Make Up For Ever Artisan Brush Collection

Good makeup brushes make a huge difference.  A lot of people who love makeup don't spring for good brushes.  Yes they don't usually come inexpensively but they are so worth it and will last long. Whenever I've given friends brushes , when all they used were the ones that came in the packaging, they had a wow moment.

New to the scene is a full, large line of 76 brushes from Make Up For Ever called the Artisan Collection.  Each brush is handcrafted by  a total of 30 people  and the line went through 5 years of testing before being ready.

They are synthetic fibers (  I thought they were real at first that's how nice the hair was) and have textures of wavy and straight . Straight gives more precise generous application while wavy give lighter and freer.

I've tried 3  so far and found them to be quite nice. They are a heavy tool, perhaps more than I am used too, but it isn't really an issue . I get a light application meaning I can build as opposed to getting too much at once  and they glide on skin .

My favorite is #112 , a very large brush that MUFE recs for cream and liquid foundation . The stiffer bristle set and pointed tip make it good for that, but I like using it for powder and highlighter placement.

#158 is a dual sided sculpting brush that is great for blush and powders and #242 is a large blender brush which is great for placement of highlighter, shadow and more.


Since we talk holiday gifting so much this time of year, while these may not leap to mind, a group of new  pro brushes makes a  great idea for the makeup fan in your life. These are the kind of thing they may not buy for themselves and if they are a beauty fan that seems to have everything, they always need brushes.

Make Up For Ever Artisan brushes are available now at Sephora.com   

, select styles in Sephora stores and MUFE boutiques.

#112 $ 46.00
#158 $ 53.00
$242 $ 30.00

Make Up For Ever Blue Sepia- Fall 2013

Make Up For Ever's fall look is  called Blue Sepia and includes  a new retro blue shade in both shadow and liner  they call Petrol Blue.

Dani Sanz has taken inspiration from the '50s  romance and glamour looks for this new eye palette and  liquid Aqua Liner.

BLUE SEPIA PALETTE

The new Blue Sepia Palette includes #128 Copper Fawn, #28 Coffee, #152 Light
Pink, #04 Black, #98 Brown, #17 Espresso, #127 Metallic Taupe and the exclusive limited edition shade for fall, Petrol Blue. The compact palette houses a mirror with a portable double-ended shader and precision crease brush, and an angled eyebrow brush.

The multi-use palette contains all the necessary shades to allow every woman to recreate the 1950s cat eye look complete with two shades for beautiful brows. $45

AQUA LINER
This limited edition shade has been created to echo the sophisticated and
feminine elegance of the 1950s fashion. $23

There is also a set of Swarovski crystal enhanced faux lashes .

Blue Sepia will on counter in September.

Make Up For Ever Pro Finish Compact Foundation

Shades 117, 115

Powder foundations are my favorite.  I love liquids too, of course, but powders have been very good to me. They are super fast to  use and work great for oilier skins.  The new Make Up For Ever powder foundation, Pro Finish,  is all that and a bag of chips as the saying goes. It's  a powerhouse powder.

The coverage is excellent dry and the wear time is amazing. It looks good all day and all evening. Without a touch up.  I am less oily in winter so in summer I would say I'd  need a blot on the nose at times.

This isn't a heavy powder but it is full coverage unless you use it wet where it becomes very sheer. Too sheer for me. I'm all about the full. It's full and mainly matte but not flat. Your skin looks good. Perfected and soft.

New things in this foundation- a patented vegetal lecithin coating which helps to make pigments look more natural on skin, and it has much less talc than other powder foundations.   Ximenia oil and Aloe Vera  keep it  from looking dry as well.

I've talked about the long wear, MUFE also says it is water resistant.

Make Up For Ever calls is a powder foundation for the woman who would never try powder foundation and I agree.

Pro Finish comes in 25 shades and is $ 36 at  Sephora 

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners

Make Up For Ever's new Aqua Liners are IT.   These liners last as last all day, as  in last even after you've washed your face you may find a trace still there last. (Having  not used eye makeup remover beforehand in that case).

You've heard me mention many times how few products last on my eyes. Even waterproof etc. These stay on , even on my very oily lids.

