Rant & Rave: Too Faced
Tell us what you love and hate about...
Too Faced
I am actually feeling more positive toward Too Faced in the last year. Previously, I found they had some weaker offerings, seemed to favor quantity over quality, but they’ve been releasing higher quality products in the last year from what I’ve been experiencing (though not all winners, of course).
— Christine
I hate how inconsistent their products are. They can range from fabulous to dismal within the same palette. I do not like the scented eyeshadows, though the chocolate bothers me less than the peach. I don’t like when their packaging gets too cutesy, but some of it is a lot of fun. I think they often put more thought into the packaging than into the quality of the products. But when a TF product is good, I like it a lot.
Coincidentally, I’ve challenged myself to use my much-neglected Sweet Peach palette every day this week to see what different looks I can come up with. I’m calling today’s look “Hot Mess.” (Can someone please give me a tip on how to use the green shade in this palette without it turning into mud when blended?)
Yesterday’s question about repurchased face products actuallycan be answered for me by tf, (mentally eye rolling, as not a fan, what with the scents, the faux sweetening, and the general puerile tone of products.) Heavily panned second pan of Snow Bunny. As with foundations, most bronzers are too yellow on me. That has taupe, pink, and white as parts of the stripes. In the past five years, got only the Gingie Man melted, that is reappearing this season, along with his palette. Also liked their clear lip liner, when theirs was the only game in town. And, as with Tarte, I like the division of product lines between S and U, though s.t. it can be confusing. I feel they are slightly ‘adulting’ their direction. About time.
I cannot stand their packaging! It totally turns me off from buying TF. I also am not a fan of smelling products. I actually no longer have any TF in my stash and I feel like they market to teens and young women. I’m grown so I don’t want to feel like I am using play makeup so I don’t even look at their offerings anymore.
I love sleek simple packaging like MAC, MUFE, Chanel etc.
My biggest rant about Too Faced is scented make-up. I don’t hate many things, but scented make-up is on top of my list. 😆 I don’t want to smell my make-up; especially if the scent is fruity.
My second rant about Too Faced is about the fact that they launch so many products and collections. I personally prefer that brands focus on a permanent range of products (with diversity of products, formulas and colors in mind, of course), investing time, money and research to continuously improve.
My third rant is about their shade range for complexion products. The description doesn’t match the true color. For example, I’m light-medium with yellow undertones (so theoretically I should be Golden Beige or Sand, which are way too dark for me) and my match in the Born This Way Line is Vanilla (Fair Neutral), which is more yellow than Almond (the Fair golden shade).
My fourth (minor) rant is about how childish some of their products look. Some people might love it and I totally understand this. But personally I prefer that the make-up products I use just look sleep, quality and `classic`; I just don’t like pink and colorful packaging… well… I don’t like pink and pastels in general. Again, just a personal preference, but I think that I just avoid the brand because the `vibe` doesn’t relate to my style.
Otherwise, nothing I have tried from the brand impressed me and I don’t feel the need to purchase from the brand. I mean… the `Better Than Sex` mascara is OK (I’ll grab a mini as a Sephora perk for `free`), but there are many similar or better mascaras (including many drugstore ones).
I recently got interested in too faced after ignoring them for years. I personally not a fan of palettes with more than 6 shades which they mostly seem to be offering and prefer single eyeshadows so nothing really appeals to me in their eyeshadow range. I’m also not a fan of better than sex mascara it’s too wet and it smudges.
However, I am a big fan of the born this way foundation and setting powder, it’s great for normal to dry skin and the foundation can be anything between light and medium full and the staying power is great on me. The powder is one of the only one that works for me. Their chocolate bronzers are also nice options for different skin tones. I use the milk chocolate soleil bronzer and I would definitely repurchase.
I’m so surprised when people say that the `Better than sex` mascara is too wet and smudges, as I never had issues with that. I have very sensitive eyes and they get teary even if it’s slightly windy outside; I also have seasonal allergies. Many mascaras (even waterproof) smudge on me, the `Better than sex` doesn’t (both waterproof and non-waterproof version). Off course, the wand is too big and I sometimes get some mascara on my eyelids when I apply it… it’s not the best mascara out there in terms of results… but for me once it’s dried, it stays there.
And I might or might have not hiked with that mascara on both in humid and rainy weather conditions. 😆
I don’t know… sometimes I start believing that some make-up products are manufactured in 2-3 separate labs with different results. Which seems awful that companies would have such inconsistent quality for the same product in different labs or between different batches; it’s chemistry and physics in the end to produce a make-up product… results should be replicable.
RAVE — They stayed CF when they sold to Estee Lauder. They do seem to be improving again, especially with the eyeshadows. They have some great permanent products: Milk Choc. Soleil Matte Bronzer; Chocolate Bar, Semi-Sweet, and Bon-Bons palettes; Love Flush Blushes; La Creme and Melted lipsticks. I think their packaging is fun. I adore the Metallic Sparkle Lipsticks, and I’m impressed with how the Juicy Fruits Lip Glazes look. The original 9-pan palettes and PB & J are some of my favorites still. Better Than Sex Mascara is great (too bad I’m allergic to it, because I love how it made my lashes look).
