TOO FACED CHRISTMAS IN NEW YORK THE CHOCOLATE SHOP PALETTE, SHADOW INSURANCE, MELTED CHOCOLATE LIPSTICK & BETTER THAN SEX REVIEW! WORST PALETTE EVER?

THE TOO FACED CHOCOLATE SHOP PALETTE REVIEW!

I bought this from Sephora online for $58 not including tax. That's a bit steep but honestly I've fallen in love with the Too Faced Cosmetics brand and it has a ton of stuff in the set that I've been wanting to try. For example the Melted Chocolate Lipsticks, really any Melted lipstick. I love the Melted Mattes so I figured I would love these too. It also came with the shadow insurance primer that I've been wanting to try in what they call the "deluxe" sample size and then there's a pretty small sample size of Better Than Sex Mascara which I already like a lot despite my first impression review here on my blog (I will update that and make a long term REVIEW for that soon.) Then it comes with a blush, bronzer and highlighter along with twenty eyeshadows. What really sold me on this was that it was a combination of the colors I wanted to try from the Too Faced Nikkie Tutorials Palette, their Peanut Butter and Jelly Palette and some of their Sweet Peach Palette. I just became a fan of this brand so I haven't tried any of those. I own the Chocolate Bon Bons and that's what sold me on this brand recently. 

Before that I just thought of this brand as an overly gimmicky childish brand that targets preteens that are just experimenting and don't know the difference between quality or high end brands. Kids makeup is basically what I thought their brand was. Kids makeup with dirty words lol. I actually love that part about this brand. I love sexual expression. How happy it can make people to accept themselves sexually and be able to communicate to their partners about their wants and needs and the ending of slut shaming and all that jazz. I just like the fact that they embrace sexuality in the naming of a lot of their products and in turn relay subliminal messaging that sex doesn't need to be dirty, wrong and secretive. Now that's a subliminal message I can get behind ladies!

Now onto the actual review now that you know what my hopes were. I was hoping it would be beautiful and pigmented colors like the chocolate bar palettes and the smaller palettes like too cute!, Boudoir Eyes, etc.

I was SOOO disappointed. From what I seen online (the tiny bit I could find since I got this pretty much immediately after the release date) was that the colors were pretty and pigmented. The reviews on Sephoras website were mixed but pretty much half and half and of course Sephora shows mostly positive reviews towards the top which is the furthest most of us usually go to look. 

The reality was that these shadows were horrid. They were dry and flaky. The glittery shadows were chunky and still had so little pigmentation. The lighter colors didn't show up at all. I thought maybe they were just matching my skin so I rubbed them on my friends face, hands and arms with a finger then a brush then with primer. Every time they either didn't show up or barely showed up no matter how many layers. Now obviously people are doing something to get the colors to look like they do in the pictures below and my guess is that they are either getting them wet or grabbing a shit ton of product and basically smashing it down as hard as they can while swatching to make it look like a normal swatch. 

I personally don't want to work that hard when I spend over $60 USD on a palette. That's ridiculous. The absolute worst colors with zero to close to no pigmentation were Cookie Dough, the two biggest white colors, and every light to medium matte shade. Next the very lightly pigmented colors that could possibly be built up with a lot of product or a wet brush and a very good primer that's still wet and sticky when applying the colors are Jingled Berry (purple), Mint Chip (deep green/blue) and Sugared Raisin (glittery silver/light purple). The other shimmer shades have decent color but there's too few of them to make this set even a little bit worth it to me. 

These are actual swatches from the people who found a way to make the colors work above in the "pigmented" swatches. (Liars!) Lol

The lipstick is an orangey looking weird color I can't describe. Maybe an orange caramel color? Idk. You decide:

Now I had super high hopes for these Melted Lipsticks, both original and chocolate collection, after trying and falling in love with the Melted Mattes. 

Gorgeous.

I was very mistaken in thinking these would be of good quality. I got the original melted in my give me some lip set and the chocolate in this set and both of them are completely gone off the lips after you eat or drink a couple times or even if you do nothing it's gone within an hour. It's horrible considering the price of $21 for a full sized tube that's going to act that way. Also the velvet applicator tip is quite messy. The colors are pretty but that's the only good things about these lipsticks.

The primer is AMAZING! I was using lorac eye primer and now im using Urban Decay Anti Aging Eye Primer and this Shadow Insurance is better than anything I've ever tried. It makes my eyeshadow stay on and not fade even after a hot, sweaty day on my oily skin and I even took a couple hour nap during those days. I really fell in love. I will be purchasing this full sized soon. At $20 full size it's around the same price point (usually a few bucks cheaper even) than the other similar brands and it works a hell of a lot better.

