May 25, 2015

REVIEW + SWATCHES | Make Up For Ever Artist Shadows

 

Artist Shadows


Effortlessly create endless eye looks that range from beautifully natural to highly artistic with this unique eye shadow palette. With its breakthrough, gel-powder formula blended with ultrafine pigments, Artist Shadow leaves a smooth, even result that gives lids super-saturated, lasting color. An easily-blendable formula that features diamond, iridescent, matte, metallic, and satin finishes, it is an accessible shadow for the professional makeup artist and the everyday woman. 



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Size: 0.07 oz

Price: $21 (each+$1 for compact), $34 (duo), $44 (trio)
(see below)
  
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The following colors were created for use on cheeks: 
Frosted Peach, Mahogany, Mandarin, Rust, Pumpkin, Copper Red, Watermelon, Electric Coral, Coral Pink, Golden Pink, Electric Purple, Tangerine, Poppy, Milk Toffee, Peach, Bisque, Salmon, Orange,Tomato, Coral, Grenadine,Tea Pink, Light Rosewood, Purple, Canyon, Apricot, Auburn, Flesh-colored Pink, Rosewood, Dark Purple Pink, Eggplant

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The Make Up For Ever Artist Shadows retail for $21 each for 0.07 oz. 

However, there is a customizable option where you can build your own Make Up For Ever Custom Artist Palette  in bundles of 2 or 3 and receive a discounted price - $34 for a duo = $17 each and $44 for a trio = $14.60 each. 

Starting out these shadows are within the expected price range of other mid-to-high-end cosmetics brands with the size edging on the larger end of the spectrum - you are getting quite a bit of product for your bucks. The great thing about these shadows, is that you have the option to build your own customizable duos or trios at a discounted price. When you purchase 2 of these shadows, the price of each comes close to MAC Eyeshadow prices (with more product). And if you grab one more to make it a trio then you get an even cheaper bundle price.

While these are not the cheapest eyeshadows on the market or even the best make-your-own-palette system, I still think you can get value for your money by springing for trios versus purchasing singles or duos. They are also larger sized pans so you will get more product than the typical small sized eyeshadow on the market - or even those available in pre-made palettes.






These shades come packaged in a temporary case; the custom palette cases are sold separately.

In just 3 easy steps, you'll be on your way to customizing your new Make Up For Ever Custom Artist Palette!

STEP 1:
Add a 1-pan, 2-pan, or 3-pan Make Up For Ever Artist Shadow Custom Palette Case to your cart for $1.

STEP 2:
Add 1 or more Make Up For Ever Artist Shadows to your basket.

STEP 3:
When you add 1 Make Up For Ever Artist Shadow and a Mono Palette to your basket, there is no discount applied.
$22 for 1 Eyeshadow + Palette

When you add 2 Make Up For Ever Artist Shadows and a Duo Palette to your basket, a $9 discount will be applied automatically at checkout.
$34 for 2 Eyeshadows = $17 each

When you add 3 Make Up For Ever Artist Shadows and a Trio Palette to your basket, a $20 discount will be applied automatically at checkout.
$44 for 3 Eyeshadows = $14.60 each








 
The Make Up For Ever Artist Shadows are currently available for purchase in store and online at the following locations:

 
 
The Make Up For Ever Artist Shadows come packaged in a temporary case; the custom palette cases are sold separately for $1 each.

The custom palette cases are solid shiny black cases with a transparent snap-fit lids with the Make Up For Ever logo printed in black. Inside there are magnetized cut-outs that fit the shadow pans securely into place. There are also pin sized holes at the bottom of the palettes for easy removal of the shadow pans - without damaging the product by attempting to pry them out. The Custom Palette Cases comes in 1-pan, 2-pan, or 3-pan sizes.

They are very high quality sturdy palettes that are great for organizing your shadows and for travel. However, these can also be placed into other magnetized palettes on the market - I use my extra large z-palettes which hold 19 of these large sized shadows.

These shadows are only labeled with numbers on the back (ink printed which is pretty much production line basic! HA!). The actual shade names are provided on the Sephora website. For ease of use, especially for blogging and YouTube tutorial purposes, I printed my own labels and secured them to the back of each pan. 

Side note: Make Up For Ever will probably never use actual names for their products since the number system syncs up to their internal coding system and lines up with manufacturing and Pantone Color Matching System references. 

 







 

"In Extra Dimension Eye Shadow is a modern hybrid formula that combines the smoothness of a cream, the blendability of a liquid and the finish of a powder with long-wearing colour and prismatic reflections. Its creamy, silky, near-fluid formula creates luminous, well-defined eyes in finishes from sheer crystallized light to stunning metallic."