The applicator is very tiny , precise and hard. It's really easy to use and I am no liquid liner expert.

 They also come in a great color selection. From bright green to flat black. I have #5 Diamond Turquoise Blue and #7 Diamond  Black Purple. The purple is a definite favorite. It's very dark, but still purple, or almost plum. The green shades are on my list.

At The Makeup Show preview this weekend, makeup artist to Joan Jett and  American Idol among others, as well as fun guy, James Vincent talked about how much he loved the new Aqua Liners. He got to test them before anyone else during Miami Fashion Week and had models in the pool water  all day shooting with these liners  and they didn't budge.

Key ingredient is  50 % more polymers than other eyeliner formulations.

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liners are available now at Sephora  for $ 23.00 and come in 15 shades.

The Make Up For Ever Marionettes at The Makeup Show

Saturday was the preview party for The Makeup Show NYC. It was one fun event. The highlight was  meeting Dany Sanz and  her and her team from Make Up For Ever doing full body paint on 3 models and making them into marionettes. They even brought in a marionette artist to conduct them. The painting was incredible , detailed and  often looked like real clothes .

Here is a clip I took of most of the performance. I wasn't super close but you still see most of it.

Make Up For Ever Lab Shine Lipgloss

 First up about  new Lab Shine glosses- they are highly emollient. I felt so much moisture as soon as I applied thanks to the hyaluronic acid and Camelia oil in there.   For winter weather, thats a big plus. Then there's  the great pigment  and  they last long. Add  in  a nice  non-tacky feeling  and plenty of shine  and it's time to be excited by a gloss again.

I am all about the Metal  formula, but I also tried Star and it was really nice as well. Metal is  creamy and has a thicker texture than Star.  It's smooth but deeply pigmented and while metallic not as molten as I expected. ( Keeping in mind  that for me ,the more metallic the better.) So don't fear looking like a metal mouth. It glows big and looks great but you need to blend this formula a bit.   

The Star  gloss  packs great pigment and just a little pearl. It seems almost a  satin finish.  Medium coverage but a bit sheer, I liked it best with 2 coats.

There are 35 new shades across 3 formulas- Diamond, Star and Metal. Diamond being the sheerest with glitter and the brands Diamond Powder in it.  Star is mother of pearl with Star powder,   and Metal is described as chrome with has Metal powder .

My shades shown are M6  and S10.

Available now at Make Up For Ever boutiques and on Sephora.com and in Sephora stores in February.

Retail is $ 18.00 US

Make Up For Ever- Rock For Ever Holiday

Make Up For Ever has  some hot items out now for holiday.  They are all about Rock, being called Rock For Ever and feature  studded tin cases that be can re -used. I definitely plan on finding a good use for mine , it's too neat not to.

Two highlights are the Rock For Ever Aqua Eyes and Dany's Essentials.

Rock For Ever Aqua Eyes has 5 mini Aqua Eyes  eyeliners in matte black, silver, gold, copper and dark grey.  All fab colors and mostly metallics.  Kit is $ 36.00  and LE.

Dany's Essentials is a wow. It's a huge case loaded with the company's creator and artistic director's   favorite products.

This set contains:

For Complexion: 0.40 oz HD Elixir; 1.01 oz HD Microperfecting Primer; 0.35 oz HD Microfinish Powder; 4.22 oz Mist & Fix; HD Kabuki Brush

For Eyes: 0.23 oz Smoky Lash, 0.23 oz Aqua Smoky Lash; 4 x 0.04 oz Aqua Eyes in shades Mat Black 0L , Pearly Brown 2L , Iridescent Navy Blue 3L , Purple 11L ; 0.24 oz Aqua Black Waterproof Cream Eye Shadow; 2 x 0.21 oz Aqua Cream in shades 13 Warm Beige , 15 Taupe ; 2 x 0.08 oz Eye Shadow in shades Iridescent Yellow Beige 126 , Iridescent Brown Black 139 ; 0.08 oz Diamond Shadow Diamond Purple 309 ; 2 x 0.09 oz Star Powder in shades Copper 922 , White/Orange 940; 2 x Faux Lash in 21 Floriane , 115 Erin ; 0.84 oz Travel Sens'Eyes; Double Pencil Sharpener