The Better Than Sex Mascara is sample sized and small. The small handle is hard to control since it's the same wide brush tip as the full size but other than that it works great aside from the flakiness.

I'm not going to get into too much detail about these sample sized products since I intend to give full length reviews on them each with comparisons and all.

The blush, bronzer and highlighter are all very subtle on my pale skin so idk if they would show up in someone darker than me but I liked them ok.

Overall this set sucks. I regretted the purchase and promptly returned it. Don't waste your money. Most of these holiday palettes have huge quality control issues and this one is no exception. Also a lot of people complained about the bulky packaging but you had to see the picture when you were buying it. It's obvious from the pics it's not travel friendly. It would be beautiful sitting on a vanity but otherwise the palette is removable so you can throw the pop up packaging out if you choose to.

Thanks for reading my review. Sorry no looks or tutorials this time. I couldn't make it work at all and I wasn't going to try any harder than I already had. 

Stay beautiful ladies because that's exactly what you are!

Twitter snowbunnybeth90 Pinterest callowayelizabeth instagram buzzybee25 facebook.com/YARNANDBEAUTY YARNANDBEAUTY.BLOGSPOT.com

YARNANDBEAUTY.wordpress.com

Pictures of my actual palette below:

Easy 90s fall makeup tutorial featuring the urban decay naked ultimate basics palette

Colors used from this Naked Ultimate Basics Palette Only:

If I mention a part of the eye where you need to put eyeshadow and you don't know where it is refer to this chart.

Swatches of each color and it's name so you can use similar colors you own for each step if you don't have the palette I'm using. Click on the picture to enlarge it.

Techniques for a clean line if you need help (can do the same exact thing with any straight edge but tape works especially well since it holds itself to your skin):

TUTORIAL:

First you want to do all your prepping. You don't want to just wake up and start putting your makeup on because that's going to breed bacteria in your makeup and on your brushes and sponges. Your makeup also lasts longer and looks better if you use a clean and moisturized but oil free "canvas." So wash your face and moisturize or whatever your skin care regimen is. I use the proactive system usually but lately I've had to use st ives exfoliating scrub and proactives advanced oil control lotion to help control my oil output since that all but wipes out my makeup by mid day. Also don't do your face makeup until after your eyes are done because every eyeshadow has some fall out and even If you can't see it it makes a dark shadow under and on the side of your eyes. We will clean up and I can and will prove this to you later on.

Also, unless otherwise specified use your crease brush in a back and forth windshield wiping motion just at the top of and above your natural crease. This widens your eyes, especially if you have hooded eyes. If you for some reason want your eyes to look smaller just keep it in your natural crease. THEN when you're in your outer third and outer V you will use your crease brush or fluffy blending brush or whatever brush you prefer and apply eyeshadow in small, fluffy, circular motions. Next, when you're applying to your lid (the inner two thirds of your eye lid), your inner v and your inner eye area next to your nose you will use a soft patting motion. In your arch, waterline, anywhere you put eyeliner, you will use a drawing motion. You will literally be drawing straight lines. You can use that same liner brush or thin shadow brush to blend the arch back and forth after that. In your under eyebrow area under your brow but right at the top of your crease color you will use a large fluffy brush and a soft and wide swiping outward motion. You will also always tap off excess shadow with each dip into your makeup because the idea is to slowly build and blend colors not accidentally add too much and try to figure out a way to fix it. It just looks nicer this way. Don't forget unless otherwise specified you always blend your shadows after application. If your asked to blend from the outer v into the crease you will start with small circular motions then move into windshield wiper motion. You always blend in the manner you applied.

Next add concealer on your lids to right under your brows. Then add a colorless eye or face primer to your brows and do your brows as usual and then set them with a setting powder and line all around the edges of the brow, but only on your skin with concealer and blend in carefully. All of these things help keep brows in place all day. Then add eye primer to your lids.

Step one: with your crease or eye contour brush or the bigger end of the included brush put the color Commando in and slightly above crease crease from end to end. Then put the color Tempted in the exact same place on top of that. BLEND.

Step two: in natural crease with same brush put the color Instinct.

Step three: in outer third of eye with same brush or eyeshadow brush pay the color Lethal into outer thirs of lid then with crease or blending brush blend into crease.

Step five: with small and dense brush like small end of included brush put blackjack in your outer v as pictured below then blend out harsh lines but try to keep it close to where it already is.

Step six: with shadow brush put Pre Game on inner two thirds of lid, inner eye and inner V.

See where the gold stops where the brown starts at the outer two thirds above.

Step seven: with your powder foundation take a fluffy blending brush and swipe lightly from top of crease shade to under eyebrow. Then with smaller dense brush, like the smaller end of the included brush add blow under brow from arch to end of brow. Then put blow in inner V.

