I don’t think I’ve ever owned a product from Tarte Cosmetics, although I used to like the concept of their couples-themed lip gloss duos (Rhett & Scarlett, Bogey & Bacall, et al.). Last night, however, I made a stop at Sephora on my way home, and I was visually seduced by these new Power Pigment lip tints. (Apparently they’re revamped versions of Tarte’s previous Lip Surgence tints, but I’ve never tried those, so I won’t be able to offer a comparison.)

I looked at all eight shades, swatched a few on my hand, tried one on my mouth, and ended up purchasing Natural Beauty, a “sheer rosy red.”…

This photo will probably help you understand why I made an impulse purchase. The floral pattern on the tube and the box is adorable, and Natural Beauty does look pretty wearable in the tube, and a little more “rosy” than “red.”

However, on my skin and my mouth, it really was a little too cherry-red to fit my (admittedly narrow) comfort zone.

I like Power Pigment’s ease of application (it’s a screw-up pencil), its matte finish, its light mint scent and its above-average staying power. It feels non-drying and it gives a modern stain-y effect. I also respect Tarte for offering cruelty-free products without mineral oil, parabens, and so on.

I can’t really blame Tarte for the terrible lighting in Sephora, which made me see Natural Beauty as a cooler, slightly more muted color. I think Blushing Bride or Flush would have been a better pick for me. I’ll have to go back in the daytime, when I can walk over to the window and examine these colors in natural lighting. (I’m going to try to exchange Natural Beauty, if possible. I still have my receipt.)

Long story short: sometimes you need a quick pick-me-up makeup indulgence on a winter’s night, but you should still avoid impulse shopping, especially under artificial lighting.

Images: top photo via Tarte website; other photos by Tinsel Creation.