RANT — They repeat the same eyeshadow shades in their palettes way too often. They suck at purple eyeshadow. The PB & Honey palette is one of the worst palettes I’ve ever seen in my life. Their website takes forever to ship and has non-existent customer service. I don’t mind scented products, but they should have to put on a warning label that they’re using sodium saccharin.
Forgot to mention Shadow Insurance. That’s my HG eye primer. Nothing but love for that, though I’m sorry they got rid of the yellow version. Their Glitter Glue is awesome, as well.
I can’t believe I forgot as well about Shadow Insurance. 😆 I don’t know why, but I don’t associate that primer with the Too Faced brand.
Great product indeed (although The Balm Put a Lid on It and UD Primer Potion Anti-Aging are just as good)!
Rants – I don’t really like the gimmicky nature of their releases and having scented eyeshadows also puts me off.
I also find the names of their products to be mostly inappropriate and childish at times too.
And although they have improved a bit lately, I am still wary of the brand.
Rave: Their new Natural eye palette seems to be pretty good. And maybe they are turning a corner.
I think TF eyeshadows are terrible. I have bought and returned 3 of their palettes. They either migrate or don’t stay on at all. I don’t have that problem with other brands, but it’s a consistent issue for me with Too Faced. Every once in a while I do get tempted by one of their palettes, but I always pass now.
I love a lot of their face products though – their Hangover and Peachy Matte primers have both been winners for me depending on how my skin is. I recently fell in love with their chocolate soleil bronzer and will definitely rebuy when I am out. The biggest winner for me has been their Peachy Matte setting powder – you get 4x the product of the Tarte powder I was using for $1 more and I like it more than Tarte and Laura Mercier powder.
I just make it a point not to fall into the cute trap with their eye products. They never perform well for me and are inconsistent quality even within the same palette.
Rave: They have gotten on the right track by bringing Jackie Aina on board for helping them out with their foundation and concealer range. Thank goodness for that! Some of their very recent releases have had far more consistent, higher quality than before, too.
Rant: Well, it seems that I may have been wrong about TF not adding sodium saccharin in the new Tutti Frutti lip glosses….wore Yummy Rummy a lot last week, woke up on Sunday morning with a VERY sore, swollen upper lip. Not happy about that! If TF would kindly; STEP AWAY FROM THE SODIUM SACCHARIN, I would be eternally grateful! We could also live without juvenile overly cute packaging, too.
Your new pic is lovely. Girl, you gotta read the ingredients. Trust no one. Bite is sweet, too, but they list no sweetener. I expect they use stevia, which tf should, if they need to sweeten to ‘stay on brand.’ I cannot tell you how many people have benefited from you exposing to me the connection between sulfa drugs and saccharine allergy. It comes up at least once a week, and strangers to both me and you owe you a debt.
Thank you so much, KJH! Took this pic at the Evanescence concert with my daughter! As for the Sodium Saccharin debacle, TF doesn’t have it listed as an ingredient on the packaging, it now simply says “flavor/aroma”. I suppose they are trying to cover their @$$. Catch is, it will backfire if that “flavor” is from Sodium Saccharin due to the fact that sulfa is a fairly common allergy! Honestly never thought my ranting at TF would be of any help on some larger scale, but if it helps others avoid setting their own sulfa allergy, then I’m glad I could be of some assistance. Artificial sweeteners do NOT belong in cosmetics.
I love the new picture! You look gorgeous! (Of course, you did in the former picture, too.)
I’m so sorry to hear about the TF glosses giving you a reaction. That’s really shady if they are just putting “flavor/aroma” to cover up that they’re using sodium saccharine. I don’t know why they don’t use something else or just put a little warning on product boxes. It just seems like a lawsuit ready to happen.
Aww, thank you, Rachel! Right about now, I’m thanking Hourglass for their Dim Light Ambient Lig
*Light Powder and Mineral Veil Primer, plus UD All Nighter for giving my skin such an airbrushed finish! (plus a little sweat helped out, too!)
I do believe that is what it will take in order to get TF to stop this utterly irresponsible action on their part: a class action suit by anyone with a sulfa allergy who unwittingly used one of the products that contains Sodium Saccharin and then suffered a reaction. Mine aren’t fun, but still not as severe as many others. What will it take? Does someone have to go into anaphylaxis or lose their eyesight before Too Faced owners wake up to the potentially devastating effects on their customers and the tanking of their corporation?
Rave: I like that their packaging is cutesy and different from most other brands. Yeah I personally prefer sleek black packaging, but it would be boring if all brands were like that. Also, I really like their shadow insurance primer, though I haven’t used it in years.
Rant: I don’t really care much for all the scents in their products. They actually smell pretty good, but I just worry that it would irritate my skin. Also, I’m not a huge fan of their eyeshadow palettes — both in terms of shade selection and quality. A lot of their shadows are too sheer or glittery for my taste. I miss their old cardboard 9-pan eyeshadow palettes — I remember really liking the quality and price of those. Plus, that was their cutest packaging imo.