The Ultimate Too Faced Cosmetics Review: Fun, Flirty, and Full-Coverage
Hey there beauty lover! If you‘re like me, you‘re always on the hunt for makeup that doesn‘t just look good, but feels good. A brand that brings a smile to your face every time you whip out your blush or eyeshadow palette. And for me, no brand quite captures that fun, flirty, and feel-good vibe like Too Faced Cosmetics.
Founded in 1998 by Jerrod Blandino and Jeremy Johnson, Too Faced has spent over two decades carving out its niche as the beauty brand that knows how to have a good time. From its cheeky product names (hello, Better Than Sex mascara!) to the signature candy-colored packaging, this is makeup that doesn‘t take itself too seriously.
But don‘t be fooled by the playful exterior—Too Faced also seriously delivers when it comes to quality, pigmentation, and performance. The brand is beloved by celebrity makeup artists and beauty influencers for its ability to create a flawless, full-coverage look that still feels lightweight and natural on the skin.
As a self-proclaimed Too Faced fangirl, I‘ve spent years putting the brand‘s top products to the test. And today, I‘m spilling all the tea on which products are worth your hard-earned cash, how they stack up to the competition, and why Too Faced has earned its cult status in the beauty world. So grab your favorite Too Faced palette (mine is the Sweet Peach, for the record) and let‘s dive in!
The History of Too Faced
"I created Too Faced to make the world a prettier place, one face at a time." – Too Faced co-founder Jerrod Blandino
Every iconic brand has an origin story, and Too Faced‘s begins all the way back in the 90s. Founders Jerrod Blandino and Jeremy Johnson were working as makeup artists behind the cosmetics counter at a department store, where they bonded over their shared frustration with the sea of boring, beige products that dominated the beauty landscape at the time.
Jerrod and Jeremy dreamed of creating a makeup line that would bring back a sense of unapologetic fun and fearless experimentation to our beauty routines. And in 1998, they scraped together their life savings to make that fantasy a reality.
The pair started small, with Jerrod hand-pouring eyeshadows and lip glosses in his own kitchen after-hours. But they struck gold right out of the gate with their first-ever product: a glittery, loose eyeshadow that caught the attention of Vogue magazine. Seemingly overnight, Too Faced went from indie startup to the next big thing in beauty.
Over the next two decades, Jerrod and Jeremy expanded the Too Faced lineup to include everything from foundations to mascaras to blushes, all with the brand‘s signature wink-wink, nudge-nudge approach. In 2016, beauty conglomerate Estée Lauder took notice and snapped up Too Faced in a whopping $1.45 billion acquisition.
But even after hitting the big leagues, Too Faced has stayed true to the vision Jerrod and Jeremy set out with in the beginning: to make the world a more beautiful (and way more fun) place, with the transformative power of cosmetics.
The Most Popular Too Faced Products
So now that you know the backstory, let‘s talk about the real MVPs: Too Faced‘s top-selling products. The brand has a seriously extensive lineup that runs the gamut from basics like foundation and concealer to show-stopping glitter eyeshadows and shimmery highlighters. But these fan favorites are the perfect place to start if you‘re new to Too Faced:
Born This Way Foundation
Ask any Too Faced stan to name their desert-island product, and chances are they‘ll say the Born This Way foundation. This oil-free formula is designed to give you a flawless, natural-looking finish that still packs some serious coverage. It‘s infused with skin-loving ingredients like coconut water and hyaluronic acid to plump and hydrate, while Alpine rose brightens and smooths.
One of the things that sets Born This Way apart is the truly impressive shade range. It comes in 35 colors ranging from fair to deep, with a variety of undertones to help you find your perfect match. And as someone with tricky combination skin, I can attest that this foundation really holds up throughout the day without getting greasy or cakey.
But you don‘t have to take my word for it—Born This Way has over 4,800 glowing reviews on the Too Faced website alone. It holds an average rating of 4.5/5 stars, with customers calling it their "holy grail foundation" and a "game-changer for flawless-looking skin."
Better Than Sex Mascara
With a name like Better Than Sex, this mascara has a lot to live up to—and boy does it deliver. The hourglass-shaped brush is designed to lift and separate every last lash, creating a falsie effect without any of the fuss of glue or individual lashes.
