I’m kind of an Instagram fledgling. I mostly use it to follow makeup artists and brands I admire; I’m not into selfies, and I’m mostly posting blog content. Given that it isn’t my most-active platform, I’m usually surprised when I learn about new products via Instagram before I hear of them elsewhere.
Too Faced Selfie Powders
The Too Faced Selfie Powders are one such example. Too Faced has been flooding the tubes with #tfnofilter for a little bit, but until they dropped the Selfie Powders I just figured it was the standard cutesy, “nofilter,” hashtag with some branding slapped on. Basically, Too Faced has come out with luminous powders that claim to act like Instagram filters IRL.
“Light-filtering, photo-enhancing powders.”
Yeeep.
To me, when I’m thinking of illuminating or highlighting powders, I’m thinking of Hourglass – period. I’m not too into highlights/illuminating products and therefore don’t own any ALPs (Ambient Lighting Powders) let alone the ALP Palette, but I have seen them in action and they.are.gorgeous. Other brands have decent ones, don’t get me wrong. To me, they’re the Gold Standard.
The Too Faced Selfie Powders seem to be a cutesy attempt to hop on the bandwagon. It features a warm, yellow-toned powder, a cool lavender powder, and what seems to just be a bronzer. As brands go, Too Faced is definitely more lighthearted and less serious-face about things, but the marketing of this palette is a bit cheeky for my tastes. The product doesn’t blow my mind, and I just think the marketing is off-putting. Maybe it’s aimed at the Millenial crowd who dedicates approximately 6 or more hours per week to taking, editing, and otherwise perfecting their selfies?
I don’t know.
I can’t imagine that slapping colored powders on AFTER finishing foundation, blush, contour (if you’re into that) would give you a, “filtered,” or, “shopped,” look in real life. It simply isn’t realistic. On top of that, why would a selfie-obsessed consumer buy this, layer even MORE product on their face than they are likely already wearing, potentially use it incorrectly, etc. when they could just use the damn filters in the first place? Maybe I don’t get it because I’m not, “about that life.” Maybe I’m evaluating the product more than they think their target market for this would? I don’t know.
Unfortunately, the whole premise of this product disappoints. I am not willing to spend money on gimmicks…especially $36 on when there are approximately a trillion other products I’d like to try that are actually, well, useful.
Don’t let the awkward Selfie Powders turn you off of Too Faced, though – their new Cocoa Contour quad seems legit for contouring. Most contour palettes feature I think 6-8 shades, but this comes with 3 contour shades and a single (shimmery) highlight – I’m not really sure how great of a value it is, but at least it isn’t gimmicky or juvenile. I haven’t tried it, either, since I’m about as good with contouring as an 18 month old is with a non-sippy mug, but I’m going to take a shot in the dark and estimate that it smells lovely as Chocolate Soleil, Milk Chocolate Soleil, and the two Chocolate bar palettes do. I generally love their eyeshadows – last year’s mega-palette makes me smile every time I see it (let alone use it), and their permanent-run smaller eye palettes (priced $36-ish) are usually pretty reliable.
What do you think of the Too Faced Selfie Powders palette?