For Lips: 3 x 0.12 oz Rouge Artist Intense in shades 1 , 36 , 43 Moulin Rouge ; 0.21 oz Aqua Cream 5 Peach ; 2 x Aqua Lip Nude Beige 1C , Red 8C

$ 299.00 and LE

All sets ( there are 2 more) available at Sephora.com

Daniella Kallmeyer with Make Up For Ever Spring 2011 Show

Daniella Kallmeyer was the first runner up on The Fashion Show. She had her first fashion week presentation earlier this week and Make Up For Ever was behind the gorgeous bronzed makeup look.

Key artist was Orlando Santiago and his inspiration was "South of France  pretty little rich girl ".  It's  very chic and sunny , yet a look that's not too planned.

Some of the products ( all are by Make Up For Ever) used to create this look were:

Face & Body foundation, Mat Bronze #6, Sculpting Kit # 10 for cheeks, Pan Cake # 3 and Diamond Cream # 7 for cheek highlights.

Eye shadow # 126 for a wash of color on eyes, inner eye lined with Concealer Pencil # 100, Faux Lash # 155 for a clumpy look, and Smoky  Lash mascara.

Rouge Artist Intense lipstick in # 38 on the lips.

I got a quick peek at one of  Kallmeyer's designs and was especially in love with the bold rose gold colored necklace.

Make Up For Ever Aqua Creams

The new Aqua Creams from Make Up For Ever are pigment powerhouses. What you see in the pot is exactly what you get.

The emerald green is swoonworthy beautiful. I use it on the whole eye with some light gold shadow in the inner corner, and it makes a great liner as well. The brown is a perfect mid-deep brown with shimmer. A great layering shadow or for a smoky eye or just by itself which is how I've used it so far.

They are blendable but not super creamy. There's good stick to them ( but a non -sticky texture) and that keeps them on the eye , lip or cheek much longer. Mother of Pearl particles give shimmer and depth.

These are made to withstand water, humidity, hot photo shoots etc. They are smudge and tear proof and come in 21 shades ( 6 for lips/cheeks, 15 for eyes). All can be blended or mixed as needed .

I am happy to report that the Aqua Creams last long on my eyes. I've said many times about my severe eye makeup melt , so I was anxious as could be to try these. I do get a tiny bit of wear after several hours but overall these last longer on me ( and remember I can melt almost anything it seems short of permanent makeup) than most eyeshadows .

Color #9 is a coral/pink for lips and cheeks. Same bold pigment for long lasting lipcolor. This is not a pale, quiet shade and it lasted well on my lips even with a gloss topcoat .

Aqua Creams are in store/ on site now at Sephora.com and retail for $ 22.00

Things I Learned In NYC & at The Makeup Show

This weekend was the always fabulous Makeup Show in NYC. I got to do a short preview visit as I wasn't able to attend the show itself. The day also included a stop at the pretty Lancome boutique on the Upper West Side.

Some highlights:

- Sandy Linter is amazing. In case you don't know who she is, she is currently the Makeup For Every Age expert for Lancome , but has been in the business for decades doing fashion , Vogue covers and much more. She did a quick touch up on my eyes, that was much needed and made such a difference. All she used were gold and black pencils and Oscillation mascara. Oh and she loved my own blush application. Getting praise from Sandy Linter =priceless.

-Lancome has some great new products just out and coming soon. Stay tuned.

- OCC Lip Tars pack more pigment than anything I have ever seen . I mean, wow , in the extreme. I have used their nail polish but never the lip tars. But I have wanted to. I have Grandma , an orange/coral ( it's not as red as my image seems) and while I love it , it's way too much for me. It's bolder and more vivid than you can imagine. For darker skin tones it would be better. There are many shades and it's so thick that a droplet is all you need .

- James Vincent, makeup artist and Makeup Show co -founder is a very fun, funny guy. Ok, I knew this from past visits, but it's worth mentioning when a guy channels Aretha, Oprah and Dionne Warwick all in one short presentation.

- I think Make Up For Ever Aqua Creams will be a dream product . Waterproof, sweatproof. More to come on then once I try them. I am all about getting these asap.