COLORS/SHADES
The Make Up For Ever Artist Shadows come in a HUGE range of colors - 210 shades in case you were curious!

There are numerous nude shades, reds, yellows, greens, oranges, pinks, purples, burgundy shades, smokey shades....pretty much all colors of the rainbow mixed in with earthy tones! You name it, you can find it here...very few makeup brands can tout having such a large range...well MAC can :)

Be mindful though, that some of these shades are meant for use on the cheeks - blush shades. Of course, they can get away with this since these are marketed as shadows rather than exclusively eyeshadows. You can still use these on your eyelids - at you own discretion and risk of course. The red pigment in these shades can cause staining and some irritation when used on the eyes.


TEXTURE & FINISH 
The Make Up For Ever Artist Shadows come in 5 different finishes - diamond, iridescent, matte, metallic and satin.  

In order of my favorite to least favorite:

Metallic – Vibrantly-toned. Shimmeringly metallic with high-shine pearl. My favorite of all the finishes - extremely creamy and shiny without being frosty or overdone.

Diamond – Intense shimmery base colors with smoothly pearlized, ultra-fine glitter. The glitter adheres well and stays in place. Some of the lighter shades (anything with Crystalline in the name) tend to apply a bit more sheerly than the other richer shades.

Matte – Flat matte, no shimmer, no glitter, no shine finish. Soft and creamy but not overly powdery.

 Iridescent – Smooth creamy texture with a subtle iridescent shine. This finish is not consistent from shade to shade - some shades are easy to work with and apply beautifully while others can get a little troublesome.

Satin – Provides a soft subtle non-frost, light-refractive sheen. This texture is tricky as it can clump up and cause trouble with blending. 


PIGMENTATION 
The Make Up For Ever Artist Shadows are nicely pigmented across the board. There are of course some shades (as you can tell from the live swatches) that require a little more building up than others. And there are also some shades that are meant to have sheer color payoff.


APPLICATION & WEAR 
The Make Up For Ever Artist Shadows have a great formula which applies well, blends easily and wears beautifully throughout the day without fading and fallout. 

While I had no issues using natural or synthetic bristle brushes with these eyeshadows, I did find that a more densely packed brush worked best for the non-matte shades. The non-matte shades also have a tendency to get crepe-y so less is more - start with a little and build up from there.

The diamond, iridescent, metallic and satin shades do have a strong silicone (dimethicone) base which allows for slip and high sheen. However, this can also leave to clumping of the product and even creasing. I always recommend using an eyeshadow primer with oily lids and in this case I highly recommend it! Personally I didn't have issues with creasing and I do have ridiculously oily eyelids!

I also find these work equally well with a damp brush or a creamy eyeshadow base.





 
The Make Up For Ever Artist Shadows are my favorite eyeshadow formula to date. I really enjoyed the previous formula and new revised formula takes everything to another level. I am slightly upset that the famous #92 Shadow is no longer available and nothing in the line-up truly replaces it.

However, I highly recommend this line (of course there are a few not so great shades - check the details below) without hesitation. There are a few troublesome shades that I would skip but overall it's a great lineup. 

Have you tried these shadows?  Interested?


 




May 20, 2015

REVIEW + SWATCHES | ✶NEW✶ M•A•C In Extra Dimension Eye Shadows


 In Extra Dimension Eye Shadows


Now here to stay: In Extra Dimension Eye Shadow, M•A•C’s modern hybrid formula that combines the smoothness of a cream, the blendability of a liquid and the finish of a powder with long-wearing colour and prismatic reflections. Its creamy, silky, near-fluid formula creates luminous, well-defined eyes in finishes from sheer crystallized light to stunning metallic.

Size: 1.3 g / 0.04 US oz
Price: US $20.00



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Shades AVAILABLE:

A Natural Flirt - Iridescent light pink
Ready to Party - Pale lilac
Stylishly Merry - Midtone dusty violet
Smoky Mauve - Pinkish muted mauve
Rich Core - Dirty aubergine
Grand Galaxy - Dirty mid-tone violet
Amorous Alloy - Deep terracotta copper
Havana - Dirty copper brown
Sweet Heat - Bright peach champagne
Stolen Moment - Dark taupe
Silver Sun - Mid-tone dirty sea foam green
Silver Dawn - Dirty grey mauve
Lunar - Royal blue
Fathoms Deep - Deep blue
Legendary Lure - Deep cerulean
Sea Worship - Tarnished olive
Dark Dare - Charcoal black
Evening Grey - Steel silver



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The M∙A∙C In Extra Dimension Eye Shadows retail for $20 for 1.4 g/0.04 oz of product.

