Monday, March 28, 2011

Review - Tarte Maracuja (Passion Fruit) Oil vs Natural Bliss Oil

Although I've been using cleansers, toners, serums, treatments, moisturizers, and anything else under the sun on my face for many years I'm new to the idea of using oils as a skin-care product.  I have read the rave reviews of Argan oil before and know that some people use it on their face, hair and skin.  Coconut oil is the first one that I've tried and I like to use it on my body and occasionally in my hair as a leave-in conditioner, but when I put it on my face it broke me out a little and just felt too greasy - it did not absorb well into my facial skin.  Recently I ordered the Tarte 8th Wonder of the World kit on QVC  and it came with a small sample of their new Maracuja (Passion Fruit) Oil.  Reading the reviews on QVC makes it sound like one of the best products to be introduced since Egyptians started lining their eyes with kohl.  It currently has 65 glowing reviews with a 4.9/5 rating, which is pretty great.  Here's the description on QVC: 'Pure passion. Derived from the Amazonian passion flower, this pure maracuja oil is a powerful and intuitive elixir that instantly absorbs into the skin, delivering a high dose of essential fatty acids and vitamin C to hydrate.'   


The oil also offers more benefits: 

  • Dry Skin types will experience ultra hydration while EFAs rebuild and repair the skin.
  • Oily skin will experience instant absorption and the oil actually contracts skin’s natural oils so you aren’t left feeling greasy or oily.
  • Dull skin will appear brighter and more radiant thanks to the rich vitamin C formula while EFAs, a requirement for healthy skin cells that the body can’t reproduce, help to infuse life back into the skin.
  • Sensitive/Acne-Prone-Redness/Rosacea will benefit from the antioxidants which will help sooth and heal skin without causing breakouts.


Sounds like a miracle product....so what's the downside?  The $46 (plus $6.22 S&H) price tag for 1.7 oz. of product!  The oil has one ingredient: Passiflora edulis seed oil, which got me wondering... if this is organic, cold-pressed unrefined passion fruit seed oil then why would tarte's be any different from another brand offering the same product?  I did some research and found a website called Natural Bliss that sells 1 oz. of cold-pressed, unrefined, organic Maracuja Oil from Brazil for $7, or 4 oz for $20.  Their customer service is friendly, they promptly responded to my questions via email, they offer sizes from sample to bulk, and it shipped the next morning after I ordered it.  So let's see what the differences are between the two!


For a background on what I normally use on my skin, my nightly routine includes using the Murad Environmental Shield line which is a cleanser, serum, pigment lightening gel for old acne scars, eye cream, and a moisturizer.  When I started using the oil I have only been cleansing and then using the oil. My skin is fair, has some red spots from acne breakouts, medium pores, and combination skin with a mildly oily t-zone and dry tendencies on my chin/around my nose.  


Tarte's Maracuja Oil is mostly clear with a yellow tinge and has a very faint nutty smell.  It spreads easily and absorbs quickly into the skin - I would consider it a very light oil and almost more like a serum in consistency.  The full size comes in a cute purple bottle with a dropper.  After using Tarte's generous sample for over a week here are my results:
- Skin is hydrated
- Few monthly blemishes I had cleared up more quickly than normal, no new blemishes have occurred
- Skin is very soft
- More even skin tone and overall brighter looking skin 
- Few wrinkles around my eyes / on forehead and pores seem to be less noticable
- Seems to help control my combination skin - no spots are overly oily or overly dry anymore


To apply, I use a few drops and massage it on my face with my fingers, focusing a bit more on any red spots or dry spots. I also put it around my eyes.  It takes a minute or two to absorb but doesn't leave skin looking or feeling overly greasy - just glowing with a slight sheen.  I can't stop touching my face after I put this on, it's just so so soft!  I use what's left on my hands and massage it into my cuticles.


The Natural Bliss oil 1 oz. and 4 oz. sizes come in a glass bottle with a pump.  The oil itself is slightly thicker than Tarte's and more yellow/orange in tone.  It has a more distinct smell - kind of a nutty scent with light citrus undertones.  This oil does not absorb quite as quickly as Tarte's since it's thicker, but since I put it on before bed that doesn't bother me.  It leaves a light sheen on my skin but doesn't make me feel oily.  It really does give me that healthy glow that everyone covets.  The results are exactly the same as I've gotten with Tarte's oil, so I am going to continue using Natural Bliss.  Since it's 4 oz. for $20 vs 1.7 oz. for $52, I consider Natural Bliss's oil a steal!  I also used this in my hair the other night - it made my hair oily, obviously, but it washed out clean the next day and now my hair is super soft and manageable.  I didn't need a whole lot for my whole head, so I'll probably do this once a week to keep my hair healthy.  This also works great as a general body oil or for dry feet or hands.  


