Too Faced 2016 Cyber Monday Mystery Bag Review

Every Cyber Monday, Too Faced releases a Cyber Monday Grab Bag, and it sells out that day. (This box is no longer available for sale. If you want a reminder when the next one is available, make sure to sign up for the daily MSA newsletter).

My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)

The Box: Too Faced Cyber Monday Grab Bag

The Cost: $39

The Products: Surprise yourself with this top-secret assortment of Too Faced favorites! $115 value!

Check out the Beauty Subscription Box Directory for more beauty and makeup boxes!

Bulletproof 24 Hour Liner in Ohh & Ahh (Sparkly Black) – Full size! Value $19.80

This liner usually retails for $22, but it appears to still be listed on sale at Too Faced’s website. I played with this eyeliner when I worked at Sephora and I remember loving them. This liner really stays put and you can use it as a normal liner or use the foam blender on the opposite end to get a smokey look easily.

It has a sharpener, too. I really like using the other colors from this line like coppers and teals because they’re more wearable day to day.

Melted Liquified Longwear Lipstick in Liquid Frosting – Full Size! Value $18.90

Same note as above… this retailed for $21 but looks to be on sale/clearance for $18.90.

I remember when this line of liquid lipsticks was released since it was during my time at Sephora. They were a big hit in certain colors. In others… not so much. I have a feeling that this is one of the colors that didn’t do so well. First of all, I didn’t find it to be super long-wearing. It’s a liquid lipstick but it’s not the kind that dries down matte and stays put through the day. It dries down, but I could still wipe it off easily. It smells good, but the formula was also a little streaky, though I think that is likely particularly due to the fact that this is a lighter color.

My other problem with this product is that the tube and “swatch” on Too Faced’s website makes this color look very wearable and also a little warm-toned. In reality, the product is very cool-toned (AmyM referred to it as “Pepto Pink” in the spoilers post, which I feel is accurate). You can see what I mean better in the swatch below.

Better Than Sex Mascara - 0.17 oz (travel size), Value $12

I’ve used this mascara lots before and I really like it. The brush does a nice job of adding volume without clumping. I have to say that “1,944% more volume” is a laughable overstatement, but this is one of the mascaras I’m generally always happy to get extra of (this, and Benefit’s They’re Real Mascara – use the two layered together for spectacular drama and definition!). It stays in place well, though not as well as the waterproof version, understandably. If it’s been a late night or hot day I get a little under the corners of my eyes, but nothing that’s too bad to me.

Better Than Sex Mascara in Purple - 0.17 oz (travel size), Value: $12

It seemed like a lot of people were disappointed with a purple mascara in this box, but I’m actually really excited. I think a purple mascara is such a cool extra touch to the purples in the Cat Eye Palette that was included in this mystery box (shown later). My impression of the formula is the same as the regular one – it seems pretty consistent. Despite looking pretty bright on the wand, the payoff is actually pretty subtle. Still noticeable, though, if someone is close and/or checking out your fab eye makeup game. This is not something I’d pick up on my own but I think will be fun to play with.

Glitter Glue - 0.17 oz (travel size), Value $9.75

I’m really excited about this primer. I’ve known of it for a long time but never used it myself since I don’t generally do a glitter look. That being said, I tried it with regular eyeshadow and I have to say this might just be my normal go-to eyeshadow primer, glitter or not. I know from doing make overs on clients at Sephora (proms and Valentine’s Day especially), it definitely helps glitter really stick to your lid and look so much better than without. But using it today, I felt it’s really tacky when you apply (a little goes a long way!) which really helps amp up the pigmentation of normal shadows. I wear lots of shimmers, so I know those look great with it – not 100% sure if a totally matte look would be improved with this over a normal primer but I wouldn’t be surprised.

My shadow stayed put and had zero creases or oil on my lids or anything. My most recent favorite eye shadow primer has been from NARS, but I ran out and have been using Urban Decay’s. UD’s has a great reputation but man, it has really not been doing it for me. If I had to choose between this and Urban Decay’s I’d pick this every time. I will use every last drop.

Cat Eyes Eye Shadow Palette – Value $32.40

(Again, this usually retails for $36 but is on sale/clearance for $32.40.)

Yay! Palettes are so fun, especially from Too Faced. In fact, this is already one of my favorite palettes. I couldn’t resist it when it launched. Coincidentally, I realized I actually can’t find my palette in my collection so I guess I’m happy to have a replacement!

This packaging is so cute. I like the leopard print but what really sold me.

I just love so much about this palette. I really like Too Faced’s palettes in general because they have the larger base colors and if you go across the horizontal rows you get great corresponding shades for a look from that row, but you can always mix and match too.

Here’s a close look at the shadows… The three darkest shades, the far right column with gold outlines to the pans, are wet/dry colors that double great as eyeliners!

Swatches below!

Too Faced Palettes come with a little instructional guide that gives ideas for looks using the palette with step-by-step instructions. They include a day/easily wearable look, a classic look, and a fashion/more dramatic look.

