos at top courtesy of Tarte; other photos by Best Things in Beauty