Although I’ve played around a little with THEFACESHOP‘s makeup, I’d never had an opportunity to try their skincare products out before now. THEFACESHOP‘s White Seed range is intended to brighten your skin – removing dullness and boosting radiance.
The White Seed Brightening Toner is a “translucent, brightening toner helps brighten the skin and clear away dullness without leaving a sticky residue.”
The White Seed Brightening Serum is a “smooth, brightening serum effectively penetrates into skin, giving it a boost of radiance and brightness.
Both products contain “a compound of brightening ingredients (White Lupin Seed, which contains a natural brightening substance, and White Daisy Flower extract, which helps reducing dullness) makes skin look bright and clear. This White Seed Complex is formulated without 7 additives: parabens, tar colorant, animal-sourced ingredients, mineral oil, talc, polyacrylamide, paraffin.”
THEFACESHOP White Seed Brightening Toner and Brightening Serum
In general, I’m quite skeptical of toners because more often than not they’re an added step that doesn’t always give me any kind of results. (I’ve even read multiple articles over the years that indicate they’re not actually doing much of anything.) However, a lot of people use them as an extra step in their routine and I know for me, the only time I’ve experienced a toner doing its job was when it removed itchiness on my face (seriously). I’ve gone off on a tangent here, but bear with me! So suffice to say, I’m incredibly skeptical about toners. However, I did *actually* notice brightening of my skin when I was using this in conjunction with the Brightening Serum. As my skin starts to tan in the summer, I can often be left with a slightly dull looking face just from the added pigment not looking as bright as “normal” for me. I was honestly a little bit shocked when I woke up the morning after having used this for the first time and found that face did indeed look brighter. I can’t explain it, as I definitely do not know the science behind the ingredients, but I did SEE a difference and for me that’s really, really rare with skincare. Added bonuses: pump top, lovely clean scent and it comes with a pump guard that you can pop on top of the lid in case you’re travelling with these items!
Now, the other side worth mentioning is that I don’t feel that the Brightening Serum was hydrating enough for me. It may say serum on the bottle, but it has the consistency of a normal moisturizer and not oil-based as I had expected. (Is it just me? Doesn’t serum imply oil?) I did find I was having to use an oil at night to keep my skin hydrated, even during the summer when I’m producing far more oil. Just something to keep in mind if you’re going to pick this up!
Let me know if you’ve tried these products out by THEFACESHOP, or any other skincare by them!
The products featured in this post were sent to me for review.
Guys… I mean come on… Too Faced kills me. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. I’ll never tire of the products they come out with. The packaging is gorgeous, the products are lovely, the colours entrance me… it’s just a brand that I feel is creating things that gets me excited every single time. And these new(ish) Melted Mattes are no exception.
Too Faced Melted Mattes
The Melted Mattes are Too Faced‘s answer to the “dry as the Sahara” matte liquid lipstick phase. These are very different from the original Melted lineup (the one I’m obsessed with) in the sense that they go on with a soft formula, but dry down to that matte lacquered paint aesthetic that has become so popular in recent years. They come boxed in the same style as the Melteds, just with “matte” emblazoned on the bottom. Also worth noting – when I first saw these I thought the clear plastic would be soft and bendable like the original Melteds – they’re not! These are hard acrylic and they can actually stand fully upright on their own! They also come with a doefoot wand applicator, unlike the Melteds.
Too Faced Melted Mattes
The range of colours is quite different (to me). It has a range of nudes/brown vampy shades with a mix of hot and vibrant pinks and reds. There isn’t a lot of middle ground (although there’s one hell of a gorgeous vibrant orange shade in there called Mrs. Roper) so for those looking for a soft pink, you may not find that in this range. For me, though? This collection is right up my alley!
Too Faced Melted Matte in Miso Pretty
Too Faced Melted Matte in Miso Pretty
Miso Pretty is described as a “soft ballet slipper pink”. Unfortunately, this was the weirdest looking shade on me but nudes are so, SO personal.
Too Faced Melted Matte in Miso Pretty
It ended up being a bit too concealer mouth on me with a touch of… peach? This was the patchiest shade I tried and it seemed to crack a bit into my lip line. But guys, seriously, don’t click away from this post yet, the other shades are beautiful!
Too Faced Melted Matte in It’s Happening!
Too Faced Melted Matte in It’s Happening!
It’s Happening is described as a “bright magenta”. And aside from coral, this is MY SHADE. It’s all pinky-red goodness and I want it all over my face. Of all of the shades in this range, this was the shade I lusted and swooned over the most.
Too Faced Melted Matte in It’s Happening!
And I’m so happy to report that It’s Happening has no patchiness and slid onto my lips like a dream. This it the kind of shade my dreams as made of.
Too Faced Melted Matte in Bend & Snap!
Too Faced Melted Matte in Bend & Snap!
A Legally Blonde reference, how could we not fall in love with this one? Bend & Snap! is a deep raspberry. Another favourite shade of mine, I find this shade quite similar to Melted Berry although slightly less red.
Too Faced Melted Matte in Bend & Snap!
This colour was BOMB. Total colour opacity, no patchiness and amazing longevity. LOVE.
Too Faced Melted Matte in Drop Dead Red
Too Faced Melted Matte in Drop Dead Red
Drop Dead Red was the first shade I tried in the range just because it intrigued me the most (and I already knew I was going to fall head over heels for It’s Happening!, so I figured I had to show another colour some love first!). Drop Dead Red is described as a “deep mulberry”.
