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Make Up For Ever #1 Artist Palette (Nudes You Need) Review, Photos, Swatches

Make Up For Ever #1 (Nudes You Need) Artist Palette
Make Up For Ever #1 (Nudes You Need) Artist Palette

Make Up For Ever #1 (Nudes You Need) Artist Palette ($42.00 for 0.54 oz.) contains nine Artist Shadows in neutral hues. I absolutely love this palette, and it’s so refreshing to see a brand put out a palette of their existing products that actually maintains the quality across the two. The pans are slightly smaller (24mm) than your typical eyeshadow pan (26mm, like MAC/Urban Decay), but I suspect they are deeper, as the full-sized eyeshadows are noticeably larger but only contain 0.02 oz. more (full-sized is 0.08 oz. each, and each in the palette is 0.06 oz.). The Artist Shadows have a few different finishes, and I find all of them to have a similar except the mattes; all the other finishes feel like a powder and cream hybrid, as they’re denser, creamier and have really rich, color payoff that adheres well to bare skin. The matte finish is more like a traditional powder eyeshadow, though Make Up For Ever’s version is nice: silky, smooth, finely-milled, and pigmented.

This is an excellent palette if you enjoy neutrals, love (or want to buy more) Artist Shadows, and don’t mind that there aren’t any mattes in it. If you only like palettes with a variety of finishes, including mattes, you might find this one a miss. I think the quality is extremely high, and it would easily pair with your favorite neutral mattes that you might already have, but for travel, I can see this not working for those who like to incorporate a few mattes into their look. This is the major downside to the palette (they could have definitely popped in a matte and/or another matte/satin), and one minor downside is that–unlike the holiday palette–the shadows aren’t removable. I am sure you could depot it with the right tools, but they don’t lift right out. The other minor downside is that the palette is on the heavier side (and had the bottom been magnetic and the eyeshadows removable, I would have understood).

The value of the palette is $141.75 based on $21/0.08 oz., though Make Up For Ever has a discounting system if you buy two or three (plus the coordinating case) individuals at a time. Based on that, you could get three for $44 or $44/0.24 oz., which would give the palette a value of $99. Another way to look at it is the cost of purchasing all nine individually, and presuming you buy in trios to maximize your discount, you would spend $132. As long as you’d use at least three shades in it, then you’ll pay less than purchasing the three as singles (you would get more product, but a little goes a long way with these).

I528 Pearl is a brightened, pink-tinged white with cool undertones and a metallic sheen. It had mostly opaque color payoff with a smooth, creamy consistency that worked well on the skin. It wore well for nine hours. For me, this one seemed brighter and more white-based than my single of it (which is almost like a pale warm pink). I don’t notice the difference as much applied to the lid, so it might just be a mix of the shimmer catching more/less light. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.

I514 Pink Ivory is a light beige with warm, creamy yellow undertones and a metallic sheen. It had good pigmentation with a creamy, blendable texture that worked well on bare skin and wore well for nine hours. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.

ME512 Golden Beige is a light-medium gold with warm, yellow undertones and a frosted, metallic finish. It had great pigmentation with a soft, smooth, and creamy texture that just applied so well to the lid. It wore well for nine and a half hours on me. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.

S556 Taupe Gray is a cool-toned taupe with a hint of gray-purple and a semi-matte finish. The satin finish is more apparent if you really sheer and blend it out, but if you wear it as a mostly opaque color, it has more of a matte look. It had good color payoff, while the texture was blendable and easy to apply. It wore well for nine hours. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.

D562 Taupe Platinum is a medium-dark brown with warm undertones and a subtle gray-ish cast in its metallic finish. It was richly pigmented with a creamy, smooth texture. On the lid, it was easily blended and stayed on well for nine hours. The palette version seemed smoother and as a result, more reflective giving it a slightly lighter color in certain lighting. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.

ME644 Iced Brown is a medium-dark, bronzy brown with warm, reddish undertones and a metallic sheen. It was intensely pigmented with an incredibly smooth, creamy consistency that went on beautifully. It wore well for nine and a half hours on me. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.

