Sparkled Beauty

Make Up For Ever does eyeliners very well, I know that for a fact! The newly released Aqua XL eye pencil waterproof eyeliners prove that fact right once again.

Said to be long-wearing, waterproof eye pencils with creamy glide and instant color intensity, the Aqua XL eyeliners, in partnership with pop star Charli XCX, known for her artistic and energetic performances ("Boom Clap", "Fancy" or "I Love It"), are such a joy to play with.

I had the opportunity to pick a few shades to try out - S20, M30, S50, D62 and M92, came with a mini Sens'Eyes waterproof eye cleanser (0.84oz vs. the 1oz for $13 at Sephora) in a beautiful aqua coloured pouch with Charli's signature on it.

A closeup on the shades: S20 satiny navy blue, M30 matte pastel green, S50 satiny taupe, D62 diamond brown and M92 matte pastel purple.

The reputation stays true with these liners. They go on smooth and creamy but not overly soft, leave enough time for blending (if used as an eyeshadow base) or smudging out (with smoky looks) then stay put once set, even on the waterline.

They do not smear nor crease through the day and only come off when I remove them with micellar water plus some hard rubbing action or the Sens'Eyes above.

Great colour range and finishes among the 20 shades available in the line. S20 is a navy with a hint of teal, something different for the stash. M30 is simply irresistible - mint green and matte (enough said), S50 is the taupe of the line (can't help the pun lol).

I love the micro "diamonds" in D62, making the brown a little more special but not very visible on the eyes, no worries. And M92 is another matte that gets my heartbeat way up. Can you help it? It is so beautiful!

Check these Aqua XLs out if you have any concerns about the wear or colour of your eyeliners. They are 0.04oz, $25 each. There is also a LE, Rouge-exclusive, online only Charli XCX Festival Faves kit with 4 Aqua XLs for $58 but OOS at the moment.

You probably have heard enough about contouring/ highlighting palettes, but I promise Make Up For Ever Pro Sculpting face palette is easy to use, even for newbies like me.

This palette includes 4 blendable creams that highlight, contour, shimmer and colour the face.

The formula is a combination of:
- Polymers and polyester oils for blendability and pigmentation
- Synthetic and Carnauba waxes with Silicone coated pigments to provide long lasting 8-hour wear
- Synthetic Mica to diffuse light for a satin finish, combined with smoothing 3D Polymer powders for a natural finish that feels comfortable on the skin.

I was surprised to find the texture claims stay true - smooth, lightweight, creamy but not sticky nor creasing. It blends and builds so easily, and the finish is natural, subtle and long lasting.

I received the Medium (30) shade and find the shades included suit my skin tone well.

The palette is thin, great for travel but could be a little sturdier, for the price tag.

Here are the highlight, contour, shimmer and blush shades swatched with a slightly stiff synthetic brush, built up slightly for photograph purposes. You can probably tell the contour colour is the most creamy and pigmented, and the shimmer is iridescent, which is preferred by us who prefer a natural look (not instagram ready).

The highlight is matte, so it does more brightening, good on the brow bone, the bridge of the nose or as a base for the shimmer. The blush has slightly harder texture than the rest and, again, gives a natural flush, nothing crazy.

I personally appreciate the booklet included in the box, featuring step-by-step instructions for 6 different face shapes. You can click the pic to view the details but I'll note the main points here.

Oval (the face is longer than it is wide): highlight the features (cheekbones, bridge of nose, jaw).

Round (face is equally long and wide): reduce/ hollow the volumes of the cheeks and facial contour to lengthen the face.

Long (face is longer than it is wide): widen the face and soften the features by balancing the volumes.

Square (face is as long as it is wide): slim and lengthen the face, soften the angular cheekbones and pointy/ prominent jawline.

Inverted triangle (temples and cheekbones are wider than jaw): restore the balance between the 2 halves of the face - reduce the top (wide) part and accentuate the lower (slim) part.

Pyramid (jaw is wider than temples and cheekbones): reduce the width of the jaw and highlight the cheekbones and forehead.

