MAKE UP FOR EVER Artist Palette Volume 2 – Artistic ::: Review and Swatches!!!

I love Make Up For Ever (MUFE) as a brand. I have just a few products from them, but, I find such sincerity and professionalism from these products, and from the brand itself. They have a wide range of shades in almost every product they offer. Also, as an engineer, I enjoy the fact that they use numbers for their product's shade-names :-) Of late, they have been bringing out a lot of new and reformulated products! Currently, I am very intrigued by the new pro bronzers! But, I may already have too many bronzers! :-)

So, let’s talk about the products that I did buy. MUFE reformulated their eyeshadow line a while back, and everyone in the makeup community went ballistic over them! They became very popular instantly. They are expensive, even if I consider the enormous pan size, and I have been hesitating to try. But, these two very new palettes were made available online on Sephora just before their Spring Beauty Insider sale (15% off for VIB/Rouge) ended. As someone enthusiastic about bright colors, I obviously picked up Artist-Shadows 2 (9 Artist Shadow Palette).

The packaging is very nice. It is a cardboard palette but very well built. I like the square-ish size too; it’s unique in my collection. The palette is heavy and strong, and I love that! The pattern on the cover is very intriguing - it’s bold, bright and very artsy! The mirror is good too. Overall, I am loving the packaging now even though it might develop stains.

It is an excellent value limited-edition palette! At a retail price of $42,there are a total of 9 shades in 3 x 3 rows with 1.8 g (0.06 oz.) of product in each pan. Their regular single artist shadow is $21 for 0.07 oz. of product. Basically, for the price of 2 single shadows you get to try 9 different shades that are just 0.01 oz. less. With the 15%, I paid $35.70 before the tax. If you are a fan of colors, you should try this palette.  There are 3 very pale neutrals, 2 extremely bold colors, 1 gold and 3 intriguing dark colors. MUFE has 5 different finishes; all of these colors are either Satin, Iridescent, Diamond or Metallic. There are no matte shades!

I heard so much about these shadows that I guess it made me have way much hope for them! I thought they will stick to my eyelids like glue…ha ha! I have been wearing these for quite some days now and they are really really good. Very pigmented, easy to blend and good to work with. The staying power is strong too. I guess I expected to not want to use anything else after using these shadows :-) But, unfortunately, I did not get that “Oh My God; these are UNBELIEVABLE” feel! It takes me around 12 hours to be back home since I apply my makeup in the morning. These shadows start to fade on me around the 10 hr mark. So, the staying power is really good. Even though they are shimmery metallic shades, they DON’T HAVE any fall out. That's awesome. The other day I wore "Peacock" on my upper lash line as a liner, and I had to go for a 4 hrs long field visit to a refinery. My liner completely vanished; may be because of the humid conditions inside the refinery. It might also be because it was a rushed work-day application by me. Either way, it kind of made me sad. I used the shadows with other primers during weekends while taking my time in doing my makeup and it stayed on my lid for the whole day. I really do love the quality of them!

I-872 (Pearly Pink; Iridescent finish): It is a very soft pale champagne pink with microscopic shimmer. Very very beautiful and shiny. I wear it on my entire lid; a little something in my everyday work-eye look.

D-552 (Crystalline Gray Beige; Diamond finish): I don’t know how to describe this shade, :-). It looks like a pale taupe-y beige (I know it’s a horrible description) and it’s unique in my stash. It is in diamond finish so it is more metallic with some shimmer. I love to wear it on my inner corner or all over my lid; it’s easier that way.

ME-512 (Golden Beige; Metallic finish): This one is much yellower! I love it. Also, even though these shadows are mostly on the paler side but I can still use these 3 on my medium skin tone and make it look appropriate for everyday use :-)
Honestly speaking, once these 3 shades are on my lid, I can’t really distinguish one from the other, or I may have not found enough time to observe, and appreciate in leisure. Typically, I ignore lighter shades in any palette; but I like and use all 3 of them.

ME-700 (Amber; Metallic Finish): I have special affinity for gold eyeshadows. I think gold looks beautiful and very flattering on tan/medium skin tone. Amber is a pale gold and has brown hint in it and very shiny-glittery. I love to wear it on its own or tie it together with the darker shades in the third row.

ME-910 (Electric Magenta; Mettalic Finish): Ooh, that hot pink! I don’t know if I would ever wear this on my lid but it’s so different for me, and I like different. It is a blush shade. It looks very bold and frightening in the palette, and it is pigmented but may be because of its unique texture it does not come across that pigmented when applied, and it is a good thing. I do not need extra carefulness while using the color. I have used it as a blush, and it’s actually very easy to wear. You need just a bit and is easy to blend; I was very scared otherwise. I wore it around 7 am and  it stayed till 3-3.30 pm, very beautifully!

ME-232 (Turquoise Blue; Metallic Finish): I love blue as a color! Navy, Teal, Cobalt, Sky Blue; I love every single shade! This is also not any exception. I see it as teal tiny sparkles on pale sky-blue bed. It is definitely a fun, daring shade of blue and not easy to wear without getting noticed. I love to use it on my lower lash line!  

This is undoubtedly my most favorite row. I love how the colors are bold, strong and exciting, yet they can be worked into an everyday work appropriate look.

S-924 (Purple; Satin Finish): Another shade to be used as blush. Extremely scary to look at, in the pan. But I believe it can still be controlled, I have not used it as blush yet. I did use this as crease color for purple eye-looks, shown here and I love it.

ME-302 (Peacock; Metallic Finish): From my research, I understand that this is one of the most loved shades from MUFE. It’s a deep dark green with a brown base duo-chrome, kinda like my car! :-) :-) It’s very sheeny and very very smooth and bouncy to touch!. It’s so dark and deep that it looks like a deep neutral shade which makes it daytime wearable. I love applying it on my lash-line. I also enjoy that I can go full-on glamour and create a smokey look whenever I want, with this shade :-)

ME-930 (Black Purple; Metallic Finish) : Like Peacock, it is also very soft, squishy, and has a velvety feel to it. I love it. It’s a very deep, dark and shiny purple; almost like a deep eggplant. Perfect for creating a smokey look or to wear on your upper and lower lash-line or in your Outer-V corner. There are so many possibilities!!

Pros:

1. Excellent value.
2. Sturdy packaging.
3. Easy to wear, blend out and overall good quality.
4. The blush option is a nice touch if you are on the go.

Cons:

1. No matte shades.

Comparing to what I had hoped for, I am not head over heels impressed by the shadows, just yet! I am still experimenting and I am hoping to be MADLY in love with them the more I use these. I will still like to reiterate that it is an excellent value, pigmented and long wearing; there is no doubt about it! If you are still wanting to try MUFE shadows, or if you are trying to add some colors into your eyeshadow-wardrobe, go pick it up while it is still available You will not regret it.

Love,

~Arrru