- The Makeup Show is going to Europe. Possibly within a year.

-I love too many very expensive fragrances. ( No surprise there, right ?) Newly discovered- yet another Heeley, Iris de Nuit and Penhaligons Extract of Limes . Don't get me started on the Cire Trudon candles. Happily L'Artisan's new Nuit de Tuberose did not move me.

- Everyone in NYC and visiting NYC is wearing gladiator sandals. But me. I think I am over them. They just aren't flattering on.

-For the first time I saw the line at the Village locale of Magnolia Bakery for cupcakes and I tried one uptown. Popularized by Sex and the City , the Village location is busy. Here's the thing- they are just ok. Sugar Sweet Sunshine are better , and I hear Crumbs is too. Save the hour line time and try one of these places instead. Or watch them make the cupcakes in the window, so you can say you were there .

MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Microfinish Blush

There's lots new coming on the makeup front from Make Up For Ever. Some just previewed at an industry show but already out at Sephora and launching nationally everywhere shortly is the HD Microfinish Blush.

HD Blush is a high pigment, easy blending cream/gel blush. The formula is fairly thin and you only need a small amount .

The blush is also made to be long wearing and look perfect in HDTV conditions. It is invisible to the camera/eye on skin and has both mattifying and reflecting powders built in.

The two shades I have are what I would call medium colors, 8 being a bit deeper. They are very natural looking and easy to use . They have no shimmer. I used my fingertip to blend, but the proper brush would work as well. They easily blend down to a sheerer, lighter finish.

There are 14 shades and the bottle is .33 oz.

$ 25.00 at Sephora.com

MAKE UP FOR EVER & " The Runaways"

One of the most hotly anticipated new movies this year is "The Runaways", documenting the rise of the all girl rock band who gave us the amazing Joan Jett.

While I was too young for The Runaways the first time around, I have to come to be an admirer of Joan Jett as a solo artist. She's always been true to who she is and she rocks the best eyeliner around. Her look is her look and she does it well. I am very happy that a younger generation is about to meet these groundbreaking rock grrrls. Maybe now Joan will finally inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame .

It's amazing how well the made Kristen Stewart into Joan as well as transfroming Dakota Fanning into Cherrie Curry( seriously she doesn't even look like herself). That's the power or makeup and hair.

Make Up For Ever was the makeup used to do those smoky eyes on the ladies. Now you can not only see how they got the look but enter a contest to be a part of "The Runaways" movie premiere.

All the details:

In order to design the eye-catching on-screen looks for the new motion picture, make up department head Robin Mathews chose MAKE UP FOR EVER’s Eye Shadows, Aqua Eyes and Smoky Lash mascara to achieve the smoky eye, rock and roll look of the band.

"I designed ‘The Runaways’ Eyes around MAKE UP FOR EVER Eye Shadows. Their highly pigmented Eye Shadows and Aqua Eyes eyeliners are silky smooth, blendable, and long lasting," said Robin Mathews. "The color selection is limitless, giving you endless possibilities. I finished each look with Smoky Lash mascara – which is truly smudge proof, a necessity on and off stage."

To celebrate the film’s upcoming release, MAKE UP FOR EVER has partnered with "The Runaways" to host a sweepstakes where one lucky winner and a guest will be invited to party like a true rock star at the New York City premiere of the film on March 17th.

For official rules and more information on how to enter, visit http://www.makeupforeverusa.com/runaways/ , and fan us at www.facebook.com/MAKEUPFOREVERUSA to see our favorite rocker looks.

Additionally, MAKE UP FOR EVER’s favorite smoky eye color combinations are featured in Sephora stores across the U.S. and Canada, allowing shoppers to customize their look for spring.

Make Up For Ever backstage at Thuy Fall 2010

Make Up For Ever Alliance team member, Lottie (http://www.makeupforever-alliance.com/), served as key make up artist for the Thuy fall 2010 show. Here's the look sheet with a ful breakdown of products used.

I love the light gold shimmer on the eyes. It really opens and brightens the eye. This is one runway look I've done variations of and you can easily replicate as well.

