Made out of a sleek matte black cardboard, the Make Up For Ever Studio Case is about the size of an iPad Mini but it's quite thick. The palette has a snap closure and it has metal embellishments on the outside. There is a mirror on the underside of the lid and it has the brand's logo and a pair of cute red lips printed on it.
The shadows and the liner are all stored in a foam insert, which removes to reveal a bottom storage area. I find the extra space to be a bit excessive because it makes the packaging bulkier but I think it is important for it to be there to keep true to the aesthetics of the "studio case".
Overall, the packaging is actually really cute but I would have prefered a sleeker, more compact design. Also, the case comes with a small look book with tutorials for inspirations.
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| Make Up For Ever Studio Case |
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| Make Up For Ever Studio Case |
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| Make Up For Ever Studio Case |
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| Make Up For Ever Studio Case |
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| Make Up For Ever Studio Case |
The shadows in this palette are about the size of a penny (0.7g). They definitely could be bigger, for the ease application but 0.7g is really more than I can ever finish. The Artist Shadows have several different finishes and they are indicated in the shades' names. M stands for Matte, S for Satin, I for Iridescent, ME for Metallic, and D for Diamond.
The 12 shadows are divided into four groups of three and they are:
Natural:
- M-530: This is an essential ivory matte, perfect as a brow and inner corner highlight or blending color. The formulation is decent, a bit powdery but it does the job.
- S-516: A satin beige, this is a lovely all over the lid color. The formulation is soft and pigmented, I think this and M-530 will probably be the two most-used colors in the palette.
- I-544: This is a light "iridescent" brown, which has a satin-y/metallic finish. It is pigmented, creamy and rich.
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| Natural: M-530, S-516, I-544 |
- ME-122: This is a very pale silver (almost whitish) foil. The formulation is super pigmented and buttery.
- ME-108: This a standard metallic silver. I dearly wish this had a more opaque foil finish like ME-122. Don't get me wrong, the formulation is great, pigmented and soft but it just didn't have that wow factor I look for in metallic silvers.
- M-100: A simple matte black, this one, much like all other matte blacks, was kind of hard and chalky. It works as an accent over another shadow but on it's own it takes quite some swipes to get intense color payoff.
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| Smoky: ME-122, ME-108, M-100 |
- D-236: This is a gorgeous bright blue with silver and blue shimmers and sparkles (aka the diamond finish). The formulation is super pigmented and rich.
- D-926: A purple version of D-236, this one is slightly less opaque but it still dazzles brilliantly.
- I-218: This is a iridescent denim blue. The pigmentation is ok but it can definitely be more intense and the texture can be smoother and creamier.
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| Bold: D-236, D-926, I-218 |
- I-524: Although this pale pink should have an iridescent finish, it actually looks quite satin-y (or even matte). It's super pigmented and soft. I think it would make such a lovely brow highlight!
- D-826: This is a warm bronze with flecks of bronze sparkle. Good pigmentation and texture.
- ME-828: This is an antique bronze metallic, the pigmentation is decent but the formulation could be just a tad softer and creamier.
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| Chic: I-524, D-826, ME-828 |
Released a couple months ago along with the Artist Shadows, the new Artist Liners from Make Up For Ever features a super-slim packaging and a long lasting and gel-glide formulation.
Packaging:
The liner comes in a thin twist-up pencil. I actually noticed that the liner does not retract so that's something to take note of.
Formulation:
I tried Matte Black "M-10" on the back of my hand and the formulation is very rich and creamy and sets quickly as well. I have yet to try this on my eyes but Jenn from A Beautiful Zen noted that this one smudges easily. I've tried another shade of the Artist Liner (see my review of I-16) and it is quite long-lasting and smudge-proof so there seems to be some discrepancy in the formulation.
Overall:
Packaging:
The liner comes in a thin twist-up pencil. I actually noticed that the liner does not retract so that's something to take note of.
Formulation:
I tried Matte Black "M-10" on the back of my hand and the formulation is very rich and creamy and sets quickly as well. I have yet to try this on my eyes but Jenn from A Beautiful Zen noted that this one smudges easily. I've tried another shade of the Artist Liner (see my review of I-16) and it is quite long-lasting and smudge-proof so there seems to be some discrepancy in the formulation.
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| Artist Liner from the Studio Case |
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| Artist Liner in Matte Black "M-10" |
The value of the palette according to Make Up For Ever is $107 CAD (versus $68.50 retail price) so I think this set is a good deal. The packaging, though bulky, is quite cute. The selection of the shadows is also very versatile (but there wasn't too many that really wowed me) and formulation-wise the majority of the colors are great. So overall, good value and good quality, definitely worth getting if you like the color selection.
Availability:
Make Up For Ever is available online and in stores at Sephora.
