New From Too Faced | Chocolate Bon Bons | Melted Chocolate Liquid Lipstick

You know what gets me riled up for my makeup routine? Freaking cocoa! Thank you Too Faced for having my cravings back and providing me with delicious makeup. I have some for my eyes, face and... Lips? Before we know it I'll be wrapped up in candy paper and shoved in an Easter egg. 

Ok that's a little carried away but I know you get me. Too Faced is killing it with their cocoa infused line. I just can't get enough. Maybe sometime soon we'll have chocolate scented lipgloss?! 

Photo credit: Instagram by @beautywithemilyfox

The first thing I want to talk about are the new liquid lipsticks. As you can see in the photo above, all of the new lipsticks are chocolate scented and colored. There's a variety of metallics and satin finishes. 

Personally, I'm not overwhelmed with cravings when I look at the metallic swatches. They look inconsistent with coverage (patchy) and the thought of a mattalic brown on me makes me cringe. However, some of you may enjoy the chocolatey goodness! 

What I'm excited for is Dark Cherries, Honey and Milkshake! They have a satin/gloss finish like the original melted formula. Now I can picture myself wearing those! The finish makes them more wearable and practical but I also think this formula of the chocolate lippies won't look as patchy. Although I could be wrong about the metallic formula. Are you going to buy one? I plan to purchase Chocolate Milkshake when I buy this next item in December. 

Photo credit: Instagram by @caseyvee23

I'm sure we have all heard of the chocolate bar palettes. Well now Too Faced has created a beautiful Chocolate Bon Bons palette with that same signature cocoa scent. 

The packaging is a bit different but still cute. The outer package is pink with raised heart shapes. The inside also has heart shaped pans that hold the cocoa eye shadow powders. There are 16 matte and shimmer shadows. I'm assuming the price is going to be $49 like the other Too Faced Chocolate Bars. 

The over all theme of the palette seems to include warm Browns, pinks and a couple shimmery golds.  I can not wait to get this palette. As soon as I do, I promise I'll post sneak peak swatches on here and of course a review later on after I thoroughly test the formula. The release date is 12-8 but I may have to wait until Christmas to get it just because my money is going towards other things right now. I will have it by the end of the year though! Will you? 

Alright guys, that's it for now from Too Faced. Well unless you include their holiday releases but you can find those in this post here.  Let me know if you're going to try anything new from this Too Faced. And as always, don't forget to tag me on Instagram (@taylorpieb) of your new goodies! 

Lorac Ultimate Unzipped Holiday Collection

Hey! So the other day I was on Instagram and I noticed Lorac is leasing an Unzipped collection for $80. The collection includes their Unzipped palettes, and the Unzipped blush & lipstick duo at Ulta only. 

I have always been a fan of their Unzipped collection and I'm sure most of you have heard of their palettes. I figured some people were wondering if they are any good and that's why I'm here talking about them today. 

I didn't go out and purchase the set but I do own every product in the set. I scored the gold palette and blush palette back in the spring when they initially released. I can't remember exactly, but I'm pretty sure I paid $42 for the Unzipped Gold and $25 for the blush and lipstick duo. So for all three products together my total cost was $109 plus tax. With the holiday set you save $29, plus less tax is paid. That's an amazing deal! 

But how is the quality? 

Unzipped Original 

Unzipped Gold 

The shadows in the Unzipped palettes are a different formula than the Pro palettes. They're not as soft and buttery but they are still nice. I do notice some stiffness with each matte shadow but they still perform like a good shadow. For the shimmer shadows, some can be dusty but that can be fixed if they are dampened. They are all indeed pigmented though. One shadow from the Unzipped Gold is the most pigmented shadow I have ever came across (swatches below). They do last all day with primer and yes, I do love the primer that comes with the set. It works well with any eyeshadow or liner I use. 

