What It Is:

Make Up For Ever Aqua Shadow in 20E pearly taupe, 28E pearly beige and 8E matte green.

Why This Should Be in Your Bag:

Make Up For Ever is a great brand that makes professional quality products for the everyday consumer. They’re a staple in my makeup collection and this column because they consistently pump out top-notch products. You really can’t go wrong with MUFE.

This season, they’ve expand their “Aqua” line to new eyeshadow pencils, dubbed Aqua Shadow. Each pencil contains 0.14oz of creamy, dreamy shadow, that is designed to be drawn on and then smudged to your heart’s content. I tested out two shades from the “pearly” collection and one from the “matte”. They promise an “intensely pigmented, waterproof formula [that] provides immediate, rich color that will not smudge, crease, or fade.”

How To Use It:
These shadow pencils are designed to be simple and applied easily. You just “draw” the shadow on your lid and then smudge – I use my finger but you may prefer a brush. For this review, I tested a look with the two pearly shades, one on the lid and one in the crease. I found it difficult to apply the crease shade on top of the lid shade, so that may be something to note when applying yourself. These also work well on the lower lash-line!

(28E pearly beige, 20E pearly taupe and 8E matte green)

CC Rating: B-

Overall, the Make Up For Ever Aqua Shadows delivered on the majority of their promises, but didn’t really “wow” me. They remind me of the Aqua Creams, MUFE’s cream eyeshadow in a pot with the same claims, but slightly sheerer. I appreciated the easy, quick application they provided, but I did have to spend considerable time blending and trying to get the crease color to apply over the lid color. It was nearly impossible! I also found that after a day at work, these were slightly creased and almost flaking off. MUFE doesn’t indicate how long these are supposed to wear for, but they do insist that they don’t smudge, crease or fade, which they did.

What I do really like these for is lower lash-lining, especially using shade 20E pearly taupe in this way with warm, smokey looks. I’m not sure if they’re waterline safe, but I used the 2 other shades there, too. The only issue with this is that there is already an Aqua Eyes range of eyeliners, so they’re a bit redundant in the whole MUFE collection if this is the only way they can be utilized.

I can see these being really great for girl’s who are SUPER on-the-go and only have time to swipe on eyeshadow during their commute. The pencil format makes application a breeze and ensures portability. However, if you’re just a regular gal, you may be better off with an Aqua Cream in a similar shade. You get 0.07oz more product for only 3 more dollars, and I find they perform better.

You can find the Make Up For Ever Aqua Shadows on Sephora.com for $20 each.

[Need some new makeup but not sure what to buy? Check out Alex's other beauty reviews here.]

What It Is:

Make Up For Ever La Boheme Rouge Artist Natural in Boheme and Folk

Why This Should Be in Your Bag:

Make Up For Ever is a fantastic cosmetics brand, known for professional-level products. Their Rouge Artist line of lipsticks are pigment-saturated and deliver a huge dose of color. I love the formula, but sometimes don’t want to wear such an intense lip shade. This is where the new Rouge Artist Natural range comes in. They are “light-coverage lipsticks with a soft, shiny finish.” For the new La Boheme collection, they’ve released two: Boheme and Folk. Read More »

Every few months when I start to run out of my high-end make up, I tend to re-evaluate why I’m spending so much money on products.  I save up a lot in order to purchase the likes of Make Up For Ever, NARS, MAC, and Urban Decay.  But I also think about what I could be spending that money on, and I look into more affordable options.  While I absolutely love my high-end brands, I also love drug store brands. Like, the kind of love I usually reserve for peanut butter and chocolate. I have a huge variety of the stuff and I’m a strong advocate for affordable make up.

That’s why I get really excited when brands like Maybelline try to imitate those big makeup brands.  You’ve probably seen those TV ads for their new FIT ME collection of foundations and powders.  They’re a little annoying, but the product is good.  Really good!  I was very impressed with how similar the quality was to my high-end products. Plus, it has SPF 18 in the foundation!

My only real qualm was that I couldn’t test the shade in the store.  They have a wide spectrum of 18 shades said to fit all skintones, but it’s still a necessity for me to test a shade in the store before I buy it.  Also, I recommend using a primer (here’s how it’s done!) with the foundation to help it last.  If you’re looking for something that feels like a high-end brand but is extremely affordable, then check this collection out! But first, get my full rundown here: Read More »

Is it just me or is there another “revolutionary” new makeup product introduced every freaking day?! Just walking into Ulta or Sephora (or even Walgreens!) sends many chicas into fits of hysteria, reaching for the nearest brown bag to regulate their breathing. It’s all so overwhelming.

