Tarte Cosmetics

Tarte Cosmetics, also known simply as Tarte, is a beauty company that designs, manufactures, and markets cosmetics and skincare products. Its product lineup includes foundations, concealers, blushes, eyeshadows, lipsticks, and skincare items such as moisturizers and cleansers. The brand primarily serves consumers in the United States but also distributes its products to international markets through retailers and online channels. Tarte positions itself within the prestige beauty segment, offering products that are sold in department stores, specialty beauty retailers, and via direct‑to‑consumer e‑commerce.

The company was founded in 1999 by Maureen Kelly and has built its reputation on cruelty‑free and vegan‑friendly formulations, avoiding animal testing and animal‑derived ingredients. Tarte emphasizes the use of natural ingredients such as Amazonian clay and maracuja oil in many of its formulations. Over the years, the brand has become known for high‑performance makeup that promises long wear and vibrant color payoff. In 2014, Tarte was acquired by the Japanese cosmetics corporation Kose, making it a subsidiary of that larger group.

Headquartered in the United States, Tarte’s corporate offices are located in New York City, New York. The brand’s distribution network includes partnerships with major retailers such as Sephora, Ulta Beauty, and QVC, as well as its own branded website. A notable event in the company’s history occurred on October 18, 2017, when two unsecured MongoDB databases exposed personal data of nearly two million customers, including names, addresses, email addresses, purchase histories, and partial credit‑card information. The breach was discovered by a cybersecurity research team, prompting the company to secure the databases within days, although hackers had already accessed and exfiltrated the data during the exposure window.