Temptalia

Make Up For Ever Lab Shine Lipglosses – Star Review, Photos, Swatches

Christine — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 18:25:53 +0000

Make Up For Ever Star Lab Shine Lipglosses

Make Up For Ever Lab Shine Lipglosses: Star Finish

For spring (although, these have been available at Make Up For Ever boutiques since last June), Make Up For Ever launches new Lab Sine Lip Gloss ($18.00 for 0.09 oz.) in three finishes with 35 shades in total.

I reviewed the Metal Lab Shines several months ago, when I first purchased the Lab Shines. My intention was always to review all of the ones I purchased (which is all except for three, which they did not have in-stock at the time), but I was never able to get through lip swatches for all of the new glosses. I do still hope to do lip swatches for them in the future, but for now, please enjoy swatches and photos.

The Star Collection includes 14 shades and contains Make Up For Ever’s Star Powder. This finish is supposed add a lot of shine with iridescent mother-of-pearl. All of the lip glosses have both hyaluronic acid and Camelina oil for help moisturize lips and improve elasticity. It is a non-sticky gloss with a slight, tropical fruit kind of scent. The scent is not overwhelming, and it doesn’t smell synthetically sweet. They are packaged in thick, clear tubes with a black cap and a brush-type applicator.

The shades included in this finish are: S0 (pearly nude), S2 (pearly light beige), S4 (pearly pink beige), S6 (pearly peach), S8 (pearly ruby red), S10 (pearly caramel), S12 (pearly praline), S14 (pearly blackcurrant), S16 (pearly raspberry), S18 (pearly rosewood), S20 (pearly violet), S22 (pearly candy pink), S24 (pearly coral), and S26 (pearly electric rose). All of the shades are featured in this post except #S2, which was not available for purchase when I purchased the rest of these.

S0 is a sheer, pearly champagne beige with pale champagne shimmer.
S4 is a sheer, pearly rose pink with soft yellow undertones and champagne shimmer.
S6 is a sheer, coral with peach and pale gold shimmer.
S8 is a semi-sheer, blue-based red with soft gold shimmer.
S10 is a sheer, burnt brown with slight orange tones and beige shimmer.
S12 is a sheer, neutral brown with gold and champagne shimmer.
S14 is a sheer, darkened plum with pink and pale gold shimmer.
S16 is a sheer, muted, medium fuchsia pink with icy pink and champagne shimmer.
S18 is sheer, rosy brown with pink and teal shimmer.
S20 is a sheer, milky cool-toned pink with gold shimmer.
S22 is a sheer, soft pink with subtle cool undertones and pale gold and pink shimmer.
S24 is a sheer pinked coral with subtle gold shimmer.
S26 is a semi-sheer dark fuchsia pink with fuchsia iridescence.

Star Lab Shines have a very smooth texture; they’re thick without being goopy, but they are very comfortable to wear. They’re some of the more moisturizing glosses I have tried, and with these lighter shades, I get about two to three hours of wear. I’d love ‘em more if they wore longer (three to four is average for me, two is below), but I do love that they have a huge shade range (that’s permanent!).

My big complaint is that these only have 0.09 oz. in them–the average lipgloss has about 0.20 oz., and even Make Up For Ever’s Fascinating Lipgloss contained that much, but they halved the size and kept the price. I understand these are a completely different formula and contain their various powders (Diamond, Star, and Metal), but whether that really merits what is in essence over a 50% price increase is up for debate.

If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ!

Product: 27/30
Value: 6/10
Ease of Use: 4/5
Packaging: 4/5

FINAL THOUGHTS: These are very nice gloss basics; they’re non-sticky, comfortable to wear, and there are lots of shades to choose from. The Star finish is probably my favorite, because it has a nice level of sparkle and iridescence that’s not glittery or over the top. These are generally on the sheerer side, though, but deposit more color than the Diamond finish.

WHERE TO BUY: Sephora.com

See more photos & swatches!

Make Up For Ever Star Lab Shine Lipglosses

S0, S4, S6, S8, S10

S8, S10, S12, S14, S16

S18, S20, S22, S24, S26

Make Up For Ever Lab Shine Lipglosses – Metal Review, Photos, Swatches

Christine — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 17:20:33 +0000

Make Up For Ever Metal Lab Shine Lipglosses

Make Up For Ever Lab Shine Lipglosses: Metal Finish

For spring (although, these have been available at Make Up For Ever boutiques since last June), Make Up For Ever launches new Lab Sine Lip Gloss ($18.00 for 0.09 oz.) in three finishes with 35 shades in total.

The Metal Collection includes 9 shades and contains Make Up For Ever’s Metal Powder. This finish is supposed to have an intense chrome, mirror finish and be more opaque. All of the lip glosses have both hyaluronic acid and Camelina oil for help moisturize lips and improve elasticity. It is a non-sticky gloss with a slight, tropical fruit kind of scent. The scent is not overwhelming, and it doesn’t smell synthetically sweet. They are packaged in thick, clear tubes with a black cap and a brush-type applicator.