So how can you know which product – among the sea of thousands – is the best? Which does what you need it to do? Which ones are worth the extra money? Let me help. I don’t know every beauty product out there, but I’ve tested a lot of them and I’ll let you know which are worth the money and which are not.

(Disclaimer: This product was provided to me for review purposes)

What it is: Make Up For Ever Rock For Ever Eye Shadow Palette (Wow that’s a mouthful!)

Why this should be in your bag
I feel like it’s been ages since I’ve reviewed a palette! Even though they are super cute and convenient, it’s hard to find one where I would use every single shade.

Make Up For Ever is known for its top-notch cosmetic products, including buttery shadow that blends like no other. I sometimes find companies skimp on the quality in palettes, but trust me, the Rock For Ever Palette is still filled with the formula you know and love (or should try out!).

Upon first glance the Make Up For Ever Rock For Ever Palette colors might seem a bit blah. Yeah, sure, black + silver + white = a great smokey eye, but really, what else? But then I saw that shimmering apricot color in the top right corner and my imagination was kick started. This palette can be used to create a myriad of looks, which, surprisingly, include simple, everyday ones. Read More »

Is it just me or is there another “revolutionary” new makeup product introduced every freaking day?! Just walking into Ulta or Sephora (or even Walgreens!) sends many chicas into fits of hysteria, reaching for the nearest brown bag to regulate their breathing. It’s all so overwhelming.

So how can you know which product – among the sea of thousands – is the best? Which does what you need it to do? Which ones are worth the extra money? Let me help. I don’t know every beauty product out there, but I’ve tested a lot of them and I’ll let you know which are worth the money and which are not.

(Disclaimer: This product was provided to me for review purposes)

What it is: Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Intense

Why this should be in your bag:
Pigmented lipsticks can really take a look up a notch. Whether it’s a perfect, everyday pink or an sultry red, every girl needs a couple great colors in her arsenal. Make Up For Ever’s new line of Rouge Artist Intense lipsticks are “formulated with 50% more pigment than the traditional lipstick…[and] gives an immediate, true-to-color result.” This means amazing color payoff and a long-wearing look. Read More »

Many of you have asked me how to get your makeup to last all day. This has been one of my own questions for a long time, but with one product, I figured it out. I’ve talked to you all about primers, which help at lot. However, what really makes it stick is a setting powder.

I’ve tried products from Maybelline, Covergirl, Neutrogena…you name it. Nothing even comes close to matching up with Make Up For Ever’s HD High Definition Powder (Sephora, $30). Yes, $30 is pricey for some powder. But this isn’t just any powder. This literally keeps your makeup on ALL. DAY. LONG!

$30 is nothing for what this little lady can do.

Is it just me or is there another “revolutionary” new makeup product introduced every freaking day?! Just walking into Ulta or Sephora (or even Walgreens!) sends many chicas into fits of hysteria, reaching for the nearest brown bag to regulate their breathing. It’s all so overwhelming.

So how can you know which product – among the sea of thousands – is the best? Which does what you need it to do? Which ones are worth the extra money? Let me help. I don’t know every beauty product out there, but I’ve tested a lot of them and I’ll let you know which are worth the money and which are not.

(Disclaimer: This product provided to me for review purposes.)

What it is: Make Up For Ever Aqua Creams in #1, #6, #15 & #21

Why this should be in your bag: Waterproof makeup is a summer essential! Hot temperatures + humidity = makeup running down your face and disappearing in a matter of minutes! However, if you’re like me, I still like to sport a little bit of makeup in the summer and this is where Aqua Creams come in. They’re invincible and require quite a bit of scrubbing to remove at the end of a long day. They’re also seriously crease-resistant and require no base or primer. You can even take a dip in the pool or partake in that neighborhood water-fight with these suckers on! Read More »

I am in love, truly, madly, and of course deeply. Does it really matter that the object of my affection just happens to be my new foundation? I didn’t think so.

Face & Body Liquid Makeup from Make Up For Ever is like heaven for your face. I happened across this wonderful stuff when I was rushing through Sephora, desperately searching for the perfect foundation to accompany me to a record release party.

My old Clinique stuff was better suited to my pasty winter complexion not my sunny spring tone, hence it had to go. As much as I love Superfit make-up, I felt I needed to see other foundations, just to test the waters.

It was like speed-dating as I rushed from counter-to-counter, always a little disappointed. My skin is sort of a cappaccino hue, so finding something that works with my golden undertones and doesn’t make me look ashy it always a challenge. Bare Escentuals just wasn’t working for me, even though the whole mineral foundation thing is fabulous if you can find the right shade. I just looked a little off. Read More »