What I'm Not Buying: Too Faced The Chocolate Shop Holiday 2016

For me, arguably the most disappointing holiday releases come each year from Too Faced. And this year's "Christmas in New York" Chocolate Shop collection is no different.

I won't be buying.

Unpopular opinion alert: I don't think I really like Too Faced shadows. Hear me out.

I've been a makeup (and specifically eyeshadow) enthusiast for going on seven years now. I am embarrassed and a little ashamed to admit that I have owned nearly every major eyeshadow palette that has released during that time.

From Too Faced, I have owned: the Chocolate Bar, Chocolate Bon Bons, Boudoir Eyes, Natural Matte Eye, and Peanut Butter and Jelly palettes.  Of those, the only ones I have not decluttered are Chocolate Bon Bons and Peanut Butter and Jelly, and I'm really close to decluttering PB&J.

When compared to my favorite shadows (Viseart, Tarte, Make Up For Ever, Kat Von D, MAC), Too Faced shadows aren't up to par for me. I found the Chocolate Bar to be very dry, and the mattes weren't the easiest to work with. It took me a long time to come to terms with the fact that I didn't like it because it was such a beloved palette. It's only been in recent months that more people have been outspoken about how the Chocolate Bar doesn't work for them either.

Too Faced seems to be a brand that can drum up hype to an unparalleled degree. Nearly every single palette they launch will sell out of stock immediately and leave consumers salivating until the next restock. Part of this, I think, is purely smoke and mirrors. It's the packaging, the cute esthetic, and the gimmicky scents. It's smart marketing, but I don't personally feel the quality lives up to some of my other shadows.

As a result, I've never been wowed by a Too Faced holiday or limited edition release. And that's for two reasons:

1. They all look the same. 
2. The quality is not on par with their permanent line. 

Let's address point one first. Here is the Chocolate Shop palette for holiday 2016:

Here is Too Faced's release for holiday 2015:

Photo: Temptalia

Here is Too Faced's release for holiday 2014:

Here is Too Faced's limited edition Stardust palette with Vegas Nay:

And here is Too Faced's most recent limited edition palette, The Power of Makeup by Nikkietutorials:

To me, ALL of these palettes look like variations of the same thing with minor differences. As many reviewers have said, "If you have one Too Faced holiday or limited edition palette, you don't need another." 

That is what's funny to me about Too Faced. They are seen as leaders in innovation and being on top of/setting trends, but then their holiday releases are so lackluster. And it seems to me that they place more importance, creative energy, and innovation on the packaging than they do the product. 

Which brings me to point two. The quality. 

At this point, it is pretty well documented that Too Faced holiday palettes are not up to par quality-wise with their permanent range. Many shimmer shades feel gritty and are full of glitter and no pigment, and matte shades swatch with barely any pigmentation. 

For the Chocolate Shop, the matte shadows seem to be the worst offenders according to the reviews I've seen thus far. So while the shimmers might be nice, that's at least half the palette that isn't very good. 

But more than anything, the reason I don't need this palette is because I already have more than enough basic natural shades, and in far better quality than what the Chocolate Shop offers. I have champagnes, silvers, bronzes, coppers, golds, and a plethora of matte browns that span the cool- and warm-color spectrums. I have a ton of matte brow bone shades and shimmery inner corner highlights. 

This palette offers nothing for me other than cute packing of a pink box with a vague connection to New York. And that's something else I don't really understand. It seems Too Faced is going for two themes with this palette: "Christmas in New York" and "The Chocolate Shop."

As someone who lives in New York City, I don't at all feel a connection with the city and this palette. I feel the connection is stronger with "the Chocolate Shop" seeing as the shadows are chocolate scented and are various shades of chocolate or chocolate foil wrapping. I've heard people say they will buy this palette simply for the New York connection, and that, to me, is just silly. Because it doesn't seem like that connection is really present here. 

This is just another lackluster holiday release from Too Faced that we have seen year after year. It's boring, the quality is lacking, and it's all packaging and chocolate-scented smoke and mirrors. 

And I'm not gonna buy it.