The shades included in this finish are: M0 (chrome onyx), M2 (chrome grey pearl), M4 (chrome tobacco), M6 (chrome hazel brown), M8 (chrome brown), M10 (chrome morello cherry), M12 (chrome sienna), M14 (chrome candy), and M16 (chrome frozen pink).

M0 is a semi-opaque black with silver sparkle. In the swatch, it’s certainly black and glossy, but it’s not 100% opaque, so on its own, it looks a bit messy. Definitely needs a very dark liner to make it look opaque.
M2 is a metallic warmed-up pearly silver. It’s very much the color of pearl, with a little silver cast. Kind of like a platinum shade. It’s semi-opaque with a frosty finish. Surely not designed to be an ultra wearable shade, but I could see it working for some more avant garde looks or layered over a darker lipstick.
M4 is a soft peachy brown with champagne beige and gold shimmer.
M6 is a darker brown than M4 but not by much. I had some streaking issues with this one – the color just didn’t want to lay down nicely for me. It has light copper and gold shimmer.
M8 is a plummy brown with multicolored shimmer and a semi-opaque look.
M10 is a raspberry red with fuchsia and ruby shimmer.
M12 is a metallic red with ruby sparkle.
M14 is a brightened pinked-coral with lighter pink shimmer.
M16 is a pale peach-pink with peach-gold shimmer.

Metal Lab Shines have a very smooth texture; they’re thick without being goopy, but they are very comfortable to wear. They’re some of the more moisturizing glosses I have tried, and with these lighter shades, I get about two to three hours of wear. With some of the darker shades, I have gotten up to four hours of wear. I’d love ‘em more if they wore longer (three to four is average for me, two is below), but I do love that they have a huge shade range (that’s permanent!).

If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ!

Product: 27/30
Value: 6/10
Ease of Use: 4/5
Packaging: 4/5

FINAL THOUGHTS: These are very nice gloss basics; they’re non-sticky, comfortable to wear, and there are lots of shades to choose from. The Metal finish definitely has a chrome look to it, and they are more opaque. If you’re after a sheerer or less metallic finish, I suggest Diamond or Star.

WHERE TO BUY: Sephora.com

See more photos & swatches!

Make Up For Ever Metal Lab Shine Lipglosses

M0, M2, M4, M6, M8

M8, M10, M12, M14, M16

Make Up For Ever Lab Shine Lipglosses – Diamond Review, Photos, Swatches

Christine — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 16:38:34 +0000

Make Up For Ever Diamond Lab Shine Lipglosses

Make Up For Ever Lab Shine Lipglosses: Diamond Finish

The Diamond Collection includes 12 shades and contains Make Up For Ever’s Diamond Powder. This finish is supposed to be transparent and natural-looking with a shimmering shine. All of the lip glosses have both hyaluronic acid and Camelina oil for help moisturize lips and improve elasticity. It is a non-sticky gloss with a slight, tropical fruit kind of scent. The scent is not overwhelming, and it doesn’t smell synthetically sweet. They are packaged in thick, clear tubes with a black cap and a brush-type applicator.

The shades included in this finish are: D0 (shimmering diamond), D2 (shimmering amethyst), D4 (shimmering grenadine), D6 (shimmering magenta), D8 (shimmering baby pink), D10 (shimmering fresh pink), D12 (shimmering quartz rose), D14 (shimmering Indian pink), D16 (shimmering beige), D18 (shimmering copper), D20 (shimmering tangerine), and D22 (shimmering papaya). Below are my descriptions of the shades, with the exception of D2, which was not available for me to purchase at the time.

D0 is a clear gloss with white-silver shimmer.
D4 is a sheer, pink-plum with soft pink shimmer.
D6 is a sheer, fuchsia pink with magenta shimmer.
D8 is a sheer, pale pink with silver and pink shimmer.
D10 is a sheer soft yellow-based pink with light pink shimmer.
D12 is a sheer milky pink with gold shimmer.
D14 is a sheer neutral pink with champagne shimmer.
D16 is a sheer, peach-beige with copper shimmer.
D18 is a semi-sheer, peach base with a heavy dose of light an dark copper shimmer.
D20 is a sheer, juicy tangerine orange with soft gold shimmer.
D22 is a milky rose pink with pale pink shimmer.

Diamond Lab Shines have a very smooth texture; they’re thick without being goopy, but they are very comfortable to wear. They’re some of the more moisturizing glosses I have tried, and with these lighter shades, I get about two to three hours of wear. With some of the darker shades, I have gotten up to four hours of wear. I’d love ‘em more if they wore longer (three to four is average for me, two is below), but I do love that they have a huge shade range (that’s permanent!).

My big complaint is that these only have 0.09 oz. in them–the average lip gloss has about 0.20 oz., and even Make Up For Ever’s Fascinating Lipgloss contained that much, but they halved the size and kept the price. I understand these are a completely different formula and contain their various powders (Diamond, Star, and Metal), but whether that really merits what is in essence over a 50% price increase is up for debate. With the thicker nature of the gloss, I could see these being used up more quickly than other glosses, too.

