Too Faced Pretty Rich Palette Unboxing + NARS Foundation First Impressions

Introduction

New product launches are always fun to unbox and test for the first time, and this one paired two genuinely exciting releases: the Too Faced Pretty Rich eyeshadow palette and a NARS foundation I hadn’t tried yet. As a Certified Makeup Artist and Master Esthetician, I want to walk through my honest first impressions of both, plus the full look I built using them together.

Unboxing the Too Faced Pretty Rich Palette

The Pretty Rich palette leans into a warm, rich neutral range with enough depth to build both soft daytime looks and more dramatic evening ones from the same palette. First impressions on pigment payoff were strong across the board — even the lighter transition shades had enough color to actually do something on the lid, which isn’t always the case with softer, more muted palette shades.

Formula and Blendability

Blendability is where a lot of eyeshadow palettes either earn their price point or don’t, and this one blended smoothly without excessive fallout, which made building depth in the crease genuinely easy even without a ton of extra product or blending time. The mattes had a smooth, non-chalky texture, and the shimmer shades had a nice foil-like quality without feeling gritty or textured on application.

First Impressions of the NARS Foundation

Switching to a new foundation is always a bit of a gamble, since formula, coverage, and how it wears can only really be judged with real use, not just swatching. My first impression of this NARS foundation was genuinely positive — buildable medium coverage that didn’t feel heavy, with a natural, skin-like finish rather than a flat matte one. I’ll always recommend giving any new foundation a full-day trial before fully judging it, since initial application impressions don’t always predict all-day wear performance.

Building the Full Look, Step by Step

For application, I always reach for a quality brush over fingers when building foundation coverage — a flat-top kabuki brush gives more even, buildable coverage than fingers, especially with a new formula you’re still getting a feel for. From there, I built a soft transition shade from the Pretty Rich palette through the crease, added a slightly deeper shade to the outer corner for definition, and kept the lid a lighter, warm neutral to tie the whole eye look together.

Why First Impressions Matter (and Their Limits)

I always want to be transparent that a first-time review captures genuine, honest initial reactions — but formula performance over a full wear day, through touch-ups, meals, and changing conditions, can reveal things a single application doesn’t. If a first-impressions review like this one genuinely excites you about a product, that’s worth acting on, but also worth following up with a longer-term review before making a final judgment on any product’s long-term performance.

How to Approach New Palette and Foundation Launches

With how frequently new products launch in this industry, it’s easy to feel pressure to try everything immediately. My honest advice: prioritize new releases in categories where your current products genuinely aren’t serving you well, rather than replacing things that are already working. A gorgeous new palette is a fun addition if you love the shade range, but it doesn’t need to replace a palette you already reach for and love.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Judging a new foundation’s performance from application alone. All-day wear reveals things a first application can’t.
Assuming a new palette needs to replace your current go-to. New products can be additions rather than requiring a full swap.
Skipping a quality brush for a brand-new foundation formula. Application tools genuinely affect how any new formula performs.
Buying every new launch out of hype rather than genuine need. Prioritize releases in categories where your current products actually fall short.

Pro Tips

Swatch new eyeshadow shades on bare skin first to judge true pigment and undertone before building a full eye look.
Test a new foundation on a lower-stakes day, not the morning of an important event, so you have time to learn how it wears.
Build eyeshadow depth gradually with a soft blending brush rather than applying deep shades directly, especially with a new, unfamiliar palette.
Keep notes on new products you try — formula, wear time, any issues — since it’s easy to forget specific first impressions once you’ve moved on to testing something else.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Too Faced Pretty Rich palette good for both day and night looks? Yes — the shade range includes soft, buildable neutrals for everyday wear alongside deeper, more dramatic shades for evening looks, all from the same palette.

How does this NARS foundation compare to other medium-coverage foundations? It offers a genuinely natural, skin-like finish with buildable coverage, though I’d recommend a full-day trial before drawing final conclusions on longevity compared to your current go-to.

Should I buy a product based on a first-impressions review alone? It’s a reasonable starting point for genuine excitement about a new release, but pairing it with a longer-term review, from this channel or elsewhere, gives a fuller picture before committing.

What brush works best for a new, unfamiliar foundation formula? A flat-top kabuki brush offers controlled, buildable coverage that’s especially helpful while you’re still learning how a new formula behaves.

Conclusion

Both products left a genuinely positive first impression — a rich, blendable palette and a natural-finish foundation worth testing further. Watch the full video above for the complete unboxing and the full look I built with both. ✨