Tarte Cosmetics
Tarte Cosmetics is a privately held, New York-based direct-to-consumer cosmetics brand founded in 1999, selling cruelty-free, high-performance makeup with proprietary Amazonian clay and Maracuja oil formulations to consumers in over 40 countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Tarte Cosmetics does
Tarte Inc. is a privately held, New York-headquartered cosmetics company founded in 1999 that sells direct to consumers exclusively through its e-commerce website tartecosmetics.com, with international shipping to over 40 countries. The company positions itself as a "high-performance naturals" brand, combining cruelty-free formulations with over 200 refused ingredients across a 25-year operating history. Its product architecture spans face (Shape Tape concealer franchise, Face Tape foundation, Amazonian Clay 16-hour foundation, blush, contour, highlight, SPF), eye (Tartelette tubing mascara line, Tartelette in Bloom palette, Maneater mascara, eyeliners, brow), and lip (Maracuja juicy lip, lip plump, lip oil, lip tattoo, balm gloss, liner, melt mask), plus brushes, tools, and a $5–$100 gift card program.
Core technology centers on proprietary ingredient platforms: Amazonian clay (oil-control, 12–16 hour wear across foundations and blushes), Maracuja (passion fruit seed) oil used across lip and skincare SKUs for hydration, and tubing mascara chemistry that forms smudge- and flake-resistant lash cylinders. The Shape Tape family — full-coverage, natural matte, 16-hour wear — is the flagship, marketed as America's #1 concealer brand with 26,000+ reviews; the Maracuja juicy lip line and Tartelette tubing mascara are positioned as viral growth SKUs. A shade-matching quiz ecosystem (concealer, foundation, mascara, lip) plus virtual try-on support conversion.
The business model is direct-to-consumer unit pricing, with products spanning $5 travel sizes up to $49 palettes, augmented by a tarte VIP points-based loyalty program offering 15% off first order and ongoing member perks. There is no evidence of physical retail or third-party distribution; go-to-market is product-led, with viral bestsellers, user-generated content, and influencer collaborations (including a partnership with creator brand FINNSUL) distributed through TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, X, and email. Customer segments center on women prioritizing ethical beauty with professional-grade performance, and beauty enthusiasts seeking personalized shade guidance. Ownership structure, financials, and headcount are not disclosed in available source material.
Tarte Cosmetics firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Tarte Cosmetics
- Legal name
- Tarte Inc.
- Website
- https://tartecosmetics.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Tarte Cosmetics is a privately held, New York-based direct-to-consumer cosmetics brand founded in 1999, selling cruelty-free, high-performance makeup with proprietary Amazonian clay and Maracuja oil formulations to consumers in over 40 countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Tarte Cosmetics industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Color Cosmetics
- NAICS
- Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers (456120)
- SIC
- Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Clean/Organic/Natural Makeup (Positioning-based Color Cosmetics) (CRABACAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Facial Skincare (Cleansers, Toners, Moisturizers) (CRABAAAA)
Keywords
Where Tarte Cosmetics is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Tarte Cosmetics business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Direct Product Sales: One-time purchase model for cosmetics and beauty products sold directly to consumers through e-commerce website. Products range from $5 travel sizes to $100 gift card bundles.
- VIP Loyalty Program: Points-based rewards program offering discounts and exclusive perks to drive customer retention and lifetime value
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Concealer products |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mascara products |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Foundation products |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Lip products |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Brushes and tools |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Palettes |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Hot Steals sale section |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels8 records
Tarte Cosmetics product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Tarte Cosmetics is a privately-held color cosmetics brand that formulates, manufactures, and sells cruelty-free, high-performance makeup and beauty products direct-to-consumer through its owned e-commerce website. Its core offering spans face, eye, and lip makeup (concealers, foundations, mascaras, lip plumpers, palettes) as well as brushes, skincare-infused products, and gift cards, with proprietary natural-ingredient formulations including Amazonian clay and maracuja oil. The brand ships internationally to more than 40 countries and operates a points-based tarte VIP loyalty program.