The quality of the blush and lipstick duo is superb. The blushes are really smooth and absent of chalkiness. They really do feel like high end blushes. They blend in easily and don't look patchy once applied. The shimmery shades do not emphasize pores once blended in.  The shades are are pretty but I don't find the matte shades to be unique in color. There may already be duplicates in your collection but I do feel like the formula with these might be better. The darker shimmery (unapologetic) shade is the most unique shade, in my opinion, in the palette. It's nice for a warm, just got back from the beach, look. The lighter shimmer blush (unimaginable) has a lot of pigment but may appear as a highlight or blush topper for deeper skin tones. I also noticed more of a chunky texture with this blush but it's not noticeable unless you swatch it with your finger, you may never notice if you don't swatch your makeup. 

Underrated, Unashamed, Unapologetic, Unimaginable and Girl Next Door (lipstick)  

The lipstick that comes with the blush palette isn't my favorite. The color crosses that line where it's so light it looks chalky and it's just not flattering. I like the formula of the other Alter Ego lipsticks I own but I could live without this one. It is a good deal , though. The lipstick alone costs $16 so you're basically buying the palette for $9! 

It all boils down to if you're after good deals on permanent items or lusting after a limited edition holiday palette... I think this set is a great deal if you're interested in the individual items but you can get them any time you want to. The only problem is you'll have to fork over more money. I think if you're a makeup collector, go for a different holiday set. However, if you're just looking for a good value, go for this set. It just depends on the buyer but I can say everything in this collection is worth every hard earned penny! 

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Do you own any of the Unzipped palettes?

Are you going to purchase this set?

What's your favorite holiday palette this year?

Let us know in the comments below!

Review & Swatches:Tarte Tartiest Clay Paint Liner

Hey, guys! I have been wanting to put up this review for a while but I decided to wait a couple months to see if this particular liner would dry out. Good news it didn't so we are off on a good start (let's hope it stays that way!). I ordered my Tarteist Clay Paint Liner on Sephora's website for $24. The amount of product icluded is .21 OZ. Tarte was also generous and included a decent angled liner brush for application. Now let's take a look at the product details Tarte Cosmetics shared! 

Product details 

What it is:
An innovative, waterproof cream eyeliner with a unique blending tip that is inspired by an artist’s palette. 

What it does:
Think outside the lines when you define eyes like a pro with tarte’s clay paint liner. Inspired by the ease of an artist’s palette, this one-of-a-kind, squeezable cream liner offers a seamless, no-budge application—simply squeeze, line, and define. The unique formula features fewer waxes, cushioned pigments, and a special development process that allows for the creamiest texture and smoothest application. The tube was created with an innovative artistic delivery system, a tapered tip, and a flat blending stage so you can simply pick up the ideal amount of product and blend for foolproof perfection. The sketcher-angled bamboo liner brush easily glides the plush, triple-black, formula along the contours of the eyelid. Featuring the same waterproof, 12-hour wear as tarte’s signature clay pot liners, this next-generation liner has cushion slide technology that lets you custom create your own signature lines without ever pulling or transferring. 

What it is formulated WITHOUT:
- Parabens 
- Phthalates 

What else you need to know:
This product is ophthalmologist and dermatologist tested.

Consistency/ Application 

The consistency is hybrid of a gel and liquid liner. It has a slip to it but not in the way where it's easy to start a paint party on your eye lid. It's just enough to glide across the wrinkles on the lid without tugging from one reminder of our aging to the next( I'm talking about wrinkles, haha). The liner itself is not runny but it's not thick either. When I squeeze it through the tube It comes out it in a circular formation that spreads out easily into the bowl like tip (blending stage).

Longevity

This part is tricky. I think this liner can last a long time if you're not an eye rubber but if I rub my eyes hard enough it does have the tendency to smudge a little. However, if  your eye area is a "no passing" zone then you should be fine. On days when I don't rub my eyes it will last for up to 12 hours, which is when I remove my makeup. So maybe it could last longer but honestly most people don't wear their makeup longer than that. Be sure to have a makeup remover handy, this liner is water proof to an extent. It will stay on if water is splashed on the face, so don't worry when you're sweating up a storm while tanning at your local pool this summer. Now, if water is applied and the liner is rubbed it will smudge some but to remove it completely you'll need a makeup remover. 

