Royalty seems to be a theme in makeup this season, first with Smashbox’s Reign eyeshadow palettes inspired by the English Tudors, and now Too Faced is prepared to come out with a collection called “Queen for a Day.” The seven-piece set comes in a shiny quilted pouch in which, if you’re like me, you will find both wonder and frustration.
The centerpiece is a palette called “French and Fabulous,” consisting of two bronzers and a set of six eyeshadows: five neutrals and a hot pink, all of varying textures ranging from smoothly-milled to flakes-on-your-face glittery.
Failures
An eyeshadow compact exclusive to the set also has this problem common to Too Faced shadows. Three out of the four shadows are gorgeously smooth in universally wearable neutral shades that make your lids look like satin. But one spoils the pot—a gray with chunks of glitter big enough to pass for confetti.
Too Faced is capable of producing shadows of such high quality; thus their compulsion to infuse silver flakes in some colors confounds me. Too Faced claims it “combines beauty of Hollywood past with the modernism of what women want today.” Sorry, I don’t believe the human disco-ball look has ever been, or ever will be, desirable.
Honorable Mentions
Snow Bunny Bronzer is meant for winter use—assuming you are very pale. It’s got a good deal of shimmer, so on darker skin tones it might just end up being a highlighter.
Lipstick in Free Love, which is a new shade. It’s a light frosty pink that smells like unripe fruit. But that’s fine for a lipstick.
What absolutely shouldn’t smell like anything is mascara. The mini lash injection pinpoint included in the collection smells of medicinal sour cherry, and the odor is pervasive even after it dries. What a shame for a product that truly delivers a full, lengthy fringe. If and when Too Faced reformulates this mascara, I will purchase this in a heartbeat.
Sure-Fire Winners
Shadow Insurance Primer is one of the best products Too Faced has put out of late. A staple, and unlike its rival Urban Decay’s primer potion, it comes in a squeeze tube to minimize product waste.
Flatbuki Brush—a short-handled synthetic flat kabuki brush. Feather soft, super portable. And pink.
The Queen for a Day collection launches this month at Too Faced and Sephora. Price: $45