Product overview
Tarte Cosmetics offers a comprehensive high-performance makeup and beauty product portfolio centered around cruelty-free, natural-ingredient formulations. The core offering spans face makeup (concealers, foundations, powders, primers), eye products (mascaras, eyeshadows, eyeliners, brow products), and lip products (lipsticks, lip glosses, lip balms, lip plumpers), complemented by skincare and brushes/tools. The brand's flagship product lines include the iconic shape tape™ concealer family (offering full coverage matte, creamy hydrating, radiant glow, and blur stick variants), the maracuja juicy lip collection (plump, balm gloss, lip oil, lip tattoo, lip liner), and the tartelette™ tubing mascara line. Additional key franchises include face tape™ foundation, Amazonian clay 16-hour full coverage foundation, BB blur tinted moisturizer SPF 30, maneater™ mascara, and various contour/highlight products. The brand emphasizes 'high-performance naturals' positioning with over 200 refused ingredients, and operates a VIP loyalty rewards program. The product architecture is organized by category (face, lip, eye) with sub-lines for specific needs (e.g., concealer quiz, mascara quiz, foundation quiz to guide customers to their ideal product match).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- shape tape™ concealer America's #1 concealer brand offering full coverage with a natural matte finish and 16-hour wear. Flagship concealer franchise sold in contour, creamy, radiant, and blur stick variants for individual consumers seeking long-wear, cruelty-free complexion coverage.
- tartelette™ tubing mascara Tubing mascara that coats each lash from root to tip for maximum length with flake-free, long-wearing, smudge-resistant results similar to lash extensions. Contains shea butter and castor oil to nourish and condition lashes.
- maracuja juicy lip plump Viral hydrating lip plumper that delivers glossy shine and a plumping effect with buildable color payoff. A signature product of the Maracuja juicy lip franchise.
- face tape™ foundation Full-coverage foundation that smooths and hydrates the skin for a flawless, natural matte finish.
- Amazonian clay 16-hour full coverage foundation Long-lasting foundation formulated with Amazonian clay for oil control, delivering full coverage that stays put for up to 16 hours.
- BB blur tinted moisturizer SPF 30 Lightweight tinted moisturizer with SPF 30 sun protection, skin-blurring benefits, and a dewy finish for consumers wanting lighter coverage.
- creaseless SPF 30 mineral powder sunscreen Creaseless setting powder with SPF 30 mineral sunscreen protection that brightens the complexion without caking.
- maneater™ mascara Volumizing mascara in leopard-print packaging that delivers bold, dramatic lashes with a nourishing formula.
- tartelette™ XL tubing mascara XL version of the tubing mascara, providing enhanced length and lift with a tubing formula that resists smudging.
- tartelette™ in bloom Amazonian clay palette Viral Amazonian clay eyeshadow palette with essential neutral and bronze shades for everyday makeup looks.
- blush tape™ liquid blush Liquid blush wand delivering a natural, radiant flush with a blendable, buildable formula.
- sculpt tape™ contour Contour wand that defines and sculpts cheekbones, jawline, and forehead with a blendable liquid formula.
- glow tape™ highlighter Liquid highlighter that adds radiance and glow to the complexion with a blendable, luminous finish.
- double take eyeliner Dual-ended eyeliner with both liquid and gel formulas for versatile eye looks and styles.
- maracuja juicy lip balm gloss Combines the shine of a gloss with the comfort of a balm, delivering hydration and a subtle glossy finish.
- maracuja juicy lip tattoo Long-wearing lip stain with bold color and a barely-there feel for all-day lip color.
- maracuja juicy plumping lip oil Lip oil that delivers glossy shine and hydration with a plumping effect for juicy, nourished lips.
Companies that use Tarte Cosmetics
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Tarte Cosmetics technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Tarte Cosmetics partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- FINNSULminorCollaboration with beauty creator brand FINNSUL on limited-edition product bundles. Includes tartelette tubing mascara + juicy gloss sets, CC undereye + tubing mascara bundles, and lip & sip sets. Products are sold through Tarte's website as co-branded items.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Tarte Cosmetics competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Fenty Beauty: Rihanna-founded color cosmetics brand built on inclusive shade ranges, high-performance foundations, and viral product moments. Closely comparable to Tarte in category focus (face/eye/lip color cosmetics), hero-franchise model (Pro Filt'r foundation vs. Shape Tape), and reliance on celebrity-driven earned media.
- Rare Beauty: Selena Gomez-founded color cosmetics and skincare brand with a clean-leaning, mental-health-conscious positioning and a strong DTC-plus-retail model. Directly comparable to Tarte in target demographic (women seeking high-performing, ingredient-conscious makeup), price tier, and viral social-driven growth strategy.