In a nutshell - I have replaced 4 products I was using before with just this one!  I plan to continue using this oil on my face and might try a different company when this runs out to further research and see if there are more differences between different companies.  I am very happy with this oil and really feel more confident about my skin since I've been using it.  It can also be used on the hair and scalp to condition and stop itchiness/flakiness, as a massage oil, and the scent is supposed to be good for relaxation and promotes restful sleep.


*I have recently reviewed more of Natural Bliss's wonderful natural and handmade products for those of you interested in all natural skin care, which can be found here *


Where to get it:


Tarte's Maracuja Oil: http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/view.2/app.detail/params.item.A215554.desc.tarte-100-Pure-Cold-Pressed-Maracuja-Oil-from-the-Amazon#BVQAWidgetID


Natural Bliss(various sizes):  http://www.mynaturalbliss.com/passionfruit_oil.html


Oca Brazil (1 oz. size): http://oca-brazil.com/cosmepassionfruit.htm


Grass Hut Treasures (bulk): http://www.grasshuttreasures.com/amazonoilsbutters.html


From Nature with Love (various sizes, higher shipping, small order fee): http://www.fromnaturewithlove.com/soap/product.asp?product_id=oilpassion

19 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. No problem, glad it helped you! I liked tarte's oil too but just not the high price... I was happy to find a less expensive alternative that works the same.

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  4. there is something about skincare oils that always attracts me to them! i love how they feel on my skin! i recently acquired a kiehls midnight recovery oil sample and LOVED it! the tarte and natural bliss oil one sounds really good...i might have to try them!

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  5. I just ordered from Natures Bliss! Thanks for looking for cheaper alternatives of this oil. I messed up my skin from a peel and want to try this.

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  6. I saw the Maracuja oil form Tarte on QVC a couple minutes ago and looked for alternatives, that's how I found your site. THANK YOU for all the looking around that you've done.

    I just ordered Maracuja oil from Natrual Bliss.

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  7. I would love to hear your ladies results with the Natural Bliss oil, and if you get the same benefits as I do from it! Keep me posted :)

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  8. Thanks for the review! I've tried this oil from oca-brazil.com and I loved it too. However, when I got a bottle from Natural Bliss, I opened it to this horrible stinky smell! Would you say that your Natural Bliss oil smells bad, in any way? Mine smells like skunk, and nothing like the nutty and fruity scent of the oca-brazil oil. Do you think I got a bad bottle?

    Thanks in advance!

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    1. I just got mine from NB and it reeks! It smells like it went racid or something. The tarte one has zero smell to it to me and that is why I would prefer it over the less expensive one. However, NB sent me a couple trail size products to review for my website mickdraggen.com as well that smell amazing. One is a peppermint/lemon scrub and the other is the "unscented" olive oil soap bar. You might want to check those out.

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  9. Hey AZ... my Natural Bliss oil definitely has a more distinct smell than the Tarte oil. I wouldn't say stinky or skunky but it's more pungent. To me it smells more nutty than citrusy. I don't mind the smell but I have never tried Oca Brazil so I'm not sure how they compare. If you think you got a bad bottle I'd contact Natural Bliss with your concerns and I'm sure they'd be happy to help you out!

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  10. I think that the lighter oil with the thinner consistency may actually be the less refined/processed one. Probably exposed to less heat during production. That one was the Tarte's right?

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  11. I tried the sample of Natural Bliss passion fruit oil, and I cannot stand the smell at all. I tried it 3 times and I just cannot handle it. My sense of smell is not that good either, so to be able to smell it and being turned off by it the smell must be quite strong.

    I like the dry/mature serum though, and I would like to try the sensitive face serum next time.

    Thank you for posting this!

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  12. I like both the Tarte and the Natural Bliss versions of maracuja oil. Although Natural Bliss's is less refined (I see sediment at the bottom), they work the same. They have a nutty smell; NB's being a little fruitier. I have a 4-oz. bottle and a 16-oz. bottle of the Natural Bliss maracuja oil, and think the investment is worth it.

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  13. I guess this is the product that my mom needs. She asked me to look for alternative skin care online. She prefers one that is not too commercial and i guess this one fits the best.
    skin care online

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  14. Tarte Maracuja passion fruit oil is giving information in the post here
    organic salon

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  15. This is exactly what I needed to know--thank you so much for this comparison! I've been using Natural Bliss for almost a year now and I love it. I'm finally almost running out of my big pump bottle and ULTA is having a sale on the Tarte oil as part of their 21 Days of Beauty promotion... so I might have to pick that one up next!

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  16. garden of wisdom sells 4 oz of passion fruit oil for less than 20 but I haven't tried theirs yet. I like the tarte one so far

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  17. I know this is an older post, but THANK YOU. I've been eyeing up the Tarte oil, but the price tag is pretty steep for me. I'm definitely going for the dupe. You rock.

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  18. Stinky smell means it's unrefined which is actually more expensive to purchase because it retains all the nutrients. So if Tartes is not smelly means they use a cheaper refined product which doesn't have much nutrient benefits.

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