S102 Onyx is an inky, deep dark black with a satin finish. It appears more matte on the lid; I don’t get a lot of sheen, but the satiny texture helps make it easy to blend. It had rich, fully opaque color coverage with a smooth texture. The color lasted for nine and a half hours before creasing on me. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.

I544 Pink Granite is a medium-dark, warm-toned taupe with a pearly sheen. The color payoff was fully opaque, while the texture was smooth, blendable, and cream-like. It wore well for nine hours on me. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.

D652 Celestial Earth is a deepened bronze with warm undertones and a metallic sheen. It had intense color payoff that went on smoothly and evenly due to its very soft, creamy texture. It lasted for nine hours on me. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.

Make Up For Ever #1 (Nudes You Need) Artist Palette
Make Up For Ever #1 (Nudes You Need) Artist Palette

Make Up For Ever #1 (Nudes You Need) Artist Palette
Make Up For Ever #1 (Nudes You Need) Artist Palette

Make Up For Ever #1 (Nudes You Need) Artist Palette
Make Up For Ever #1 (Nudes You Need) Artist Palette

Make Up For Ever #1 (Nudes You Need) Artist Palette
Make Up For Ever #1 (Nudes You Need) Artist Palette

Make Up For Ever #1 (Nudes You Need) Artist Palette
Make Up For Ever #1 (Nudes You Need) Artist Palette

Make Up For Ever #1 (Nudes You Need) Artist Palette
Make Up For Ever #1 (Nudes You Need) Artist Palette

Make Up For Ever #1 (Nudes You Need) Artist Palette
Make Up For Ever #1 (Nudes You Need) Artist Palette

Make Up For Ever #1 (Nudes You Need) Artist Palette
Make Up For Ever #1 (Nudes You Need) Artist Palette

Make Up For Ever I528 Pearl Artist Shadow
Make Up For Ever I528 Pearl Artist Shadow

Make Up For Ever I528 Pearl Artist Shadow
Make Up For Ever I528 Pearl Artist Shadow

Make Up For Ever I514 Pink Ivory Artist Shadow
Make Up For Ever I514 Pink Ivory Artist Shadow

Make Up For Ever I514 Pink Ivory Artist Shadow
Make Up For Ever I514 Pink Ivory Artist Shadow

Make Up For Ever ME512 Golden Beige Artist Shadow
Make Up For Ever ME512 Golden Beige Artist Shadow

Make Up For Ever ME512 Golden Beige Artist Shadow
Make Up For Ever ME512 Golden Beige Artist Shadow

Make Up For Ever S556 Taupe Gray Artist Shadow
Make Up For Ever S556 Taupe Gray Artist Shadow

Make Up For Ever S556 Taupe Gray Artist Shadow
Make Up For Ever S556 Taupe Gray Artist Shadow

Make Up For Ever D562 Taupe Platinum Artist Shadow
Make Up For Ever D562 Taupe Platinum Artist Shadow

Make Up For Ever D562 Taupe Platinum Artist Shadow
Make Up For Ever D562 Taupe Platinum Artist Shadow

Make Up For Ever ME644 Iced Brown Artist Shadow
Make Up For Ever ME644 Iced Brown Artist Shadow

Make Up For Ever ME644 Iced Brown Artist Shadow
Make Up For Ever ME644 Iced Brown Artist Shadow

Make Up For Ever S102 Onyx Artist Shadow
Make Up For Ever S102 Onyx Artist Shadow

Make Up For Ever S102 Onyx Artist Shadow
Make Up For Ever S102 Onyx Artist Shadow

Make Up For Ever I544 Pink Granite Artist Shadow
Make Up For Ever I544 Pink Granite Artist Shadow

Make Up For Ever I544 Pink Granite Artist Shadow
Make Up For Ever I544 Pink Granite Artist Shadow

Make Up For Ever D652 Celestial Earth Artist Shadow
Make Up For Ever D652 Celestial Earth Artist Shadow

Make Up For Ever D652 Celestial Earth Artist Shadow
Make Up For Ever D652 Celestial Earth Artist Shadow

