Name: Shadow Insurance
Brand: Too Faced
Size: 11g
Price: €14,00
From Too Faced’s website:
Your full-coverage insurance policy against eye shadow fading, creasing, and melting. Our silicone-based eyeshadow primer transforms any eye shadow into a perfectly blendable, color-drenched, intensified version of itself, then locks it down perfectly until you take it off.
What I liked:
- improves the color payoff of eyeshadows
- eyeshadows stay put all day without creasing nor fading
- lightweight, easy to apply texture
- dries instantly
- pretty and hygienic packaging
What I didn’t like:
- the product tends to separate sometimes
- the price
My lids are a bit oily so an eyeshadow primer is a must for me if I don’t want my makeup to become an ugly mess after about 3 hours of wear. But what primer I use never seemed to matter. I tried a few and they all worked pretty much the same for me, ensuring my eyeshadow would stay put and perfect the whole day. But that changed a few months ago when Too Faced Shadow Insurance entered into my life. It was love at first sight (and swipe) and it has now become my HG.
Too Faced Shadow Insurance does everything an eyeshadow primer should do and does it well. I apply it in the morning before my eyeshadows and my makeup stay put all day, without creasing nor fading, until it’s time to go to bed. Even if I decide to workout and hit the gym my makeup won’t be ruined at all.
TFSI also improves the color payoff of eyeshadows a bit, but don’t expect anything dramatic. If you want your shadows to be really vibrant then you should my beloved Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy or a colored or white base instead than a nude one like TFSI. Still, it helps so it didn’t disappoint me. I also didn’t have any problems at all with blending eyeshadows over this base.
Ok, so it works like any good primer works. What’s so special about it? What I really like about this primer is the texture: it is silky and creamy, yet lightweight and thin without being watery and it dries instantly. It literally feels like you’ve applied nothing at all (the first time I used it I was worried it wouldn’t make my eyeshadow stay put all day because of that lol), but you have and it ensures your makeup stays on until you decide to take it off.
The primer is silicone-based so if you have a problem with silicones this is not for you. I like silicones lol so this is not a con for me. The only problem I have with the formula is that it can separate. I read reviews saying that the ingredients weren’t holding together anymore, releasing a yucky liquid when you squeeze the product out of the tube. However, that’s never happened to me yet. If it does, I will report it.
The price is not cheap but you only need such a tiny amount that it will easily last you for a year so to me, it is worth every penny. I also love the packaging. Not only is the tube very pretty, but it is also very hygienic. The product inside won’t get contaminated with bacteria and, once it is over, you won’t have to saw the tube open to discover that there is still so much inside to last you for months (yes, UDPP I’m talking to you). I’m sure that if you decide to cut the TFSI tube you may still find some product inside but not that much and at least you won’t risk cutting off your fingers trying to get it out!
Available at:
and Sephora.com
Summary
I love Too Faced Shadow Insurance! It is a nude shade with a lightweight but creamy texture that dries instantly, ensuring your makeup stays put all day without creasing and it helps to improve the color payoff of eyeshadows (but not dramatically). The packaging is pretty and hygienic but the formula can separate and it’s not cheap.
Rating: 4.5/5
Disclaimer: the item was purchased by me for both personal and review purposes. The review is based on my own personal and honest experience with the product. In addition, the review contains an affiliate link, which means we get a commission when you purchase the item from this link. By doing so, you’ll be helping to support Beautiful with Brains. For more information, please see my disclaimer.
{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }
This is the eye shadow primer I use – actually it’s the only one I’ve ever tried! I know Too Faced is coming out with (or maybe it’s out already) a new shimmery version of it, which I’m curious to try. I only use this a few times a week, and it’s lasted me a really long time so far (at least a year!)
Jeni´s last [type] ..SLS Free Shampoo
Jeni, it’s a great primer, isn’t it? It’s made not want to try anything els anymore lol. I think the new version you mentioned has come out only a few days ago and, like you, I’m really curious to try it and see if it works as well as this one.
This is my holy grail primer. When comparing it to 9 or 10 other primers, it actually was more vibrant than most of them, including white bases. I do agree that if you use Pixie Epoxy on top of TFSI you get great results
Phyrra´s last [type] ..Madd Style Review
Phyrra, really? I only have one white base and that seems to add more vibrancy but TFSI didn’t fare much worse, it still good to improv color payoff.
I use it with PE most of the time though as this combo really makes eyeshadows so much brighter. 
Shadow Insurance is the one primer that I have yet to try. I was put off when I heard that the product can separate, but it really seems like a wonderful product. I know UDPP came out with a humongous squeeze tube version, but it was limited edition, boo! Since you like TFSI a lot, I’m definitely going to give it a try, thanks for your review!
Dee´s last [type] ..Legere Whitening Solution
Dee, that put me off too at first but when I finally decided to try it I was amazed at the result! It’s a fantastic primer. Mine didn’t separate yet but a couple of reviews I read recommended massage the tube every now and then to keep that from happening. But as I said, I didn’t have that problem yet. Do try this one, I’m sure you’ll like it. I do prefer TFSI to UDPP but I still wish the huge squeeze tube were permanent!
Ew…separation. Yuck. But otherwise, this sounds awesome.
Trisha´s last [type] ..Face of the Day- Green as Money
Trisha, it is awesome! I was worried about separation but so far it hasn’t happening to me. Massaging the tube should prevent that from happening from what I read in other blogs.
I’ve never used TFSI but I tried UDPP before and I love it! Also, ArtDeco eyeshadow primer that you sent is very nice, too!
Dao´s last [type] ..Pack Smart While Travel
Dao, I love UDPP and ArtDeco too. They are awesome primers. But there’s just something about TFSI that I prefer.
I still have yet to try this primer!
Fabuless Beauty´s last [type] ..Flirt! Flirty Eye Enchancing Quads Swatches
Fabuless Beauty, you should try it! I put it off buying for ages for some reason and now I cannot live without it, it’s great stuff!
OMG the separation drives me nuts sometimes. I’ll leave it alone for awhile, and then one day I’ll open it and…ugh. Still, I do like this a lot
Makeup Morsels´s last [type] ..Miscellaneous Monday Morsels 2-6-11
Makeup Morsels, that would drive me nuts too. I’m sorry to hear yours separated, I guess I’m lucky it hasn’t happened to me yet. Still, a fab primer though imo.
Bad me! I still haven’t opened the tube I have.
Vonvon´s last [type] ..EOTD-FOTD- CNY Eve Look – Neutral Yellow
Vonvon, open it! You’ll regret not doing it sooner, it’s awesome.
I love TFSI! I liked the ArtDeco primer too (though it lasts a bit less on my eyelids, but still good enough unless I want my makeup to last through night being applied in the morning) but I have no idea where I put it, so nowadays it’s TFSI or one NYX jumbo pencil when I don’t need so much lasting power.
Tgz, I agree with you. I like the Art Deco primer a lot too but TFSI lasts longer on me as well. It’s the perfect base for when you have to be out all day.
Oh, and mine had separated, but after a good massaging of the tube and putting it in a cooler location it got perfect again
Tgz, and thanks for sharing this useful tip.
I so much prefer the UDPP. Seriously, its the better product. My eyelids dont crease at all. TFSI its and average one, unfortunately it didn’t do much for me:(
My own review here:
http://lila.pixavue.com/2011/09/too-faced-shadow-insurance-primer-base-a-paupiere-review-revue/
Lila, I’m sorry to hear TFSI didn’t work for you. What a shame! I love UDPP too. They work the same for me, but I prefer TFSI only for the lightweight texture.