The formula is jet black and seriously volumizing, giving you major drama in just a coat or two. But what I really love is how well it holds a curl and resists smudging or flaking throughout the day. I have annoyingly stick-straight lashes, but Better Than Sex keeps them looking curled and perky for hours on end.
I‘m clearly not alone in my obsession with this mascara. Better Than Sex is consistently one of Too Faced‘s topselling products, with over 9,500 reviews and an average 4.4/5 star rating on the brand‘s website. It‘s also won numerous beauty awards and is a staple in countless celebrity makeup artists‘ kits.
Chocolate Bar Eyeshadow Palette
If there‘s one thing Too Faced does better than almost any other brand, it‘s eyeshadow palettes. And the Chocolate Bar is arguably the most iconic of the bunch. Inspired by Jerrod‘s love of all things cocoa, this palette features 16 matte and shimmer shadows in a range of delicious chocolate-inspired shades like Milk Chocolate, Salted Caramel, and Hazelnut.
But these shadows don‘t just look good enough to eat—they‘re also infused with real cocoa powder for a sweet, lightly chocolatey scent. And like all Too Faced eyeshadows, the formula is ultra silky and blendable, with rich pigmentation and minimal fallout.
The Chocolate Bar palette has earned over 8,000 reviews and a 4.5/5 star average rating on Sephora‘s website. Fans praise the versatile mix of shades that take you from a natural daytime look to a sultry smokey eye, and the delicious scent is an added bonus. It‘s also a favorite of celebrity makeup artists like Lisa Eldridge, who calls it her go-to palette for adding warmth and definition to the eyes.
Lip Injection Extreme Lip Plumper
Full, pouty lips are always in style, and the Lip Injection Extreme is Too Faced‘s secret weapon for a plumper pout. This clear gloss is infused with a blend of ingredients like avocado and jojoba oil to deeply moisturize, while a patented blood vessel dilating technology creates the illusion of fuller, more defined lips.
Now, I‘ll be honest—this gloss does have a bit of a tingly, slightly stinging sensation when you first apply. But that‘s just the plumping ingredients working their magic, and the sensation subsides after a minute or two. And trust me, the results are worth a little temporary discomfort.
Whenever I wear Lip Injection Extreme, I instantly notice my lips look fuller and more voluminous, without the needle or the price tag of fillers. The gloss also gives a gorgeous glossy shine and can be worn alone or layered over your favorite lipstick.
I‘m not the only fan of this plumping gloss. Lip Injection Extreme has over 1,500 reviews and a 4.3/5 star average rating on Ulta‘s website. "This is the best lip plumper I‘ve ever used," raves one reviewer. "It actually works and makes my lips look so much fuller and juicier."
Hangover Replenishing Face Primer
If your skin is more of a hungover hot mess than a dewy, fresh-faced daydream, then you need the Hangover primer in your life. This coconut water-infused face primer is like a tall glass of water for your complexion, delivering a burst of hydration and radiance before you even apply your foundation.
Infused with skin-loving ingredients like probiotics and skin revivers, the Hangover primer works to soothe, smooth, and brighten your skin, creating a perfected canvas for the rest of your makeup. It also helps your foundation apply more evenly and last longer throughout the day.
One of my favorite things about this primer is the texture—it‘s silky and lightweight, and doesn‘t feel at all greasy or heavy on the skin. It just melts in seamlessly and makes your skin look like it woke up like this.
The Hangover primer has earned a 4.4/5 star average rating based on over 3,800 reviews on the Too Faced website. Customers call it a "miracle worker" for dry, dull skin and a "must-have for flawless-looking makeup."
How Too Faced Compares to Other Brands
As much as I stan for Too Faced, I know it‘s not the only blush in the beauty aisle. So how does this brand measure up to some of its competitors? Let‘s take a closer look:
Too Faced vs. tarte
Like Too Faced, tarte is a cruelty-free brand that‘s known for its playful packaging and Instagram-worthy product lineup. Both brands offer a similar product assortment, with a focus on face products like foundation, concealer, and blush.
However, I‘d say tarte skews a bit more "natural" than Too Faced in terms of its branding and ingredients. While Too Faced fully embraces the glitter and glam, tarte tends to focus more on products with good-for-you ingredients and a subtler, more understated finish.