Make Up For Ever #1 (Nudes You Need) Artist Palette
I528 Pearl (inner lid), D562 Taupe Platinum (middle of lid), I544 Pink Granite (outer lid),
S556 Taupe Gray (crease), S102 Onyx (crease), Marc Jacobs Beauty Navy Noir Eyeliner

Make Up For Ever #1 (Nudes You Need) Artist Palette
I528 Pearl (inner lid), D562 Taupe Platinum (middle of lid), I544 Pink Granite (outer lid),
S556 Taupe Gray (crease), S102 Onyx (crease), Marc Jacobs Beauty Navy Noir Eyeliner

108 Comments

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Denise Avatar

I’m glad to see it got such a high grade, because I bought it on the last day of the Sephora VIB sale based solely on your mentioning it to Leesha at Xsparkage! It’s my first experience with MUFE eye shadows, and so far I am loving them! I do wish the color names were on the palette, given how much superfluous writing they found room for on the back. I’m planning to add my own labels.

Christine Avatar

Haha! I saw them on Sephora, posted on Temptalia, and immediately messaged Leesha, because I know she’s been getting into the Artist Shadow formula, but the $$ for singles is not a fun game, lol.

The problem with the names is–from what I’ve heard at the MUFE boutique–Sephora made them up, but they’re not official names by Make Up For Ever, so the stores don’t use them!

Denise Avatar

After I clicked “like” on your FB page mention, it showed up on my sister’s feed. She immediately called to say she wanted one, too! Luckily, I have Flash 2 Day Shipping, so I could place another order. Of course, I needed a few more things as well. You and Leesha cause my wallet much pain.

Aj Avatar

I hope they will put out an all matte neutrals palette and an all matte jewel tones palette for the fall. I would so buy them! *waves goodbye to money*
I do really like this palette and don’t have Makeup Forever shadows yet…

Noga Avatar

Christine,

Are you sure this one is LE? In Sephora it still shows this one only as exclusive, while V2 is shown and exclusive and LE (I’m really hoping for a Hail Mary here, as I never tried the MUFA new formula, and I kinda went crazy with the latest VIB sale, so I need at least a month or two before I shell out more on makeup).

Thanks!

Noga Avatar

🙁

Thanks a bunch!

So now the question is, do I pass on it, or find a way to work some extra hours this month and indulge?
I really don’t have a lot of neutral palettes (just the Lorac Unzipped 1 which I use daily and the BareMinerals The Magic Act that I really need to start using). Decisions decisions 🙂

Christine Avatar

I’ll tweet Make Up For Ever to see if they have a different response (I’m not sure if who runs their social media is the same or different from the people who handle their PR). In the past, the LE palettes have stuck around for awhile (the original Artist Palette that came in a slimmer, rectangular palette and the holiday Studio Case, though I think the 50 Shades of Gray kits sold a bit faster, but I didn’t watch those as closely).

Nicole Avatar

I’m really happy I snatched this one and the other palette the last day of the Sephora sale. I would be buying both without the sale anyway. These shadows are the best I have yet to see. Even though I know have some doubles now, I have no doubt they will get used and if I die before they are used up, my daughter will have some nice shadows! lol! I do wish I could pop them into a Z-palette with my others.But, it’s not a huge deal. You said you think they may be able to be depotted with the right tools. What do you have in mind?

Christine Avatar

LOL!

My guess is you’d pretty much have to destroy the cardboard and get it so you can remove the cardboard exterior and get access to the pans themselves. It may be possible to warm it up enough so the glue starts to melt and you can pull them out with tweezers, but it’ll depend on how much and how strong the glue is. I’m sure someone is going to try it, and we can hope that they take photos/post a video!

Nicole Avatar

Haha! Yeah there are some hard core depotters! Although,im not crazy about it, it doesn’t really bother me to have a few palettes going or a palette and singles. I sometimes have to lay them on the floor of my table is too cluttered! Lol
Yeah,I’d love to see that video! I don’t think I will risk it unless they just popped out without heat. Those shadows are pretty soft. I have dents in a few from prying them out of the magnetic 3 pan cases to put in a Z palette!