Too Faced Melted Matte in Drop Dead Red
You’ll notice in the shot above that you can see some patchiness. I’m really confused by that because it’s not evident in person, nor in video (I’m wearing this shade in my June 2016 Favourites on YouTube). I’ve noticed it twice now in bright lightning photography but rest assured that in normal daylight, you don’t see that odd shading. Regardless, this shade blew me away. There is no other shade in my collection that looks like this. It’s dark and vampy while still giving you that hint of red. I think it’s so freaking stunning.
Too Faced Melted Matte in Evil Twin
Too Faced Melted Matte in Evil Twin
Evil Twin is described as a “deep black cherry” and it’s GORGEOUS.
Too Faced Melted Matte in Evil Twin
It can look very black, and I assume most people will think it’s a true black on me, but instead of having that blueish tinge that most blacks have, this has the faintest whisper of red. There is ZERO patchiness on this shade – it’s fully opaque!
My Thoughts
I’ll start off with the bad, but rest assured that my general consensus on this product is that they’re a total win. My problem shades were Miso Pretty (patchy/sunk into lip lines) and Drop Dead Red (patchiness). I’d like to reiterate again that my issues with Drop Dead Red were not visible in normal lighting. Studio lighting can be pretty harsh on colour tones and I think it really brought out the worst in that particular shade. The other three shades I have (It’s Happening!, Bend & Snap! and Evil Twin) had no such problems with their colouring and were fully opaque.
Let’s talk texture and feel: The Too FacedMelted Mattes are not nearly as dry as the Colour Pop Ultra Mattes (which I hated). The Melted Mattes come out of the tube rather mousse-y in texture (very similar to the NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams), but they dry down within about five minutes to the solid matte texture that we’re used to in liquid lipsticks. You will get “butthole lips” as that’s just the nature of a liquid lipstick. It is essentially matte paint for your lips and there is no smooth edge between where your lips are wet and where they’re dry. I love the longevity of the formula and it’s definitely been one of the more comfortable ones I’ve ever worn (case and point – I wore It’s Happening to work and forgot I was wearing it. Normally, by 3-4 pm, I’m dying to take my lip product off, but that wasn’t the case with this one). They do feel dry on the lips (totally expected), but once I removed them, my lips did not feel DRY, so I’d say that’s a definite win. What I also love about these is that I suffer ZERO lip line bleed out even without using a lip primer. It’s so relieving to know that once I put my lip colour on in a straight line it’s going to STAY that way for the rest of the day!
In short, I love these. I think they’re especially good when you’re at work and haven’t got an opportunity to check on your lip colour. Shades I need now? Mrs. Roper and Lady Balls. SO GORGEOUS.
You may remember that MAC‘s Vamplify collection was a limited edition release last year… and now it’s back! They’ve added a few new shades into the lineup and re-released this limited edition collection!
MAC Vamplify in What’s Going On? and Peer Pressure
I was interested/curious/excited to try these out because my experiences with MAC‘s lip gloss formula has been limited to their lipglass and plushglass lines. The Vamplify formula is “loaded with high-powered pigments that hug lips in shades that glisten with a delicious shine, one swipe of Vamplify loads lips with attitude as a combination of lush natural oils polish with impeccable, moisturizing colour. Never a tease, the glossy colour wears comfortably for hours, for a look that comes on strong and doesn’t let go”. It retails for $24 CAD/$20 USD and contains 5 ml of product.
MAC Vamplify has a long and thin sponge-tip applicator
The packaging is far longer and slimmer than any other lip gloss I’ve had by MAC. The doefoot applicator is also longer and slanted than the “usual”.
MAC Vamplify Swatches – What’s Going On? and Peer Pressure
What’s Going On? is a hot intense fuchsia that is a repromote from last year. It has an intensely pigmented base and very fine blue/purple micro-shimmer.
Peer Pressure is intense red burgundy that has no shimmer. (I’d call it a matte, but obviously it’s glossy – so it has that deep coloured base that is totally opaque.)
MAC Vamplify in What’s Going On?
Wearing MAC Vamplify in What’s Going On?
My jaw dropped the first time I put this one on! The micro-shimmer in the product adds one heck of a gorgeous reflect to the center of my lip.
Wearing MAC Vamplify in What’s Going On?
MAC Vamplify in Peer Pressure
Wearing MAC Vamplify in Peer Pressure
This is what I would consider a “holiday” shade because of the deep berry/red tones, but it’s gorgeous for any time of year.
Wearing MAC Vamplify in Peer Pressure
My Thoughts
This is sad you guys, but I think I’m just going to finally have to realize that I’m not a lipgloss person as I just don’t have the mouth for it. It looks BEAUTIFUL on me but I found that the gloss would seep outside my lip line. You’ve heard me lament about my lipline bleed out problems regardless of the product that I’m using in many, MANY posts, so I really don’t feel that the Vamplify formula is to blame for that (just something to be aware of for those of you that have the same problems I do). I found these worked best for me if I applied a similar coloured lip colour and then applied the gloss to the center of my lips for that extra punch.
My annoying issues aside, the Vamplify formula is super smooth and ultra pigmented (like holy BAM! pigmentation). It doesn’t feel like the traditional sticky lipglass formula that I’m used to (stickiness doesn’t bother me by the way, but I know it affects others). If you’re looking for hyper pigmentation that is comfortable to wear, glides on effortlessly and delivers outstanding colours, then I think you’ve found it with the Vamplify formula. Please let me know if you’ve tried this formula in the past and if you’re interested in any of the new shades!
The limited edition Vamplify glosses will launch online on July 7, 2016 and will be in stores on July 14, 2016. For a full colour story and information on repromotes versus new shades, please visit Swatch and Review.
The products featured in this review were sent to me for consideration.