Complexion & Cheeks: Lottie first applied HD Invisible Cover Foundation to perfect the models’ complexion. Next, she created a contour on the cheeks using Mat Bronze #2, and then applied more bronzer high on the apple of the cheeks. The look was set with Super Matte Loose Powder #12 on the t-zone.

Eyes: To create a sheer, shimmery gold wash on the eyes, Star Powder #920 was applied to the entire eye area starting at the lid and extending beyond the brow and temple. Pan Cake Foundation #3 was then applied to the temples to illuminate the skin. The eyes were finished with Smoky Lash Mascara on both the top and bottom lashes.

Lips: Lottie mixed Flash Color #1 with a hint of Flash Color #17 to get a matte, blood red stained mouth. She applied the Flash Color with her fingertips to blot it onto the mouth.

Images: Make Up For Ever and Reuters

Meltproof Makeup Tips

With a week of 100 temps behind us, but no doubt more heat coming, I thought I'd share some of my best hot weather makeup tips. I have serious makeup melt, even when it's not that hot, so the scorching weather really proves hard. I have tried many things to keep the makeup on, and some work pretty well.
First up are eye tips, since I think thats one area we all share in having trouble with. Plus, the face/ foundation in heat wars rage on for me. We'll save that for another post possibly.


A good tip is to begin to rely more on eyeliner than shadows for your eyes. Not just dark liner though, but brights or pastels. Eyepencils in lighter colors seem to hold up much better than black or dark brown. Plus there are now many waterproof versions out there. I have used the basic Sephora non -waterproof ones for years in a lime shade and a light purple with great results. Against a neutral eye background, these look nice, wear well, and if they do begin to slide, don't leave as much of a mess as dark ones.

Good choices :

Sephora Flashy Waterproof Liner: With colors like mauve, copper, orange and silver, you can't go wrong at 8.00

Make Up Forever Aqua Eyes : A huge color spectrum for black to yellow -green to turquoise, these are $ 16.00.

For 35.00 you can get a metallic bronze set of 5 colors., which includes silver and black.


Urban Decay Liquid Liner- If you like liquid, here's your liner. Another I have used for years. Now in new bottle, these stay put forever. Better than the 24/7's even. Acid Green and Honey( gold) are 2 favs and great for now. $ 18.00

Eyeshadows:

Clinique Quick Eyes Liquid Shadow- dries fast, lasts really long. All are fairly light, iridescent shades that don't overdo it. $ 15.00



MAC Paints-I love the Paint Pots, but think these last far longer. In a bit of a messy tube, just squeeze out what you need and apply. Mostly in easy to wear neutrals, there are a few in deeper colors like the red Flammable and deep brown Deep Shadow. $ 16.50 These also make a great eyeshadow base. http://www.maccosmetics.com/

Mascara-

One of the most subjective makeup items out there it seems. But I can wear down even the most waterproof mascara, so if it lasts on me, it should last on anyone.


Cover Girl - I swear by these mostly. Since they went to a smudge free formula years ago, and I tried them for the 1st time, they always last and last and never smudge, ever. The ones I think work best are Volume Exact, Fantastic Lash, Professional( less than 5 bucks) and of course Marathon.

Lancome Defincils- a staple that makes it thru the whole day and night without budging, thankfully. $ 23.00

Now there are many others out there, some I have not tried, so feel free to weigh in here. Great Lash in any incarnation runs immediately on me, Chanel Imitable Waterproof, which I love, does not make it all day. Yes the waterproof doesn't even do it. Sigh.

All Purpose:

Benefit She Laq- I have talked about this before. This stuff saves my eye makeup when I really need it to . It's not perfect, it does make shadow look a bit crinkly, but it also makes it last all day in heat or not. Good enough for me. Makes those smudge-ing mascaras do their job right too. $ 28.00

NARS Multiple- One do it all stick that dries powder-y and lasts on lips and cheeks. Love it. Portable, great for the beach to touch up after, or anytime you need it. Creams rarley last on me, but this one does pretty well. Use on eyes too. $ 36.00

Hope this helps, thse are all products that I use and work for me. There is more to explore and if you have more tips, share.

All items except MAC and Cover Girl are http://www.sephora.com/