I have an oval face so I follow the chart for that shape and have some success, with practice.
- Highlight: under brow bones, above cheekbones, between eyebrows and below the lower lip.
- Contour: along hair line on temples, below cheekbones, jawline and chin.
- Shimmer: below brow bones and outer corner above cheekbones.
- Color: on top of cheekbones sweeping outward.

After about 2 weeks, I am still at the natural look phase and have not moved on to build more for dramatic effects (and don't know if I want to). For that purpose, the palette works perfectly.

Each pan in the palette has 0.08oz of product, retail price is $54. There are 3 other shade options - Light (20), Tan (40) and Dark (50).

Yes, the next rave over at Make Up For Ever has been the Ultra HD concealer and I was lucky to receive one to test out.

Supposed to offer invisible finish under HD camera and naked eye thanks to the 4K complex, the Ultra HD concealer promises a long-wearing comfortable wear for all skin types.

I do like the sound of all that, but note that the concealer has a medium coverage, so opted for a lighter shade to use under my eyes and other imperfections (Y23 Ivory in the concealing group) and not on my blemishes.

Just to show you how light Y23 is, here it is (left) next to the (old) HD Invisible Cover foundation in 123, exactly how I want it - not too yellow toned. 

I do realize that 1 of the 5 shades from the corrective group of the line would do a better job at neutralizing dark circles, but think a concealing shade is more versatile. It is definitely not full coverage since my dark circles are still visible after, but look less intense and the area is brightened.

I also like how easy this concealer is to blend and, once blended, disappear. After a setting powder, it lasts through the day on me. I do recommend the product, as long as you expect a natural but not full coverage and have some change to spare :) The tube is 0.23oz/ 7ml, $32.

Since the release of Make Up For Ever Colors You Crave palette, the latest (LE) 15 Artist palette gets even more hype. And deservingly so! Glad I bought it right away.

Nothing against MUFE's signature black packaging but I am digging this sparkly orange on black even more. The palette sure stands out in the stash.

Still sturdy cardboard with a big mirror inside. The magnetic closure is strong and keeps the lid tightly shut. It would be more travel friendly if there were less empty space among the eyeshadows and around the edges, not a big deal.

The shades are arranged in trios for 5 suggested looks (shown in the included look book):

- Nude: I550 Olive Gray, S522 Pinky Nude and I528 Pearl
- Bronze: I524 Pinky Beige, D826 Fig and I662 Amber Brown
- Orchid Aura: I916 Frosted Mauve, D830 Black Rose and I922 Electric Purple
- Mosaic Blue: D236 Lagoon Blue, S228 Petrol Blue and ME216 Electric Blue
- Smoky:  S102 Onyx, S114 Pearl Gray and ME122 Snow.

I enjoy the abundance of neutral lid shades in this palette but still think it needs more transition shades, same "issue" in the Color You Crave palette. And 3 blue shades mean less options for other colour families to be included.

I am swatching the colours by rows, with a damp brush, no primer as usual, in natural lighting. Overall, the quality is consistent with MUFE standard.

Row 1: I550 Olive Gray (not a hint of grey that I notice), I524 Pinky Beige, I916 Frosted Mauve (lovely lilac tint), D236 Lagoon Blue (green shimmers on sheer base, meant to be layered) and S102 Onyx. (could be more intense but builds up well).

Row 2: S522 Pinky Nude, D826 Fig, D830 Black Rose (black base with rare pink shimmers), S228 Petrol Blue (leaves a light green tint on the skin) and S114 Pearl Gray.

Row 3: I528 Pearl (slightly less opaque than ME122 Snow), I662 Amber Brown, I922 Electric Purple (drier formula than the rest), ME216 Electric Blue and ME122 Snow.

This is my favorite row, since 4 shades apply and blend so smoothly. Electric Purple does take a bit of building up but is a nice purple.

Almost like a tradition, I'd include a quick comparison with the Color You Crave palette.


No repeats between these 2, I definitely recommend the 15 Artist palette. FYI, it does have 2 same shades from the Nudes You Need palette (I528 Pearl and S102 Onyx).