If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ!

Product: 27/30
Value: 6/10
Ease of Use: 4/5
Packaging: 4/5

FINAL THOUGHTS: These are very nice gloss basics; they’re non-sticky, comfortable to wear, and there are lots of shades to choose from. The Diamond finish is a very sheer range, and if you are looking for something more pigmented, you are better off looking at the Star or Metal finish (the latter being the most pigmented/opaque).

WHERE TO BUY: Sephora.com

See more photos & swatches!

Make Up For Ever Diamond Lab Shine Lipglosses

D0, D4, D6, D8

D6, D8, D10, D12, D14

D14, D16, D18, D20, D22

Make Up For Ever Metal Lab Shines Review, Photos, Swatches

Christine — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 15:45:44 +0000

Make Up For Ever Lab Shines: M0, M2, M4, M6, M8, M10, M12, M14, M16

Make Up For Ever Metal Lab Shines

Make Up For Ever Metal Lab Shines have nine shades. According to a phone call to the Make Up For Ever Boutique in NYC, these will retail for $18 for 0.09 oz. and are currently available. According to Make Up For Ever PR, these aren’t officially launching until Spring 2011. My lovely friend Pursebuzz was so nice as to be my personal shopper at IMATs last week, and she grabbed me one of each of the Lab Shines they had (I think they were missing two or three). This post features five of the nine Metal shades, and part two will follow with the other four.

M0 Onyx is a semi-opaque black with silver sparkle. In the swatch, it’s certainly black and glossy, but it’s not 100% opaque, so on its own, it looks a bit messy. Definitely needs a very dark liner to make it look opaque.
M2 Grey Pearl is a metallic warmed-up pearly silver. It’s very much the color of pearl, with a little silver cast. Kind of like a platinum shade. It’s semi-opaque with a frosty finish. Surely not designed to be an ultra wearable shade, but I could see it working for some more avant garde looks or layered over a darker lipstick.
M4 Tobacco is a soft peachy brown with chamagne beige and gold shimmer. It has the same frosty finish as M2, and it’s semi-opaque as well.
M6 Hazel Brown is a darker brown than M4 but not by much. I had some streaking issues with this one – the color just didn’t want to lay down nicely for me. It has light copper and gold shimmer.
M8 Brown is a plummy brown with multicolored shimmer and a semi-opaque look. This is the most universally wearable of the ones featured in this post!

The Metal Lab Shines use Make Up For Ever’s Metal Powder in the lip gloss (which is where it gets its name). These are supposed to be the most opaque shades out of the 35 in total, with each formula getting progressively sheerer. I found that these were semi-opaque but intensely so. Some shades were nearly opaque, but the majority are semi-opaque, particularly the lighter shades.

The formula itself has this lightly sweetened fruity scent–I want to say melon or grapefruit (why does my nose suck?)–with a non-sticky texture. It’s almost like thicker lip balm on lips–maybe like a thinner Lip Gelee. It has a good amount of slip and slide, but it doesn’t slide right off lips. I don’t get ultra long wear out of these (two to three hours), and they don’t seem to leave much of a stain behind. They have a brush-flecked applicator, so you get plenty of product out for each application, and you have some precision to get a crisp, defined lip look, too.

I like the packaging a lot more than other Make Up For Ever lipglosses–it feels more solid and sophisticated; more suitable for the price tag of Make Up For Ever products. Unfortunately, despite the solid and thick feel of the packaging, they don’t pack much product in those tubes–just 0.09 oz., while the average lip gloss is around 0.17 oz. (Make Up For Ever’s Fascinating lipgloss contains 0.20 oz.). I don’t know if the addition of their Metal, Star, or Diamond powders should merit 50% less at the same cost, you know? Kind of feels like a MAC Dazzleglass situation (though those are worse — more than regular lipglass and 0.06 oz.).

I like the gloss, but I’m not sure I love it. I like that these shades are on the more pigmented side, wear decently (though not long-wearing), and look pretty on. They’re also very moisturizing and comfortable on lips. Not quite weightless, but they’re very jelly-like, so it’s not heavy or clingy.

If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ!

Product: 27/30
Value: 6/10
Ease of Use: 4/5
Packaging: 4/5

RECOMMENDATION: For semi-opaque, frost-metallic finished lip gloss, you may like the Metal Lab Shines.

AVAILABILITY: Make Up For Ever Boutiques

See more photos & swatches!

Make Up For Ever Lab Shines: M0, M2, M4, M6, M8, M10, M12, M14, M16

Make Up For Ever Lab Shines: M0, M2, M4, M6, M8

Make Up For Ever #M0 Lab Shine

Make Up For Ever #M2 Lab Shine

Make Up For Ever #M4 Lab Shine

Make Up For Ever #M6 Lab Shine

Make Up For Ever #M8 Lab Shine