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Make Up For Ever Aqua Matic Reviews, Photos, Swatches (Part 2)

Make Up For Ever D-12 Aqua Matic
Make Up For Ever D-12 Aqua Matic

Here are the other three shades of Make Up For Ever Aqua Matic ($21.00 for 0.049 oz.) that I tested out. (Did you miss part one?) The formula is supposed to be “unbelievably blendable,” long-wearing, waterproof, highly-pigmented, and “glide on.” Unfortunately, my experience was very much the opposite: difficult to blend, prone to creasing, varying pigmentation, and they tugged during application. I’m a huge Make Up For Ever fan, but these left me disappointed.

Make Up For Ever D-12 Aqua Matic ($21.00 for 0.049 oz.) is described as “diamond golden grey.” It’s a medium-dark taupe with soft, golden shimmer and a pearly finish. It was sheer when applied in a single stroke, and the consistency was dry enough that it was difficult to layer and build up to opaque color as well. This shade creased after six hours on me. bareMinerals Cheers (V2) (LE) is a powder. Urban Decay Pistol (P, $19.00) is warmer. Anastasia Antique (LE) is purpler. Urban Decay Vaporize (LE, $18.00) is similar, powder. Dior Aventure (081) (P, $30.00) is darker. Marc Jacobs Beauty The Starlet #7 (P) is powder. MAC Bossa Blue (LE, $21.00) is darker, powder, cooler-toned. theBalm Selfish (P, $16.00) is a powder. Urban Decay Mushroom (P, $20.00) is cooler-toned. MAC Little Black Bow (LE, $16.00) is more sparkly. Make Up For Ever #2 (P, $23.00) is cooler-toned. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

Make Up For Ever S-52 Aqua Matic ($21.00 for 0.049 oz.) is described as a “satiny flesh-colored pink.” It’s a light, peachy beige with a champagne shimmer-sheen. It had so-so color payoff in a single stroke, and the consistency was almost blendable but still difficult to work with. It showed signs of creasing after six hours on me. Divergent Humble Sheen (LE) is lighter, powder. NARS Jezebel (P) is powder. MAC Naked (P, $21.00) is darker, powder. MAC Grain (P, $15.00) is a powder. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

Make Up For Ever S-60 Aqua Matic ($21.00 for 0.049 oz.) is described as a “satiny warm brown.” It’s a medium-dark, chocolate brown with warm undertones and a satin-matte finish. It had decent pigmentation in a single stroke, and this one was buildable to opaque color. The consistency was creamier than any of the others, and I felt like I could almost blend out the edge. It wore well for seven hours before creasing. This was just the best of a bad lot, but it wasn’t good. Laura Mercier Rich Cocoa (P, $22.00) is darker, powder. Tarina Tarantino Locket Book (P, $15.00) is very similar (eyeliner). Laura Mercier Cocoa (P, $24.00) is warmer. Too Faced Chestnut (LE, $16.00) is powder. Bobbi Brown Bittersweet (LE, $28.00) is less shimmery. MAC Copper Strip (LE, $21.00) is warmer. Urban Decay Whiskey (P, $19.00) is more matte, redder. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

Make Up For Ever D-12 Aqua Matic
Make Up For Ever D-12 Aqua Matic

Make Up For Ever D-12 Aqua Matic
Make Up For Ever D-12 Aqua Matic

Make Up For Ever D-12 Aqua Matic
Make Up For Ever D-12 Aqua Matic

Make Up For Ever S-52 Aqua Matic
Make Up For Ever S-52 Aqua Matic

Make Up For Ever S-52 Aqua Matic
Make Up For Ever S-52 Aqua Matic

Make Up For Ever S-52 Aqua Matic
Make Up For Ever S-52 Aqua Matic

Make Up For Ever S-52 Aqua Matic
Make Up For Ever S-52 Aqua Matic

Make Up For Ever S-60 Aqua Matic
Make Up For Ever S-60 Aqua Matic

Make Up For Ever S-60 Aqua Matic
Make Up For Ever S-60 Aqua Matic

Make Up For Ever S-60 Aqua Matic
Make Up For Ever S-60 Aqua Matic

Make Up For Ever S-60 Aqua Matic
Make Up For Ever S-52 and D-12 Aqua Matic

44 Comments

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Lotus Avatar

Oh, are your eyes bothered from them? I look at them and just feel pain like they would hurt to pull across the eyelids. It’s sad as the colors looked beautiful. But if there’s not a dupe, there’s something that can come almost exactly close to just about everything.. Somewhere. 🙂

Christine Avatar

Not too much, since I didn’t force it entirely. I tried a few different ways to apply as well, including using a brush (rather than directly from the pencil). It’s funny – with pencil you never know how it’s going to be during application until you try it, because you can use a lot more pressure to swatch it on your arm and never realize it until you go to your eye and it’s like, “Owww!”

Sunny Avatar

I’m so gutted to see these really aren’t that stellar! I thought they look very promising in the promo image, and if D-12 had a good formula, I’d jump on it so fast! Oh well, money saved.

Veronica Avatar

Ah, shame about the taupe shade. I’ve been looking for an eyeliner in that shade for awhile now. :/ I’d be all over it if the quality was better.

Safyre Avatar

I think it’s so odd how our experiences with these are so drastically different when I’m usually 100% with you on all your reviews Christine. I wonder what we’re doing differently! I currently own… because I forget the names, the pink champagne one and the lime green one and find that both go on rather smooth and don’t crease. Though honestly as with most cream shadows I apply this to my finger first, and then on my eye, which might be affecting the texture. Idk? All Aqua products do contain volatile oil in them (its the waterproofing ingredient) and it dries once it hits the air, making the product harder to blend. The head artist at the MUFE boutique was telling us that it’s best to work on one eye at a time. :/

danza Avatar

Yeah… I think I’m pretty much done with MUFE.

HD Foundation – broke me out good, and looks terrible in real life.
F&B foundation – SO sheer and did not last long at all on me. Also broke me out.

I’d buy their liquid liner but the formula also inconsistent. Some colors are waterproof, some aren’t really. I’d stick with the black. Still using their Full Cover Concealer, it’s good but not amazing. At their price point it should be AMAZING.

I finally forked out for Guerlain’s Tenue de Perfection and well. It’s perfect. Money well spent.

I think I’ll keep my money for Estee Lauder and Guerlain.

Sylirael Avatar

*whimper*

Part of me really wants this to be another MAC/Pedro/Corol blush situation, and that somehow MUFE managed to balls up and send you some prototypes/early runs or something. Because ‘unbelievably blendable’… is an odd claim to make for such a product – especially from a consistently good brand!

Lioness23 Avatar

Hmmm…I think I’m still going to give the blue and the chartreuse a shot. I mostly plan to use them mostly as bases, inner v, and a pop of color on the lower lash line. Thanks for giving us your honest impression, as always.

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