Nicole Avatar

You are a genius! Putting that on my list with : “man stuff.”. I hate the hardware store. It stinks like wood and the air is dry and makes my eyes water,lol. I go there like when the list is incredibly long. I think my furnace filter hasn’t been changed since beginning of winter,lol! Good thing I don’t have a man to yell at me for not getting it. But, then if I did, he better be taking care of it. Such a double edged sword. I wonder if Target has those,lol..hmm. I will look for sure.

Krista Avatar

I know this is a late post, but be REALLY careful about using magnets with MUFE shadows. I had one in a MUFE palette and used a magnet to get it out because the palette’s magnet is so strong, and it simply shattered everywhere. The magnet I used exceeded the width of the pan, so it’s not like it shattered because it smacked the end of the magnet. Worst part: it was S-102, the darkest color next to black, yes, it made a HUGE mess, and worst of all, the shadow bits stuck to the magnet and it was a bear trying to get them off. I did manage to salvage some of it and tried to repress the shadow with alcohol, but of course it isn’t as nice anymore and since I hadn’t used the color before, I don’t know if the color/texture has changed at all. So please, be very very careful if you choose to use magnets with these!

JCarbonel Avatar

I purchased this on a whim because I happened to see the ROUGELOVE promo code still worked on the 22nd. I saw it as a sign that it must be fate and I purchased this! I’ve purchased all the palettes MUFE has come out with this artist shadows, except that gargantuan palette launched intially. I love their shadows but become intimidated by the high selection. I love the quality and it pairs extremely well with my Too Face Natural Eye Matte palette. AND your “Temptalia Recommends” validated my purchase! Lol!

Ginny Avatar

I’m so impressed with the quality! I’m just not much of a browns wearer. I have a couple go-to browns and that’s all I need or want. I hope they continue to come out with different palettes like this. If they did a “greens” one I’d faint!

Christine Avatar

Me too! And fingers crossed they’ll make them removable!! I mean, if that’s the only ding, then I’ll take it, because $42 is a great value, and it’s just such a great formula, so if more people can experience it without breaking the bank, I can live with that.

Katherine T. Avatar

(sigh) If I didn’t have so many neutral shadows to go through, I would grab this in a heartbeat. What a fantastic rating, not a dud in the bunch. My only consolation is that most brands do a good job with neutral shades, so I’ll save MUFE for the trickier colors. I really do hope they come out with more palettes but in different colors

Lisa Avatar

Was so excited for these when I first saw them on Instagram but so disappointed to find so many repeats from prev. palettes. Between the 30th anniversary palette, the studio case from holiday, and the 50 shades of grey set, I already own more than half the shades in each palette. They have such a large selection of shades–I wish they had put more effort into not overlapping. There’s even one shade – ME-512 – that’s actually in both of the palettes they just released. They know a lot of people will want to buy both. Why not make them 2 subtly different versions of a golden beige shade, or 2 different finishes, so that the people who buy both don’t get exact replicas?

Nancy T Avatar

Yes, I do! Need THESE Nudes! Even though I already own Naked 2, Lorac Pro palette, MAC neutrals galore, I believe these shades are different enough for me. Many of the shades that I own in MAC are matte, so these fill in more of the shimmer “fix”. And the opacity and quality of this formula looks perfect to me!

Nancy T Avatar

Nabbed one tonight!!! Was sooo over the moon excited, got home and was like, ok , some of these look familiar, so I looked on the dupe list….and yep, I do have Woodwinked and Satin Taupe. At first I could’ve kicked myself for not looking those two up! But I decided to swatch them side by side with their respective doppelgangers, the MUFE shadows pack waaay more pigment and color! I was blown away by how creamy they felt, too!

