little white truths

I bought this lipstick at Christmastime last year so it's been in-line for Project Pan for a while, and since I'm currently panning a Rimmel lipstick that's really drying, for the last few weeks I've been laying this Too Faced one down first to help keep my dry lips feeling comfortable.

So do expect to see it show up in Project Pan at some point in the near future: I've already made a good dent in it since wearing it daily under the Rimmel one, and I may well finish it off before the end of the year.

Anyhoo. I like the packaging of this product because it has some weight to it and it feels special.

As you may know, I don't normally buy high-end lipsticks because I prefer to save my pennies for things like foundation and powders - the fancier ones of which generally look better on my dry skin - but with lipstick, you can find some great ones on a budget so I don't feel the need to have expensive options.

Having said this, it's nice to hold and use a well-made bullet like this, and I can understand why some people opt for fancy lipsticks. They do make you feel good when you use them, that's for sure.

Too Faced claims/product details:

• Super-luxe combination of creamy colour and intense hydration for unprecedented, ultra-comfortable wear
• Contains white lotus flower extract, which hydrates, soothes and conditions lips
• Moisturisers aid in the appearance of smoother lips
• Creamy, one-swipe formula
• RRP $22 USD (these are no longer available on Mecca's website for some reason, but I remember paying thirty-something dollars for mine)

There's the bullet in direct sunlight above.

And there it is in natural light below:

Now for swatches.  

Below I've given you a heavier swatch and a lighter one, in various different lights.

Direct sunlight:

Indirect sunlight:

Natural light:

My bare lips for reference:

Wearing the product in natural light:

And in direct sunlight:

Verdict

This is a nice lipstick and I'm enjoying it while I have it, but it hasn't won me over in terms of whether I think high-end lipsticks are worth the money - it doesn't do any more for me than my favourite Maybelline lipsticks do (I've reviewed one here), and I honestly think that you're mostly paying for packaging.

It's a creamy formula with no scent that I can detect and it glides on without tugging or pulling. It applies nicely and feels hydrating on the lips - so if you have dry lips like I do, you may enjoy this formula because it hasn't dried my lips out with frequent use and I don't need to wear a balm underneath it.

'Juicy Melons' is described as a 'pink coral' and I think that's right. I don't normally wear pink anything because the colour doesn't suit me, but this shade has enough coral in it so it's fine. It's one of those bright, happy shades that really enlivens the face, and while it's not an everyday shade for me because it's bright, it's a good colour for summer and I do like that it makes me look more awake. You don't need to wear blush with a colour like this if you don't want to: the lipstick does enough.

The product wears ok for a creamy formula but I do need to touch up frequently throughout the day (partly because I'm always drinking something so it transfers onto my cup), but that's not surprising for a creamy lipstick so it doesn't lose points for this reason.

On the claims: yes I do think there's something luxe about the formula; yes it is hydrating and comfortable to wear; yes I do feel that it soothes and conditions the lips; and yes it is a creamy formula that offers good pigmentation in one swipe.

Something to note with this product is that it doesn't like being built up: if I apply too much, it will slide around and look uneven, and if I press my lips together, I'll get lines across both lips where I've pressed them. This isn't a problem if I don't use too much, but it's worth mentioning for those who like a super-opaque lip. Do note, though, that many formulas don't like being built up and have the same issue, so I wouldn't discount this product for that reason alone.

In other news it doesn't feather or bleed (unless I over-apply it) and my favourite thing about it is that it doesn't dry my lips out, and it's hydrating enough to keep my dry lips comfortable without the need for a balm. That's rare for me when it comes to lipstick so I'm pleased about that. I'm also pleased that it plumps my lips up and make my lip lines look less noticeable: that's a huge plus for me and it's something I look for in my lip products.

Otherwise there's not much to say about this product: I like it, but I wouldn't buy it again for the simple reason that I personally don't feel the need to buy expensive lipsticks.

Nice.