Right away the price jumps out as more expensive than a typical M∙A∙C eyeshadow of this size which retails for $16 for 1.5 g/0.05 oz. Even the larger sized M∙A∙C Pro Longwear Eyeshadows retail for $21 for 3.4 g/0.11 oz - which means you are getting 1/2 the amount of product in these for around the same price. 

I am very disappointed by the price and size of these eyeshadows. M∙A∙C initially released these eyeshadows (Limited Edition) in the larger sized packaging (0.1 oz) at the same price of $20. Now they have downsized the product but kept the same price point. 


The price is hard to swallow since M∙A∙C tends to be more affordable than Urban Decay, Stila, NARS, and other mid-high-end brands on the market. I think M∙A∙C could have priced these eyeshadows similar to the Urban Decay Eyeshadows which are $18 a pop and we probably wouldn't feel the sting as much.


 


 
The M∙A∙C In Extra Dimension Eye Shadows are currently available for purchase in store and online at the following locations:
  • Select Nordstrom Stores and on the Nordstrom website
  • Select Macy's Stores and on the Macy's website
  • Standalone M∙A∙C Stores and on the M∙A∙C website
  • Any other location that sells M∙A∙C Cosmetics
 

 
The M∙A∙C In Extra Dimension EyeShadows are packaged in the usual M∙A∙C black eyeshadow pots with a transparent window in the lid. The label at the underside of the pot has the shade name, size and manufacturer information. I find this packaging quite sturdy and functional since you can see the colors through the packaging - this saves time with a sizeable collection.

The eyeshadows themselves feature an ocean wave design on one half and embossed M∙A∙C logos on the other side. This is different from the typical M∙A∙C eyeshadow so you can use it as an identifying mark - until you wear it down through use of course!

I wouldn't recommend de-potting these - for those of you who prefer de-potted eyeshadow pans - as these are a baked product that are more fragile than regular pressed eyeshadows.



 


"In Extra Dimension Eye Shadow is a modern hybrid formula that combines the smoothness of a cream, the blendability of a liquid and the finish of a powder with long-wearing colour and prismatic reflections. Its creamy, silky, near-fluid formula creates luminous, well-defined eyes in finishes from sheer crystallized light to stunning metallic."


COLORS/SHADES
The M∙A∙C In Extra Dimension Eye Shadows come in 18 wearable and smokey shades. There are no bright pops of color to be had here! These are all subtle (for me anyway) neutral tones that would be suitable for any age or skintone.

TEXTURE & FINISH 
The M∙A∙C In Extra Dimension Eye Shadows have a subdued shimmery finish. A few of the shades also have finely milled glitter throughout. The finish is very flattering for those of us (like moi) who prefer soft sheen versus highly frosted shine. So for anyone with more mature skin (or tastes) or lines on the eyelids, these will be a great way to wear shimmer without looking overdone.

The texture is that of the typical baked product - soft, lightweight and finely milled. They feel very airy and smooth to the touch but are not overly creamy or powdery.

PIGMENTATION 
The M∙A∙C In Extra Dimension EyeShadows are nicely pigmented colors that can be applied sheerly or packed on for more color payoff. I find the deeper shades to be intense right away while the lighter shades apply more sheerly on first swipe. You can also apply these with a damp brush for greater pigmentation and amped up shine.

APPLICATION & WEAR 
The M∙A∙C In Extra Dimension Eye Shadows work well with natural and synthetic bristle brushes. I have no issues selecting a brush to apply these eyeshadows - some eyeshadows are finicky in that way. You can also use your fingers but I am not a fan of that...to each their own though right?
M∙A∙C In Extra Dimension Eye Shadows apply smoothly and evenly on the eyelids. But the best part is that these blend effortlessly without creating harsh lines. They work well with other formulae as well so you can mix and mingle with your existing collection.

You can also use this formula wet (well really with a damp brush) to create more dimension and sheen. They do not start clumping up nor do they create a crepe-y effect when used damp. They also blend nicely over a primer or creamy base without any issues.

I had no issues with wear time or fading throughout the day. You will get a full 8+ hours of wear without creasing or fading.



 
The M∙A∙C In Extra Dimension Eye Shadows are a great extension to M∙A∙C's eyeshadow lineup. However, the price point hits a sore note with me...especially when the original limited edition launch of this formula were larger and at the same price point. 

That being said, I do enjoy the formulation and colors quite a bit and I think they are worth a look.



Have you tried these eyeshadows?  Interested?


 




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