Step eight: Grab lethal and a liner brush and tightline the top lashes or top waterline and line the bottom lashes only. Then with Blackjack line outer half of bottom waterline.

Step nine: line a winged eyeliner with liquid eyeliner (preferably). Then with a clean liner brush grab the color Blow and line the inner half of your bottom waterline until lashes then continue lining it right under lashes to the end of your eye or until the end of the winged liner. Whichever you prefer.

Finishing:

Add your mascara. I add two coats each of two separate mascaras. A trick I learned a long time ago to give thick and long lashes better than any one mascara.

Now as usual add your foundation however you do that and your concealer on top of that. I conceal under eyes and acne. I use my fingers for concealing acne because I don't want to add bacteria to my acne or spread it elsewhere with a brush. Yuck. Now contour if you like. I like a "nontoured" look only on my cheeks and side of nose for every day. I like more of a highlight and a lot of contour and highlight is just too much for every day wear in my opinion. Then I add blush to the apples of my cheeks and blend outwards and upwards towards temples to elongate my round face. Then I highlight cheekbones to temples, mid nose, forehead, chin and above lip. Add lipstick. Make sure I blend everything in with my kabuki. Add a little bronzer to neck and chest and cleavage (whatever is showing) and a tiny bit of highlight to the top of my breasts so it doesn't look like I'm wearing a mask and I'm done!

Stepping out actual color used above.

Makeup used:

Naked ultimate basics palette

ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS

dipbrow pomade

Angled brow duo brush #14 for liner

Straight cut brow duo brush #20 for brows

Glow Kit in sundipped

KAT VON D

ink liner in Trooper

Lock it powder in med 52

Makeup Forever hd blush 210

Too Faced Better than sex mascara

Diorshow mascara

Makeup forever hd foundation in sand

Coverfx contour kit for contour and concealer in light

Smashbox always on liquid lipstick in stepping out

Hope you enjoyed! Sorry for the day or so break I took. Wanted to use all the makeup I got a little bit before I started reviewing and making tutorials and swatches. 

Stay beautiful ladies!

Twitter snowbunnybeth90 pinterest callowayelizabeth instagram buzzybee25 facebook.com/YARNANDBEAUTY YARNANDBEAUTY.BLOGSPOT.com

YARNANDBEAUTY.wordpress.com

Finished look:

LANCOME JUICY SHAKERS LIP OIL REVIEW AND SWATCHES IN BOOM-MERINGUE!

Lancome JUICY SHAKERS Lip Oil Review!

& swatches in Boom-meringue!

Both swatches above taken on my lips shortly after application in the "color" or "flavor" Boom-Meringue.

Boom-Meringue (above)

                          Berry In Love (above, and what I feel is the "darkest color")

17 "flavors" at 0.22 oz $21.00 USD a piece.
So let's first talk about what the expectation was. I don't like to expect much of anything from a product I have no experience with (other than that it won't suck balls.) Because I don't want to be one of those people giving super biased reviews because we were hoping it would be like something else from another brand that we loved. I want to give a totally honest review based on this product and not comparing it to any others. Sometimes I compare but I let you know when and the reason why and it's usually a very small part of my review, but today you're very lucky because before this I can't remember ever trying a lip oil so this is my first so it's definitely unbiased. So let's get started.

From the Sephora website:

What it is: 
An addictive lip oil with a super-soft cushion applicator for a wash of color with a hint of shine. 

What it does: 
Juicy Shaker’s bi-phase technology delivers the first pigmented lip oil with two distinct phases. The first phase features a transparent oil for a comfortable, non-sticky shine. Formulated with a blend of five nourishing oils, it treats your lips like a lip balm. Peach kernel oil, a well-known emollient, softens lips while sweet almond oil conditions, apricot oil hydrates, and cranberry oil provides rich antioxidant properties. Muscat rose oil, which is rich in essential fatty acids, helps to soothe your lips. The second phase provides pigment for a touch of color. Shake the bottle like a cocktail shaker to emulsify them together. The cushion applicator enhances application by delivering the perfect amount of non-sticky shine and a sheer tint of color to lips.

So let's see what it really offers from the sales pitch. First off it is really not sticky. I didn't know what to expect from a lip oil since we all know that when you think of oil you think of thick, sticky, ickyness. Yummy! Lol jk.