In terms of price point, tarte and Too Faced are pretty comparable, with most products falling in the $20 to $40 range. It really comes down to personal preference and whether you prefer tarte‘s more earthy vibe or Too Faced‘s unabashed maximalism.
Too Faced vs. Benefit
Benefit is another cruelty-free brand that shares Too Faced‘s cheeky, vintage-inspired aesthetic. But while Too Faced has a pretty extensive product catalog, Benefit is best known for its brow products and box o‘ powder blushes and bronzers.
I‘d say Benefit‘s products are a bit more goof-proof and beginner-friendly than Too Faced‘s. They‘re the kind of products you can just sweep on without thinking too much, whereas Too Faced‘s formulas tend to be more pigmented and require a bit more finesse to apply.
Benefit‘s products are also slightly less expensive than Too Faced‘s on average, with most falling in the $20 to $30 range. So if you‘re looking to dip your toe into the whimsical world of retro-inspired makeup without breaking the bank, Benefit might be the better choice.
Too Faced vs. Urban Decay
If Too Faced is the girly-girl of the cosmetics world, then Urban Decay is its edgier, more alternative sister. Both brands are known for their highly pigmented eyeshadows and experimental color stories, but Urban Decay definitely has a darker, more grungy feel.
Personally, I find Urban Decay‘s eyeshadows to be a bit more hit-or-miss than Too Faced‘s. Some of their palettes are total gems (looking at you, Naked Heat) while others can be a bit patchy or hard to blend. Too Faced‘s shadows are generally more consistent in terms of quality and performance.
Urban Decay‘s products also tend to be a bit pricier than Too Faced‘s, with many falling in the $40 to $50 range. So if you‘re looking for bold, unconventional colors and don‘t mind splurging a bit, Urban Decay might be your jam. But if you prefer a more reliable formula and a sweeter color story, Too Faced is probably the way to go.
Is Too Faced Worth the Hype?
So now for the million-dollar question: is Too Faced really worth all the buzz? In my humble opinion, abso-frickin-lutely.
For starters, the quality of Too Faced‘s products is consistently excellent across the board. I‘ve tried dozens of products from the brand over the years, and I‘ve rarely been disappointed. The eyeshadows are pigmented and blendable, the foundations are skin-like and long-wearing, and the lip products are comfortable and non-drying. Too Faced just knows how to make damn good makeup, plain and simple.
But beyond the quality of the actual products, I think what really sets Too Faced apart is its ability to make makeup feel fun and playful again. In a world where everything feels heavy and serious all the time, there‘s something so refreshing about a brand that doesn‘t take itself too seriously. From the moment you crack open that adorably pink and gold packaging and catch a whiff of chocolate or peaches, you can‘t help but smile.
Of course, no brand is completely perfect, and Too Faced does have a few minor shortcomings. Some of their products can be a bit pricey, although I generally find the quality to be worth the splurge. And while the brand does offer a good range of shades for many of its complexion products, there‘s always room for improvement in terms of inclusivity and catering to a wider range of skin tones.
But overall, I truly believe Too Faced is worth the hype and then some. The brand has earned its place as a staple in my makeup collection, and I know I‘m not alone in my love for all things Too Faced.
The Bottom Line
At the end of the day, makeup is so personal. What works for me might be a total flop for you, and that‘s okay! But if you‘re looking for a brand that consistently delivers high-quality, pigmented, and just plain fun products, I can‘t recommend Too Faced enough.
Whether you‘re a total makeup newbie or a seasoned pro, there‘s something in the Too Faced lineup for you. And with such a wide range of products to choose from—from foundations to mascaras to eyeshadow palettes—you really can‘t go wrong.
So go ahead and treat yourself to that Better Than Sex mascara or Chocolate Bar palette you‘ve been eyeing. I promise, your makeup bag (and your inner child) will thank you.
Here‘s to more fearless experimentation, more unabashed glitz and glam, and more of the joy and whimsy that Too Faced brings to our beauty routines each and every day. Thanks for coming to my TED Talk—now if you‘ll excuse me, I have some Gingerbread Spice palette swatches to drool over.