Best used for...

Winged liner. It's really easy to get the crisp tip that we all desire since its uber creamy and thin. It is smudgeable but I don't see most people purchasing this liner for that purpose. But if you are one of those people, I think you'll be pleased by its capability to smudge. 

Opacity and Finish

Honestly, I wish it was a tad bit darker. It's dark black but it's not pitch black. Although, I can get the desired darkness I want when I layer the product. The finish is most certainly matte. Once it's dry there's no smudging unless it's rubbed vigorously. Depending on the thickness of the coat, it usually dries in a minute or less. If your eyes are hooded or deep set be sure to give it time to fully dry or the liner will transfer to your brow bone. After that you should be fine for the remainder of the day. 

Packaging 

I really like the idea of a liner in a squeeze tube. I think it will last a lot longer before it dries out. The cap also features a small plug that goes into the tube when it's sealed shut. I can't imagine any air getting in there easiy if it's left shut. What I do is squeeze the tube just enough to allow any air trapped out and I'll screw the lid on. When I do that I know no air will leak into the tube and no air is left in to dry out the product. Who knows maybe this liner will last me for a year! That would be the first. 

Overall

I think it's a nice liner. I might repurchase it if it doesn't dry out for a very long time. However, I don't see it as a necessary or must have product. Drugstore eyeliners are just as good and cost a portion of the price. But if you're interested anyways just know it is a good eyeliner that's easy to use. The best thing about it is the consistency. I sometimes have a hard time applying eyeliner to my eyes because of wrinkles but this liner just glides across them so effortlessly. If your eyes are the same maybe it would be better than a drugstore liner. I honestly just think it depends on the buyers needs. 

Pro's

Easy to apply

Dark Black

Pigmented

Long lasting

Smooth/creamy 

Waterproof

Easy to remove

Matte

Smudgeable 

Doesn't dry out as fast

Nice packaging

Cons

Price

Can wear off when rubbed

Photos & Swatches 

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Have you tried the Tarte Tarteist Clay Paint Liner?

Do you want to try it?

Let me know in the comments below! 

Review & Photos: Too Faced Cocoa Contour Kit

With contour kits popping up everywhere like weeds, it can be hard to know which one to buy. I have been contemplating one which one I should pick up. Like most sugar deprived woman I lust after anything that smells like cocoa. When Too Faced released their Cocoa Contour kit I literally purchased it that day in hopes of getting my fix of chocolatey goodness... But of course in the form of makeup (hello, it's Too Faced!). So it's a win win situation,  right? 

Too Faced Product details

Cocoa Contour gives you the power to enhance your most beautiful features and minimize the ones you want to hide in a few simple steps. This curated kit comes with the two essential sculpting shades, the perfect matte highlighter, and a luminous pop of light for a contoured look that never looks flat. Infused with our antioxidant-rich Exclusive Cocoa Complex, the powders blend seamlessly and indulge you with a decadent chocolate scent. Features our Contour Buki Brush for the most professional sculpting effect.

MORE TO LOVE:

• Universal set contains all the shades needed to take the guesswork out of contouring, sculpting and highlighting.
• Exclusive Cocoa Complex is a proprietary blend of antioxidant-rich cocoa powder and moisturizing cocoa butter that work together to hydrate and smooth skin and boost your mood.
• Achieve lifted cheekbones, look instantly slimmer or sculpt like an A-list celebrity. 
• Includes our signature Glamour Guide with three contour looks to get you started. 
• Too Faced Co-Founder & Chief Creative Officer Jerrod Blandino was inspired to infuse antioxidant-rich cocoa in makeup while getting a chocolate facial at a Hawaiian spa. He learned of chocolate’s benefits to the skin and included the ingredient in Too Faced’s best-selling products.

Click here to purchase.

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Packaging 

The packaging is very similar to other Too Faced products. The powders are housed in a square card board box with a magnetic closure. It is a little bulky but manageable. A decent sized mirror is also included for on the go. The four powders that are included inside are: Light Cocoa, Medium Cocoa, Dark Cocoa and Pop of Light. A small teddy bear bristle brush is also included. Unlike other palettes, I really like this brush. It's soft, small and it gets the job done right. 