 Fortunately for all of us they are definitely telling the truth in their ad. It is very comfortable and soothing. It feels like a very thin and breathable oil. It's not anything I would have expected to like but hey I'm usually a lipgloss kind of girl so who was I kidding anyway. 
 It's really nothing like a lip gloss. Not in the sense of how it feels anyway. It's very sheer and all you notice is a slight moisture. Kinda like a very sheer and slightly more slippery lip balm. That's the best I can describe it. It really is in a category all it's own. About here is where I might compare it to something for you that you probably had tried but I really can't. It's totally unique. In a good way, and I love that!

It is exactly like oil and water in the bottle. Like the ad says above the "first phase" are the oils and the "second phase" is the color. Or that's what they said anyway. You have to shake it up before you use it. Not sure what would happen if you didn't but I'm sure it wouldn't be too much different. Maybe less color? Idk. I can't tell which end is supposed to be oil and which end is color. 

You can see the difference between shaken and not in the top and bottom pics here.

 It says that it gives you intense moisture (pretty much.) And then gives you a wash of color. Obviously in reality this would all happen at once since theres only one applicator. I have only tried the color that came with the Sephora Give Me Some Lip Set which is Boom-Meringue. Not sure I would have tried it had it not been in that set honestly. I mean at $21.00 a pop there's a lot more different lip colors and formulas I would choose above this and if I wanted a lip gloss look I would probably just go back to my old childhood favorite that hasn't failed me yet and tastes and smells amazing (the boys really love it! Wink! Wink!). Smackers anyone? Yum! Anyway, back to the product at hand. No I wouldn't have chosen it and out of everything In the set it was the only full size I believe and the one I was the least excited about. I mean boom-meringue? Really? Out of all the colors and flavors you could have chosen you give me this one? It must have been the least popular. Idk. The "wash of color" they speak of is something I really don't see. In my bottle it's a nice, pretty soft and sparkly, light pink. On my lips its basically clear and building the color? Not gonna happen. I would definitely choose a darker color if you want any color to show up at all. I will show you some lip swatches I found online of the other colors below so you can see what I mean. If you're looking for a nice pigmented shade or lip stain you're not going to find it here in this product. I'm only saying this because I could see how you might get that impression from just looking at the product.

What you do get is a very long lasting, very lightweight oily lip gloss/ lip shine. It doesn't have much if any color in a lot of these but it has a touch of color in some of the darker shades so if you're a lip tint kind of girl I would suggest giving this a shot.
Honestly I would recommend trying this to anyone. There's really nothing bad about it other than the pigmentation. Winter is coming and this is going to be one of my favorites in the drying weather. Hello chapped lip blocker! If you have chapped lips or dry lips I can see this fixing that problem. This is a very moisturizing product. I really just cannot say this enough. My lips feel so good hours later after this has worn off. I really just have nothing negative to say.

Now, the last thing I want to discuss about the juicy shaker is the packaging and the applicator/ application process. The package is very cute. As you have seen here it's a little clear bottle with a metal top. The shape of it is very cute and when you open it up to and take the top off to see the little attached "strainer" inside it gives the feel of a martini shaker. So cute! The applicator is a thick sponge that is cone shaped. Thicker towards the handle and coming to a round point at the bottom. There's no way to add more product to it. Whats on the sponge is what you get until you use it and shake it again. Usually one application has more than enough oil though so I wouldn't worry about that. It's a little weird to get used to. The sponge is kinda gooey. Like memory foam that's wet with oil? It doesn't give any control over a precise application so that's a little tough, but there's really no color so pressing your lips together to blend or using your finger to clean up or spread out shouldn't be too big of a deal if the applicator didn't meet all of your needs. 
All in all I love the packaging and after getting used to the short handle and weird shape of the applicator it's not that bad either. The whole thing is just adorable.

Last but certainly not least, the biggest selling point to these are the scents and flavors. For Boom-Meringue I was expecting a citrus smell but I was pleasantly surprised to get a nice sweet fruity smell. There was no taste that I noticed but I wasn't looking for one either because I didn't know it was supposed to have one until now. The only thing I noticed was the scent. The only thing that tells me is that sensitive people won't be overpowered by scents and tastes of this product. It's very toned down and the scent is just a little treat when you first put it on. It is a product teens and mature adults alike will love I think. Go out and try one. At the very least your lips will thank you for treating them so well.

It's like aromatherapy on your lips!
Thanks for reading my reviews ladies! Lots more to come in the next few days especially, along with lots of tutorials so stay tuned!

Follow, share, comment, plus one, and all that jazz!
Twitter snowbunnybeth90 pinterest callowayelizabeth instagram buzzybee25 facebook.com/YARNANDBEAUTY
YARNANDBEAUTY.BLOGSPOT.com
YARNANDBEAUTY.wordpress.com

 Stay beautiful gorgeous women because that's exactly what you are!
Xoxo

(Me in the makeup I did a tutorial for in the post right before this one! Check it out)