Like with the Colors You Crave palette, I grabbed 2 Make Up For Ever Plexi glosses the day they appeared on Sephora, and later received 2 more from the brand. Turns out, I have mixed feelings about them.

From bottom up: 103 Beige Pink (opaque), 300P Pearly Golden Pink Coral (sheer), 401P Pearly Red (sheer) and 501 Purple (opaque).

Make Up For Ever says these lip glosses are non sticky, go on smoothly, have vivid color, high shine and staying power up to 5 hours, thanks to the Plexi Color technology, Prizmalite spherical micro-beads  and unique oil & polymer base.

I agree with most claims, except I find the glosses quite sticky and come out of the tube stringy. I normally prefer lipsticks than lip glosses for this reason. On the other hand, sticker glosses last a bit longer. Hard decision!

Certainly, depend on your tolerance and preference toward lip products, you might not agree with me.

The Superflex applicator is quite fun looking with the split tip (Pac man!). The flat upper part covers the lip area quick and easy, and when you flip it to the side, the thin edge helps with precision application along the lip line.

No surprise that I love the great colour payoff on 103 Beige Pink and 501 Purple but 401P Pearly Red is not bad either despite being listed in the sheer range. 300P Pearly Golden Pink Coral is a nice clear topper for other lip products, not a must have though.

To conclude, I do like the shades and pigmentation but don't think I will wear Plexi glosses all the time because of how sticky they feel on my lips.

The line has 35 shades - 1 transparent (#0), 6 beiges (100's), 10 pinks (200's), 7 corals (300's), 7 reds (400's) and 4 artistic colours (500's). The tube has 0.23oz/ 7ml of product, sells for $23 each.

Make Up For Ever (LE) Artist palettes went live the last day of Sephora VIB sale, so I picked up Volume 2 - Colors You Crave.

First impression: sturdy cardboard packaging, with a big mirror, decent amount of product.

Shade names are printed at the back of the palette, with 7 indicated as eyeshadows and 2 as blushes (marked with a * below).

The pamphlet included in the box suggests 3 looks using the trio in each column:

- Playful: I872 Pearly Pink, ME910 Electric Magenta* and S924 Purple*
- Bold: D552 Crystalline Gray Beige, ME232 Turquoise Blue and ME302 Peacock
- Sultry: ME512 Golden Beige, ME700 Amber and ME930 Black Purple.

I want to compare shades of the same purpose and swatch the shades by rows instead.

Row 1: I love I872 Pearly Pink all over the lids, while D552 Crystalline Gray Beige and ME512 Golden Beige are great as brow bone highlight.

Row 2: ME910 Electric Magenta* definitely has the pigmentation as a blush and surprisingly a nice transition colour on me.
ME232 Turquoise Blue is slightly more sheer than others, and, in my opinion, is singled out among the colour theme of the palette.
ME700 Amber looks rose gold on me - the gold with that strong peach undertone. I used it quite a lot.

Row 3 is the love of my life, can you tell why?

S924 Purple is a true purple, the colour I am always drawn to, and works great for both eyes and cheeks.
The duochrome goodness in ME302 Peacock kills me. I am glad it has the darker green tone, not the standard of MAC Blue Brown pigment and its "minions".
ME930 Black Purple is very pigmented and dark enough for those party smoky eyes, more black than purple.

Overall, I have no complains with this palette except for not having enough transition colours for a complete eye look (same situation as with Urban Decay Electric palette).

A quick comparison to justify owning both the Studio case and Colors You Crave palettes, both are LE, no repeats.


There are 3 repeats between Colors You Crave and the original Artist palette (D926 Blueberry, I524 Pinky Beige and ME930 Black Purple), you probably don't need both.

Together with Make Up For Ever Pro Sculpting duo I reviewed last week, I also received a Step 1 Skin Equalizer, as part of their Spring/ Summer launch.

This is the Smoothing primer (for concerns of pores and fine lines, light grey tube), part of the texture equalizing category of the line.

The silicone elastomers in the formula smooth the pores and fill in micro-reliefs in the texture. The spherical powders make it easier to spread and boost skin softness. Silica interacts with the light to help the appearance of fine lines, hollow shadows or other pumps that darken the face.