Consistency 

The consistency is definitely smooth and creamy. I did notice some powder flying around in the pan but it'sjust because the product is really smooth. The only powder I'm not too crazy about is Pop Of Light but we will talk about that later in this post. 

Application

Every powder included in this kit blends out so smoothly. Sometimes I have a hard time getting powders to blend easily over my acne but I didn't encounter that problem with this kit. Another problem with problematic skin like mine is patchiness, fortunately, the powders applied evenly. 

Longevity 

Light, Medium and Dark Cocoa lasted on my combination skin for about 7-8 hours before fading away. Pop of light stayed on my checks for a couple hours before navigating somewhere else on my cheeks.

Is this a good kit for contouring?

I think this kit is good for contouring if you have a light to medium complexion with neutral/ yellow undertones. Medium  Cocoa is the shade that I prefer for contouring. It's not as warm and acts more as a shadow than Dark Cocoa. Dark Cocoa is a little warmer and its best used as an overall bronzer to warm up my complexion. Light Cocoa is my favorite shade. It really helps brighten up my face, while still looking natural. 

Light Cocoa

Best used for a matte highlight under the eyes, on the chin, forehead, and the bridge of the nose. It won't add any sheen but it does leave a flawless bright complexion behind. I also enjoy using it to set my under eye concealer. It keeps it from creasing and fills in my fine lines. 

Medium Cocoa

Medium Cocoa is certainly the contouring powder of the kit. It's great for chiseling out the cheek bones for a nice lift. Of course it can be used anywhere for instant shadows. I enjoy contouring my nose, forehead and jawline with it as well. I'm really loving this shade because I can get a natural contoured look that blends out seamlessly, which is hard for me to do with my acne. 

Dark Cocoa

Some people might beable to use this shade for contouring. Maybe if you have a medium to dark complexion and your typical shade for contouring is warm. But as a person with light skin I find it best as an overall bronzer. 

To be honest, I was a little disappointed about how warm this powder was but I actually really enjoy it as a bronzer. It's great for a flawless bronzey glow. It doesn't look muddy whatsoever and it buffs into my skin so effortlessly. This could perhaps be my new favorite bronzer. 

Pop Of Light

I'm really disappointed with this shade. Instead of having a nice glow like everyone is expecting, it has chunks of glitter. Not only is Specks of glitter migrating all over the face unattractive but the glitter enhances my acne. That's definitely not a look I want! I'm after the kind of highlighter that catches light on he high points of my face. Not specks of gold glitter that have moved down to my contour line. However, if you like chunky highlights, then you'll love Pop Of Light! 

Overall

I really love this kit despite of the disappointing shimmery highlight. I get a beautiful matte highlight, contour and bronzer shade that smells like delicious cocoa. It's a little pricey but I feel like I can get my money's worth. I really enjoy having a highlight, contour and bronzer in one box. That makes it great for traveling and fast forwards my makeup routine by a few minutes.... It works really well if your complexion is fair but if your medium to dark+, then skip on it unless you think Dark Cocoa will work for you (some darker people have mentioned it working on their skin tone). Too Faced should really provide more options for people with darker skin tones(maybe a future release?). This kit truly is beautiful and I hate how a lot of people won't be able to use it. It's tradgic. But as a whole, this kit is certainly a hot product worth checking out! 

Photos and Swatches

Light Cocoa

Medium Cocoa

Dark Cocoa 

Pop Of Light

Swatches in artificial lighting.

Left to right: Light Cocoa, Medium Cocoa, Dark Cocoa Light Cocoa.

Swatches in natural lighting.

Left to right: Light Cocoa, Medium Cocoa, Dark Cocoa Light Cocoa.

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Are you going to purchase this kit?

Do you enjoy the cocoa scent from Too Faced?

What's your favorite product for contouring?

Let me know in the comments below!

