REVIEW: Too Faced Eye Shadow Insurance Policy Kit

This Set retails for $34.20 on the Too Faced website. It comes with 6 full size eye shadows and one full size Shadow Insurance Primer.
I didn't pay full price for mine. Too faced came to Hautelook for the first time a few weeks ago and I snatched a couple of products while they were at a discount, I am not positive but I think I paid about $17.00 for this palette.
Too Faced Cosmetics is a high end brand and when you look at almost $35.00 on one palette it DOES look like a lot. The way to look at things like this (and how I personally justify it) is to break down the costs. Each Too Faced eyeshadow retails for $18.00 and the Eye Shadow Insurance, which happens to be one of the best in the market, retails for $18.00, so in reality you are getting $126.00 worth of products for $34.20.

My first impression on this palette was not a good one. I was very unpleasantly surprised at the size of the whole package, I guess I got too used to Urban Decay's palettes, but at the end of the day it makes sense. It is a very compacted little thing, it does hold 6 full size shadows and it comes with a little primer holder on the side, so you can easily grab it and take with you on vacation and not have it take a lot of room.
As far as the color selection, I loved all of them except for Boy Toy, but that's nothing against the actual shadow, I just don't care for pink shades that much. My absolute favorite was Full Frontal. It's such a pretty bronze shade and it's so stinking pigmented! Actually, all of them but Skinny Dip are really pigmented.

Swatches

On the left I applied primer prior to testing the eye shadows. On the right, I have nothing underneath.

Shadow Insurance
Like I mention above, this set comes with a full size primer. I would say is just as good as a Urban Decay Primer Potion. It's consistency is a little thicker but it blends the same.

(Below top = Too Faced Shadow Insurance - Bottom= UDPP)

I own one of the older pretty bottles from Urban Decay's primer potion, so I will say that I LOVE the packaging of the Too Faced one. Having said that, I know UD now has changed their packaging so it would be really hard to choose. Based on the two products I do own, I will say that Too Faced Shadow insurance is a lot easier to apply, but the quality is the same as the UDPP.

Here's a comparison of the two. You can see why Urban Decay HAD to change their packaging. How in the heck would you get the product stuck on the sides of that bottle, without cutting the thing into pieces? That's where Too Faced got it right!

Also, Too Faced comes with more product!

All in all, I do like this set. Would I ever pay full price for it? NO. I am too cheap for that. I believe I've only paid full price for a 3 Urban Decay palettes and one Christmas Sephora one (the last one I regret).

Beauty Tips: Preventing Eyeshadow creasing

Have you ever applied your eyeshadow and a couple of hours later when you checked in the mirror it looks like this ==>

(photo belongs to http://confessionsofahairstylist2009.blogspot.com/ )

I know I have had this problem happen to me many times in the past, not anymore though, I found the solution for it and it's as simple as using an eye primer!
So, what is an eye primer?? I tried googling that question to come up with a better answer but found nothing, so here is my own definition: An eye primer is a product that you apply onto your lids before applying your eyeshadow. Eye primers usually come in very neutral colors and in a cream-liquidly form. A primer will prevent your eyeshadow from creasing and make your eyeshadow color pop!
How's that for an answer! LOL! There is a huge variety of eye primers in the market right now, they go from reasonable prices to the high end ones that are not easily affordable. But, is it worth spending the money on one of these? YES!! Absolutely YES!! If you are anything like me and love wearing tons of eyeshadow and want it to stay put all day and all night long, than you definitely need one of these babies!
A good way of getting introduced to eye primers is by using Mary Kay Eye Primer. This is one of the least expensive ones out there and it does do a good job.
I won't get into the ones that I have tested, that's a different post, but here are some examples of some really popular high end eye primers that will give you great results, the prices vary from $16.00 to $24.00.

From Left to Right: Urban Decay Primer Potion, Too Faced Shadow Insurance, Bare Escentuals Prime time for eyes, Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primer, Benefit Stay Don't Stray Eye Primer.

Another alternative for keeping your shadow on all day long is a shadow base. Just as with eye primers, there is a huge variety out there for you to choose from. But what is the difference between an eye primer and an shadow base? Once again, here is my own definition: Both, eye primers and Shadow bases, will keep your shadow from creasing. A shadow base, however, comes in a range of different color to choose from. They can be used by themselves or under your eyeshadow. So for instance, if you would like to wear a blue eyeshadow, then by applying a blue eyeshadow base prior to it, your shadow color will pop a lot more than if you used an eye primer underneath it, and it won't crease either (I really hope that made sense).
I personally use an eyeshadow base underneath my eyeshadow all the time, it doesn't make it the right or wrong way of keeping your eyeshadow from creasing, that is just my personal preference.
Here are a few examples of eye shadow bases that I would recommend you try, some are better than others, or more affordable, or come with more product in the jar, but again, I won't get into that right now:

From left to right: Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place ShadowCreme, Mac Paint Pots, Bobbi Brown Cream Shadow, Clinique Shadow base.
If you would like to try a drugstore eye primer, Loreal came out with their De-Crease Shadow base. This eye primer is supposed to keep your shadow on for 8 eight hours.

And finally, I haven't tried this method myself but I have heard that some people like it, is using a concealer underneath your shadow, I honestly don't know how well this works but I will give it a try soon and let you all know.
Ladies, now you know the trick to keeping your eyeshadow intact for hours and hours!