Along with the more realistic photos on the front of the booklet, they have a color-by-number sort of guide on the back. This booklet is one of the top reasons I always recommended Too Faced palettes to clients, especially ones that were beginners and/or looking to learn how to do more with their eyeshadows. Their palettes usually have lots of room for versatility – easy-to-wear shades and looks alongside bolder and brighter colors for some experimenting/practicing/playing. I loved selling these palettes so much because, well, I love them so much myself!

From top to bottom, here are the swatches:

Purr (frosted finish pearl/white beige)
Tigers Eye (frosted finish bronze-y brown with copper tones)
Leopard (satin, warm-toned brown with some gold shimmer) – wet/dry
Meow (matte finish warm cream/pale nude shade)
Pussy Cat (medium purple with lavender shimmer)
Jungle Love (semi-matte, deep purple with fuchsia shimmer) – wet/dry
Kitten (a satin, pale cool pink)
Kitty Glitter (glittery silver)
Panther (matte true black) – wet/dry

I wanted to show you a couple looks and some versatility from the palette. Here, I’m wearing the day look from the palette’s info booklet. This is a warm look with a gorgeous end result.

(FYI – the lip I’m wearing here is the Too Faced La Crème Lip Balm in Just Kissed. I added it to my purchase from the sale section on Cyber Monday.)

Since I used the instructions from the palette booklet, I’ll just reiterate those for you here:

1. Sweep Purr from lashes to brow
2. Blend Tiger’s Eye into your crease
3. Using an eyeliner brush, wet and use Leopard to create a crisp cat- eye shape
4. Finish off with the Better Than Sex mascara in black

And now a more dramatic look! For this look, I used the fashion look from the palette’s booklet as inspiration, but I felt that none of the provided look guides showcased the gorgeous shimmer purple/lavender, Pussy Cat, as much as I wanted to, so I kind of played with it a bit.

The lip I’m wearing here is the Melted Lipstick that came in the Mystery Bag. In person, it’s a brighter, pale, cool pink – one I just don’t love with my complexion. It somehow looks much better in these photos, but it is not one that I think compliments my coloring one bit in person.

Here’s how I got this look…

1. Sweep Kitten from lashes to brow
2. Blend Jungle Love into your crease and outer corner
3. Press Pussy Cat onto the center of your lid
4. Use an eyeliner brush (dry) and blend some Jungle Love along your lower lash line.
5. Use an eyeliner brush to wet Panther and draw a cat-eye line
6. Use the Bullet Proof 24 hour Eyeliner on your lower waterline (aka the inside of your lower lid; this liner is awesome for waterlines)
7. Blend Kitty Glitter into the inner corner of your eye and sweep a bit on your brow bone (just under the outer half of your eyebrow)

Finish off the look with the Better Than Sex mascara in purple on both your upper and lower lashes! You could also use regular black on top lashes and purple on the bottom if you want to play with the purple mascara but want to get to know it gradually.

Verdict: All in all, I’m happy with Too Faced’s 2016 Cyber Monday mystery box! I love that it had a palette, especially one that provides versatility and both wearable and dramatic looks. The whole thing cost $39, and the palette retailed for $36 when it was released, $32.40 now. So, to me it feels like you could look at it bought a great palette (that I liked anyway) and got a lot of travel- and full-sized freebies with it. The total value – accounting for the fact that most of these items are listed at sale prices now – adds up to $104.85; Too Faced advertised a $115 value, which is what it adds up to with the original retail prices of the items before being sale listed.

Reading over the comments of the spoiler post, it seems like a lot of people were unhappy with this mystery box, or at least a lot of the people who commented/vocalized their opinions were unhappy. It’s always a risk with any mystery box of products from cosmetic companies that the products just simply may not be something you’d use or like. I think some dissatisfaction may also come from comparing this to past Too Faced Mystery boxes, which I think had higher values and better packaging in past years if I remember correctly. Another thing that could contribute to discontent is that, along with said comparison to past bags, Too Faced marketed this as “the best mystery bag ever,” which I think was just predictable marketing verbiage leading to hype, when satisfaction is really somewhat subjective to the purchaser (especially if that purchaser bought on previous Cyber Monday sales). Also many people buying the mystery bags from Too Faced are likely already fans that have a good amount of Too Faced products already – probably including black eyeliner and mascara – so I can see how it might be underwhelming to some fans to get some duplicates and cosmetic “basics.”

So, trying to objectively look at this mystery box, I’m honestly happy. I got $104 of product for $39, and it was a mix of signature products/basics and more playful/bold colors and products. I just wanted to address that because of readers’ vastly varying responses to the spoilers. There’s a lot of factors and hype and subjective opinions and established makeup collections that all play into how you personally feel about this year’s mystery box and whether or not you’ll use the products.

What did you think about the mystery box this year? Which product are you most (or even least) excited about?