Additionally, the Equalizer complex, Hyaluronic Acid, Vederine and Acti Tensor 3D enhance the power of your foundation for smoother, more even, longer lasting make up.

The primers come in (colour-coded) squeeze tubes with a small tip under the screw cap, which serves the ease of use but does not look as luxurious as the HD Microperfecting primers.

This particular Smoothing primer feels and appears more like a thicker tinted moisturizer on the skin. It blends out very easily, evens out my skin tone and enables speedy foundation application.

The smoothing effect, however, would depend on the foundation that follows it. It does a decent job in blurring out pores and fine lines but not completely on its own. It adds about an extra hour or two maximum to the lasting power of the foundation too.

This is the texture of the Smoothing primer next to the HD Microperfecting primer #2 Mauve for comparison. It does not have a scent like the latter, which might be a good thing for those who are scent sensitive.

The Step 1 Skin Equalizer line has 4 other texture equalizing primers and 5 radiance primers, and they can be mixed and matched. A Radiance primer should be applied before Mattifying or Smoothing primer and after Hydrating or Nourishing primer for best effects.

I would suggest trying these primers out in stores and compare it to the HD Microperfecting primer to choose the right one for your skin type and concerns. The tube has 1oz/ 30ml of product, retails $42.

We had some snow early morning yesterday, March 31 means nothing, doesn't it? At least temp has risen above zero at least during the day for a change.

I didn't plan on doing a FOTD this week, but after putting on Sonia Kashuk Satin Luxe lip colours SPF16 in Spiced Berry, I couldn't help it. The name fits perfectly!

Satin Luxe has become my favorite formula among the 4 lines I posted about. It feels so light and moisturizing, and the colours I picked are all great. Spiced Berry is pigmented and dark enough to my liking.

I also have Make Up For Ever Step 1 Skin Equalizer Smoothing primer (review coming soon) and Pro Sculpting duo in #1 Pink Beige on, but the effects are not easy to see :)

I totally go back to basics on the eyes, literally, with:
- Elf smudge pot in Back to Basics as base
- Quo Back to Basics palette
- Rimmel Scandal Eyes waterproof kohl kajal liner in Light Blue
- Annabelle Smoothie eyeshadow pencil in Mauve-tion
- Marcelle Xtension Plus + Pro Lash Growth Complex mascara in Black. 

Other products on the face:
- Make Up For Ever HD Invisible Cover foundation in 123
- It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eyes full coverage concealer in Neutral Medium
- Make Up For Ever Artist eyeshadow in I808 (from Desire Me Cheeky blush trio) as blush
- Wet n Wild Color Icon brow & eye liner in Mink Brown.

Can't wait for this super long weekend to start. I just want to sleep off this winter weather.

Make Up For Ever Pro Sculpting duo is the latest buzz in the blogging/ YT community.

The product is supposed to offer natural sculpting results with a talc-free gel powder formula and skin-enhancing ingredients:
- Spherical powders and polymers: to smooth the skin with a silky finish
- Light-reflecting synthetic Mica: for a radiant effect
- Micronized pigments of pure colour: to create a naturally defined appearance.

The Pro Sculpting duo comes in 2 shades. I received #1 Pink Beige, meant for fair to medium skin.

Also pictured is Make Up For Ever Large Flat Blush brush #156, suggested to be used with it.

The highlighter half (for cheek bones, cupid's bow, and under the brow) is pink toned, appears quite subtle above my cheek bones with the #156 brush or an angled blush brush.

I can get it show up more with my finger and dabbing motions.

The sculpting half (for under the cheek bone, jaw line and across the hair line) is quite warm and similarly subtle (see below).

It is more like a light bronzer on lighter medium skin tone. If you are any darker than me, #2 Golden might show up better. The highlighter in that duo is yellow toned, said to be a dupe of MAC Whisper of Guilt (or Estee Lauder Heatwave).

The Large Flat Blush brush #156 is more fluffy and less dense than the Precision Blush brush #150 that comes in the Desire Me Cheeky blush trio. It would do the job of light sculpting work, but if you want intensity, pick a dense brush.

