JEFFREE STAR VELOUR LIP SCRUB IN PANCAKES AND SYRUP REVIEW

Jeffree Star's extensive line of lip products also extends to including limited edition Velour lip scrubs in a huge array of scents/flavors, and I was able to pick up this one in Pancakes and Syrup. This is a super popular product with a lot of the brand's fans, as not only is it vegan and cruelty free, it is also paraben and gluten free. 

The ingredients of the lip scrub are: Sucrose, Glycerin, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Silica, Fragrance (Pancakes & Syrup), Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Tocopherol, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, CI 168 (Caramel).

If you're unfamiliar with some of those ingredients, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate are mostly used as a preservative - the latter being frequently used in food and drink. Additionally, silica is perfectly normal to see in most cosmetic items. 

Pancakes and Syrup was part of the Star Family Collection, and as the name indicates, is the scent of 'pancakes and syrup.' 

According to offical instructions, this is how you use the product: 

Use our delicious sugar based lip scrub to prep your lips before applying any liquid lipstick. Take a scoop out and rub your mouth in circular motions. Lick away excess (yes, it's edible!) or wipe off with a tissue.

The actual formula of lip scrubs in general doesn't seem to be too complex, as sucrose just indicates common table sugar (your general white sugar) and glycerine is a sweetner. Mixed in with a few preservatives and some base oils and a simple food level fragrance/food essence,  it's basically the same formula for Lush quality lip scrubs as well.  

As lip scrubs are almost insanely cheap to make and use at home (just try mixing honey/syrup with sugar, it's pretty much the same deal), I primarily buy things because I can't make my scents that are realistic. 

I feel pretty ambivalent towards this lip scrub, this isn't a must buy, but can be extremely convenient if you like lip scrubs for any travel occasions or if you're on the go, as it has preservatives unlike homemade versions, and due to the drier nature of the lipscrub you won't have problems with leakage and what not. 

For me, I've tried a few lip scrubs but I'm not someone who wears a lot of liquid lipstick and I typically find wearing Papaw ointment overnight is much more effective and comfortable for me, but I can definitely see a lot of pros with this - but personally I don't need more lipscrubs so I won't be repurchasing for the formula. 

In regards to the scent/taste: As most of the reviews online talk about how realistic and amazing the scents are, and one of my favorite scents are pancakes (LuvMilk's Achillean is the gold standard here.), and despite loving the sound of ALL of the scents, I had to pick one so this one it was ! 

The scent itself is actually pretty underwhelming, and as the actual ingredients list does not indicate what the ingredients or components of the scent are, I can only go off how it tastes/smells... and it just tastes/smells like caramel essence. 

The scent itself is slightly more nuanced than the taste, there's a very slight golden syrup scent, and the tiniest hint of butter, but there's really no pancakes in there at all. To me, it just smells like golden syrup mixed with sugar - and the taste is pretty much a less syrup-y version, it's just sugar with a touch of caramel syrup. Also because it really isn't made to be eaten, there's a strange aftertaste to it, and makes your mouth feel kinda soured (like eating a spoonful of sugar, which is much less pleasant than Mary Poppins would have you believe.) 

Overall, I don't mind the formula of this at all but the scent is bit of a let down in comparison to all the rave reviews, and I would not recommend you to buy this scent if you are a gourmand/foodie lover - if you want the taste of pancakes, just eat them, because the scrub is essentially just sugar and syrup, and if you like pancake scents in general, I'd much prefer LuvMilk's products in Achillean (body spray, dusting powder, body lotion), or Good Morning by Lou Lou's (perfume oil) which also has an amazing buttery syrup note with some dense pancakes to top it off. 

I'd rate this a 6/10, it's a solid and travel friendly lip scrub that does what it says, but the main reason for the low score is because the scent was just not as good as I hoped and I won't be repurchasing unless I can try which ones are better in scent. 

If you'd like to make your own, using caramel food essence or caramel syrup with some white sugar will be the perfect dupe (without the preservatives), and probably more edible due to the lack of oils in it.