Toolsday: Too Faced Shadow Insurance

Honestly, I can't believe I haven't already reviewed this stuff. Someone actually just asked me about it by email and I searched my blog for the post that I thought I'd written. And it wasn't there. Because I'd never written it. Dang! Way to go senile at 18, Vijaya.

In any case, this Toolsday I'm going to talk about my forever primer, Too Faced Shadow Insurance.

Most of you who read loads of beauty blogs have already heard of this stuff and probably will have read a hundred reviews of this, so you'll know it's one of the big two eye primers along with Urban Decay's Primer Potion.

A glob of Too Faced Shadow Insurance

It comes in a .35 oz tube that lasts me basically forever. It was my very first primer, and honestly? I'm still on the first tube. I bought a spare tube for when I run out, but I probably have a few more months of primer in mine. I just don't wear eyeshadow all that often!

I've used both primers (Too Faced Shadow Insurance and Urban Decay Primer Potion) and the differences are small, but there. Firstly, the consistency of Urban Decay Primer Potion is the thinner of the two. Too Faced Shadow Insurance is just thicker, creamier. Generally, from the reviews I seem to hear, most people with ultra-oily lids tend to generally (but not universally) prefer Too Faced Shadow Insurance.

Secondly, up until recently Urban Decay Primer Potion came in that ri-donk-ulous genie bottle packaging. It was annoying to store, wasteful, annoying to empty... I. Hated. The genie bottle. For real.

I know Urban Decay Primer Potion is now in tubes, but I've heard from friends that it starts thickening/hardening over time so that it won't squeeze out, though I don't have a tube myself to know this for sure. Not good!

Another thing. I find Urban Decay Primer Potion to be completely transparent. I know a lot of you with lighter skin will probably find Too Faced Shadow Insurance to be completely transparent as well, but on my skin tone, it's more like mostly transparent.

Too Faced Shadow Insurance rubbed in

Pardon the questionable arrows I drew with my mouse in two seconds. They're pointing to the area with the primer spread out on it. The difference is very subtle. It's not beige or flesh toned... it's just translucent and pale, but I do feel like, for that reason, it does neutralize some of the discoloration on my eye--not all, but some.

As for the three main things people look for in a primer:

Does it make shadows brighter? Honestly, only a bit. I feel like the only real bases that genuinely make shadows brighter are the ones with color of their own (particularly if they're white--or flesh colored, if you're lighter skinned).

Does it crease? For me, not at all.

How does it wear? Even on sweaty, hot days, this keeps my shadows wearing until I wash them off.

This is my Holy Grail primer. I'm willing to try others, but I really don't see anything taking this one's place.

Ingredients: Isododecane, Talc, Cyclopentasiloxane, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Glyceryl Triethylhexanoate, Polyethelene, Trihydroxystearin, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Isopropyl Lanolate, VP/Eicosene Copolymer, Propylene Carbonate, Dimethicone, PEG - 40 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol, +/- Mica, Bismuth Oxychloride (CI 77163), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499).

The Good:

• Convenient tube.
• Mine has lasted me a good while.
• Slightly evens out some discoloration.
• Doesn't crease on me.
• Helps keep my shadows on for basically as long as I want them on. I don't think I've worn it for more than twelve hours, though.

The Bad:
Nothing here.

The Neutral:

• Doesn't make shadows significantly more vibrant. This isn't a must for me, personally.
• This is paraben free.

Overall, primer is one of those things that can vary a lot from person to person, but this definitely works really well for me. I know I spoke a lot about Urban Decay Primer Potion in this post, but it's only because I feel like those are the two primers most people consider buying. This has a few factors that give it an edge on Primer Potion for me, but both are good primers, in my opinion. This just suits me better.

This is currently $18.00 from Sephora.