- Tower 28 Beauty: Clean, vegan, hypoallergenic color cosmetics brand targeting sensitive-skin consumers. Comparable to Tarte in clean-positioning, viral product cycles (SOS Daily Rescue Spray, ShineOn Lip Jelly), and direct-to-consumer-plus-Sephora channel model targeting similar consumer demographics.
- Kosas: Clean-leaning color cosmetics brand with a "skincare-makeup" positioning and ingredient-forward marketing (botanical actives, light coverage). Closely comparable to Tarte in target consumer (clean-conscious, performance-demanding), and in competing for the same "high-performance naturals" identity.
- ILIA Beauty: Clean beauty brand spanning complexion, lip, eye, and skincare with a strong natural-ingredient and skincare-makeup hybrid positioning. Comparable to Tarte in clean-leaning formulation ethos, complexion-focused hero SKUs (Super Serum Skin Tint vs. Tarte foundations/tinted moisturizers), and DTC-plus-retail channel mix.
- Huda Beauty: Influencer-founded color cosmetics brand with global DTC-plus-retail reach and viral hero products (Faux Filter foundation, lash products). Comparable to Tarte in founder-led marketing, foundation/concealer-led hero franchise model, and reliance on social media virality to drive traffic.
- Glossier: Iconic DTC-born beauty brand offering skin-first color cosmetics and skincare with a clean, millennial-focused positioning. Comparable to Tarte as a digitally native color cosmetics brand with strong social/community marketing and a focus on accessible everyday makeup.
- Kylie Cosmetics: Celebrity-founded color cosmetics brand built on lip kits and expanded into complexion and eye. Comparable to Tarte in celebrity/influencer-driven social virality, lip-product hero franchises (Kylie lip kits vs. Maracuja juicy lip), and DTC-plus-retail channel mix.
- Charlotte Tilbury: Premium color cosmetics and skincare brand with a hero-product model (Pillow Talk, Magic Cream) and strong global DTC-plus-retail footprint. Comparable to Tarte in product architecture, franchise-driven marketing, and emphasis on long-wear performance claims.
Broad incumbents
- e.l.f. Beauty: Mass-market color cosmetics and skincare brand with broad assortment, aggressive digital marketing, and viral product hits. Comparable to Tarte as a broader beauty portfolio player with viral-driven growth, but operates at a lower price tier with mass-market positioning rather than Tarte's premium-naturals identity.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Tarte Cosmetics social profiles
Digital presenceTarte Cosmetics compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Tarte Cosmetics financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Tarte Cosmetics leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Tarte Cosmetics funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Tarte Cosmetics M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Tarte Cosmetics
What does Tarte Cosmetics do?
Tarte Cosmetics is a privately-held color cosmetics brand that formulates, manufactures, and sells cruelty-free, high-performance makeup and beauty products direct-to-consumer through its owned e-commerce website. Its core offering spans face, eye, and lip makeup (concealers, foundations, mascaras, lip plumpers, palettes) as well as brushes, skincare-infused products, and gift cards, with proprietary natural-ingredient formulations including Amazonian clay and maracuja oil. The brand ships internationally to more than 40 countries and operates a points-based tarte VIP loyalty program.
Is Tarte Cosmetics a public or private company?
Tarte Cosmetics is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Tarte Cosmetics founded?
Tarte Cosmetics was founded in 1999. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Tarte Cosmetics based?
Tarte Cosmetics is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Tarte Cosmetics make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Direct Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are VIP Loyalty Program.
Who are Tarte Cosmetics's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Fenty Beauty, Rare Beauty, Tower 28 Beauty, Kosas, ILIA Beauty, Huda Beauty, Glossier, Kylie Cosmetics and Charlotte Tilbury. e.l.f. Beauty is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Tarte Cosmetics have an API?
No public API is recorded for Tarte Cosmetics.
What industry is Tarte Cosmetics in?
Tarte Cosmetics's product category is Color Cosmetics. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRABACAJ, Clean/Organic/Natural Makeup (Positioning-based Color Cosmetics), with a secondary code of CRABAAAA, Facial Skincare (Cleansers, Toners, Moisturizers). Its NAICS code is 456120 and its SIC code is 2844.