Review & Swatches: Rimmel London Show Off Matte Lip Velvets

The intense rich color of a lipstick, enhanced by a satin smooth shine--Rimmel London Show Off Matte Lip Velvet is neither a lipstick nor a gloss. It's bigger than both. Show off your color.

Click here to purchase.

 

Affordable matte velvet for your lips is every girls dream. I was psyched when I  found out about the new Show Off Velvets from Rimmel. I absolutely love the Show Off Lip Lacquers by them and I just knew I would fall in love with these as well.  So of course I ordered every single matte shade on Ultas website. How could I not resist? 

Product Description

There are 5 shades available ranging from extremely nude to lava red. They sell at an affordable price of $5.99 at your local drugstores. They are, in fact, matte liquid lipsticks even though Rimmel claims they are something "bigger". 

Shades Available:

• Apollo- Flesh toned nude
• Atomic Rose- Pink rose
• Meteoric- Berry
• Orange-ology- Bright orange 
• Burning Lava- Lava red

Pigmentation

Each and every single one of these shades are highly pigmented. If I were a boy I would think they switched out lipstick with paint. But I guess that's not a huge surprise when it comes to liquid lipstick. So dont think Rimmel got a home run and scored because of intense pigmentation. When it comes to liquid lipstick its the wear time and consistency that I'm after. So lets see how they do in every other aspect before we say score! 

Application/ Consistency  

Pull, swipe, rub. That's all it takes to apply the velvety matte lipsticks. I didn't notice any of the shades clinging to my dry patchy lips. In fact, they actually made my lips appear smoother than they really are right now. The same goes for reapplying them. I didn't have any problems with them looking clingy or splotchy later when it was time to refresh my makeup. The consistency is definitely velvety and I sometimes feel like I have silk on my lips. It's quite nice actually. They're also lightweight and non sticky. Rimmel does claim that this velvety formula moisturizes lips up to 31%. I don't exactly find that true, but they don't dry out my lips either. That's actually a fact that surprised me. Sometimes matte formulas are just too dry for me but fortunately, these lipsticks don't fall into that dreaded group. 

I also need to mention that time is needed when the lipsticks are drying. At first they look shiny but after while (15 minutes or so), they will dry down to a complete matte finish. 

Lasting Power

Apollo and Atomic Rose dont exactly fall into the definition of long wearing. At the most they last for two hours, which isnt anything special whats so ever. On the bright side, Meteoric, Orange-ology and Burning Lave are long wearing. Five to six hours is the max wear time for each shade and they do wear off evenly (atleast on me). After the pigment is gone I'm left with a stain on the majority of my lips. If full pigmentation is desired, don't stress, they reapply beautifully.

Packaging

The mattes resemble the regular Show Off lacquers from last year. They have the black diamond end on the handle of the tube. How fancy for drugstore! The applicator is a duo foot with an idention that picks up the product. The safety seal is also included in the matte line (thank goodness). By safety seal I mean a small compartment between the product and the opening of the tube that shows wether or not the lipstick has been used. If it has then the compartment will have lipstick in it, if not it will be clear. You can see what I mean in the photos below. 

Overall

I think Rimmel did a fine job. I mostly think the lighter shades are good for a quick trip to the grocery store and the darker shades are better for long nights out. If you're not the kind of person who likes to touch up, these might not be for you. They don't last as long as some matte lipsticks but they are good for the price. Another thing that persuaded me to like them is the consistency. I really enjoy the velvety feeling they have and I think that's why they don't dry out my lips. Plus, I really do like the shades that are available.

 Since the price isn't expensive I would recommend alteast trying out one of them. Maybe Meteoric Matte would be a good one to try if you're curious about the line. I also discovered Meteoric Matte is a great dupe for Too Faced Melted Berry! If you're interested you can check out the comparison swatches on my Instagram page (@taylorpiebeauty).  

Photos

Left to right: Burning Lava, Meteoric, Orange-ology, Atomic Rose and Apollo

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Have you tried the Show Off Matte Lip Velvets?

What color are you interested in?