If you have your eyes on the Pro Sculpting duos, I would suggest a swatch to see which highlighter you like better as it seems to be a stronger selling point than the bronzer half. They are available now, 0.28oz/ 8g, $45 each.

Here is a FOTD where I wear the duo, very subtly :)

It's our very first Snow Day of 2015 and I have an equally crazy FOTD for you, featuring Make Up For Ever Desire Me Cheeky blush trio.

On the eyes (using eyeshadow brush and blending brush): I526 Pearl Beige in the inner corner of the lids and under the brow bones, I808 English Pink as transition and on the lower lash line, and S748 Coral in the outer corner.

On the cheeks (with the Artisan Blush brush #150): I808 on the apples, S748 as transition and I526 as highlight.

Also from Make Up For Ever for this look:
- HD Microperfecting primer #2 Mauve
- HD Invisible Cover foundation in 123
- Smoky Extravagant mascara
- Aqua Lip in 16C and Aqua Rouge in 16 Fuchsia from the Ultimate Long Lasting Lip kit.

Other products used:
- Marcelle Hydra-C Radiance Ultra Light Matifying Fluid
An oldie that was neglected in the stash, a goodie for sure. When I use it, I don't have to powder/ set my foundation
- Cover FX Conceal Fx Camouflage concealer in Light
- Milani Liquid Eye liquid-like eyeliner pencil in Black
- Physicians Formula 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner + Serum in Ultra Black 
Ignore the odd 2-pronged flick I was experimenting there. Haven't touched the liquid eyeliner for a while and thought I should do something crazy (adventurous)
- Annabelle InstaGlam Brow Design + Fix in Medium to Dark and Wet n Wild Color Icon brow & eye liner in Mink Brown.

I can't get over how pretty the 16 Fuchsia Aqua Rouge looks matte. It does feel a little dry on its own without the glossy gloss but it is worth it.

On to what's going on outside. This blizzard was forecasted badly enough to prompt early announcement of work and school cancellation for today, which was great. Nobody wants to be stranded at work or on the road during heavy snow fall or icy condition later in the day.

Squirt was happy to have a day off school. I am just glad not having to get up early to make the trip into town. A chill day for us to watch YT or put together some IKEA stuff for my makeup room maybe :)

I heard New York is hit too with this storm. Stay safe everyone!

My love for Make Up For Ever Artist eyeshadows continues with this Desire Me Cheeky blush trio I received.

Yes, these three shades (I526, I808 and S748, full size) are from the eyeshadow range but perfectly serve the "blush, highlight, and glow" purpose.

The set also comes with:
- travel-sized Precision Blush brush #150
- a velvet pouch (decorated with a Make Up For Ever tag and a key charm), and
- face charts from Victoria Down, the head makeup artist for the Fifty Shades of Grey movie.

Brownie points for the cute packaging.

Here is the closeup of the eyeshadows, with flash.

I526 Pearl Beige is a nice brow bone and cheek highlight.

I'm not sure what colour is an English pink exactly, but I808 English Pink is a pink with mauve tone here.

S748 Coral is beautiful. I have not been wearing a lot of corals/ oranges but this shade brings me back big time.

Note that in natural lighting (in this pic), I526 looks more beige and I808 is less mauve.

I know most of us love multi-purpose products. Here is a FOTD with these shades on both eyes and face to show you just that.

The brush included in the set - Precision Blush brush #150 - is very cute in travel size, with a shorter handle (reg. $40 for full size).

It is great for traveling but I do wish for a tiny bit longer handle so it does not get lost easily in the makeup bag :)

The bristles are soft (as with almost all MUFE Artisan brushes) and the slanted/ pointed shape works well with depositing, blending and highlighting work with the above 3 eyeshadows/ blush.

Swatched with the blush brush, the colours are softer but still show up well on the skin. Same order in the palette - I526, I808 and S748.

With a damp eyeshadow brush, they are more pigmented (show below). Will be gorgeous on the eyes.

The Desire Me Cheek set retails CAD56 (values $128), Limited Edition.