How to Spot a Fake - Episode 1, Too Faced Natural Eye Palette

When a deal is too good to be true, it probably isn't.

This is the real palette from Sephora, retail $35, comes with 9 shadows, 3 tutorial cards, and a pull out drawer with brush...this is what I got...

Now, there are quite a few obvious differences, but I saw this in Ross (an "authentic designer" store at discount prices) and I recognized the eye right away.  Not having the other product with me, I threw it in my basket b/c it was the last one and hey, it was $5!

While looking at it in line, I looked at the differences:

1. It doesn't even say Too Faced on the top of the box
2. The Natural Eye logo on mine is bronze with black lettering (sorry for the camera glare)
3. The lacy outside pattern is different
4. The eye is different with the lashes and more eyebrow is showing in mine.

In my box, I also had the cards:

These look very similar to the TF one, so it's hard to tell by that alone.

Inside the box, again, the eye is slightly different, but check out the names of the shadows (yes they are all named correctly).  The names are folding over into the shadow compartments.  If you are buying a $35 palette, they aren't going to sell you this.

The shadows are still incredibly pigmented, but you can see the Nude Beach shade is chipped in the corner (which can happen in transit on high end palettes as well on occasion).
While I only spent $5, it's hard to trust that stores like Ross or Marshalls are selling other legit items.  Example #2: my roommate purchased a Chi flat iron for about $60 there and when we got home...it was a chi box.  With another brand of straightener inside.  That went straight back to the store, but I truly question what it is they are selling.

Take extra care when you aren't sure something is authentic because you never know what is going into the products or how the companies are testing them.  In this case, the palette was actually made by Almar and I explored their website to learn more about what is in the products, etc.

I hope this was helpful.  I know I made a lot of mistakes buying makeup when I first got into it.  This is the first of a series (but don't worry, I'll set them up a week or so apart so you aren't overwhelmed with false products)