Do you like matte lipsticks?

Let me know in the comments below!

Deal or Dud: City Color Cosmetics Intense Blush Quad

It's time for Deal or Dud! No one likes wasting money on products that are not worth your time or money. That's why I created this new series called Deal or Dud. If it's a Deal, then you and your wallet will be happy. If it's a Dud, well, now you can avoid another disappointment . Will the City Color Blush Quad be worth your money or should you skip it? Find out now! 

Blush palettes are life. Their cute, colorful, useful and fun. Its not a rare thing to see a high end blush palette but when the drugstore comes out with a promising blush palette its like topping on a cake. In this case the pretty cupcake is City Color Cosmetics Intense Blush quad in "Collection 2".

I found this 4 pan City Color blush quad at my local 5 Below for $4. If a 5 Below isn't in your area, then you will have to make an order online (buy here). Unfortunately, City Color is not available in stores and its also more expensive online ($7.99). There are 3 different quads available and each one has a different color theme. The quad I found has a warm bronzy theme with a bright coral pink and burnt red. 

I wasn't crazy about the picture above but I had a hard time getting my camera to capture the color of the blushes. However, I wanted to upload atleast one picture, bad or good, that shows the true color of each blush. So yeah, here it is. 

This blush does have Talc in it. Some blushes with Talc break me out, others don't. If your skin is sensitive to Talc, skip this blush and explore other brands like Makeup Geek or Physicians Formula. Also keep in mind that this palette does have parabens as well. 

I actually really like the packaging of this palette. Some people have trouble opening it up. I don't but I do have longer nails. Each blush is in a pot (great for depotting), which keeps them from shattering so easily if you drop it. Right now I am secretly clapping my hands because I only dropped it twice.

This quad also comes with two small brushes for application. Just throw them out. They're cheap and too small to accomplish anything with. I wouldn't even dare to use them on my eyes. We'll just call them a dud.

I wouldn't call the texture creamy but its not dry either. They have that classic blush texture that is soft and smooth. When I first swatched it the indentation made the product feel stiff but after the first layer the blush softened. It doesn't have a gritty texture or a chalky consistency, which can be a problem with cheaper blushes. But I'm quite surprised by how much I like the texture of this blush formula. It's similar to some high end blushes I own. 

The only problem with the blush formula is how easily the powder kicks up. When I dip my brush into the product a lot of excess powder gets all over the pan. Which I guess that's not a huge problem. I'm not usually discouraged by a product when it has that simple flaw. In the end it all depends on how it applies and wears. I personally don't mind if I have to blow the excess powder off when I'm done. 

The pigmentation is just incredible. Really the blushes might be too pigmented for some people. It would be easy to go into clown mode in an instant without meaning to. When I first used this palette I went ham with the bronze shade(first swatch on left) and ended up looking like an oompa loompa. So I definitely recommend tapping your brush a few times before applying blush to your face.

Despite being highly pigmented, they do blend out beautifully. As you can see in the picture above they sheer out to wearable colors that appear semi matte on the skin. I particularly like the bronzey shades for warming up my face or their great for days when I cant wear obvious pink blush because of breakouts. The other two shades are definitely more bright but from experience they can be sheered out for a wearable and desirable look. By the way, If you have darker skin this palette would suite you very well.

The wear time is a lot longer than I expected. I figured with a cheap palette like this I wold only get maybe around 4 hours. To my surprise, every blush lasted for around 7-8 hours, which is the average wear time of my makeup before I wash it off. Even better, I think a couple of the darker blushes might have slightly stained my cheek, but I guess with any shade that bright it's not that surprising. 

Deal or Dud? 

Overall, I really like this quad.. It's affordable, and the blushes are pigmented, blendable, & soft. This would be a great buy for beginners who are building a collection or even makeup hoarders like myself. The packaging might seem bulky to some people but I love it. I would feel confident packing it into my suitcase without worrying if it's going to break.

 This drugstore find is definitely a deal!

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Are you going to purchase this palette?

Do you own any of the other palettes?

Let me know in the comments below!