Luis Avatar

This reminds me a lot of Urban Decay’s Naked 2 palette, which I own. I already have most of the neutrals in this palette in one way or another. I think I’ll pass on this one. I’m more intrigued by the other MUFE palette. I might pick that one up instead.

miekogirlie99 Avatar

I’m actually wearing this palette today! I got it on a whim, i always hear such wonderful things about MUFE shadows. The pans are on the smaller side but you’re right a little goes a long way. But geez the palette is heavy! i wonder why?? the mirror i can understand is a little weighty but the base, idk whats in it but its so heavy! definitely not travel friendly, just putting it in my bag made it heavy. but as far as how it applies, very nice & easy to blend! glad i picked this up. i may depot it later…we’ll see 🙂

Tammy Avatar

First I presold the summer Tom Ford Palette, then I had to have all the new Urban Decay eyeshadows for summer. Today I purchased this and now I know what it means to be dangerously close to not paying the bills. I need the good stuff to stop coming so fast and furious!

Grace Avatar

I wasn’t going to buy another neutral pallette, but your previous post when you did a sneak peek made me cave cause the colors on your eyes were just so blendable and pigmented! Bonus now that you’ve gave it an A+ and your stamp of approval/recommendation. I CAVED CHRISTINE, I CAVED!!! lol

Rachel R. Avatar

I’m wearing this palette today. It kicks ass. Easily my new favorite shimmery nude palette. The black is nearly like a cream; I found it so easy to work with. I used it to do a winged eyeliner, and it turned out amazing. Am I raving about it too much? Nope!!! 😀

Kali Avatar

That black… isn’t an eyeliner. It’s POWDER. I keep telling myself that and I won’t believe me.

Wellp, that’s $42 I will never get back. Regrets? None.

Mariella Avatar

Christine, is this permanent? And is it/will it be available at Sephora? I already have 1 of the shadows in it and there are 2 or 3 that I’m not wild about but there is so much here that I really want (and Taupe Platinum is one I’ve wanted since Day 1 but it’s “online only”) so I will probably be getting this beauty!

Fran Avatar

I so love this palette. I love MUFE shadows. And I find that S556, Taupe Gray, even though it’s a satin, is a great transition/crease shade — it does not in any way emphasize the crepe-y texture of my older lids — on the contrary, it’s one of those satins that kind of smooths things out. I’ve been using it with lots of looks ever since I got it in the 50 Shades of Grey set. The addition of a similar satin or matte light/base shade would have made the palette almost perfect — only the three shades on the far right are so warm that they’re challenging on my cool undertones. Did I mention that I love this palette?

Mariella Avatar

I’ve already been on the phone to the 2 Sephora stores nearest me (after asking my earlier question, I checked Sephora’s website and see that they are showing it). Neither store has received it “yet” but the SA at one store said the MUFE rep had been in the previous week and was telling them about it. So, it IS coming (soon, I hope….and I sure hope I don’t miss it!)

Allison Avatar

I posted my neutral palette declutter video on my youtube a week or so ago and I was convinced I didn’t need any more. Well. This baby just made it into my cart and is on its way to my front door! I had a $25 gift card to Sephora, though, so the damage wasn’t too bad. 🙂 My justification is that it’s a formula that I don’t have in my collection, so while the colors might be similar to what I own, it has a place in my palette drawer! I cannot WAIT! I have nothing by MUFE and I’ve been wanting to try their artist shadows so much! Palette 2 is gorgeous, too, but some of the colors I just won’t wear and the black in this palette has me drooling. I’ve never drooled over a black shadow before!! Haha

Audrey Avatar

I bought this palette because of the look you did with it that looked so good! I tried to re-create it and it look like total crap on me. Please tell me what brushes you used so that I can give it another try. Thanks

Gracia Avatar

Hi Christine! I’m planning to buy a new palette, which one do you more recommend? This one or the Naked Original palette? And btw, I have The Balm Nude Tude palette, can u tell me which is the better palette to complement what I had? Thanks, xx

M Avatar

CHRISTINE MADE ME DO IT!
I only wear nudes but I so did not need more eyeshadow but seeing as this palette for an A I had to have it. Can’t wait to try it.

I was debating buying it now or later in the year during the VIB sale but didn’t want to take any chances so I got it. I also emailed MUFE and the response was
“The Neutral palette will stay until the end of the year”

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