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Make Up For Ever 405P, 502P, 503 Artist Plexi-Glosses Reviews, Photos, Swatches

Make Up For Ever Artist Plexi-Gloss
Make Up For Ever Artist Plexi-Gloss

Make Up For Ever 405P Pearly Plum Artist Plexi-Gloss ($19.00 for 0.23 fl. oz.) is a muted, medium-dark reddish plum with warm undertones and lighter pink and white shimmer. It had semi-opaque pigmentation that went on evenly and smoothly. The texture is moderately tacky with noticeable thickness, though it isn’t goopy, and the gloss lasted for five hours and was hydrating over time. Maybelline Lust for Mauve (535) (P, $8.99) is cooler-toned. Chanel Audace (20) (LE, $34.00) is less shimmery, darker. NARS Corsica (LE, $26.00) is less shimmery, lighter. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.

Make Up For Ever 502P Beetle Artist Plexi-Gloss ($19.00 for 0.23 fl. oz.) is a black-based gloss with fine green, blue, and teal micro-shimmer. Swatched on the skin, it appears like a bluish-teal packed with shimmer. Swatched on the lips, the semi-sheer color payoff means the black base comes thorugh quite a bit, which leaves it looking more like an uneven, purplish-black with multi-colored shimmer. I think it looks more interesting in person than in swatches, but it is a lot less complex applied than it appears in the tube or even just swatched on the skin. I think a more opaque, deeper base would go a long way, as this shade would be better layered than a lone, due to its uneven application. On me, the gloss stayed put for four and a half hours and was lightly hydrating. Giorgio Armani #701 (P, $29.00) has a sheerer base with lighter, bluer shimmer. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.

Make Up For Ever 503 Black Artist Plexi-Gloss ($19.00 for 0.23 fl. oz.) is a neutral, black cream. It is, unfortunately, semi-sheer to semi-opaque with a noticeably thick texture that goes on and feels somewhat goopy. It doesn’t apply evenly, and it looks patchy while settling into every lip line. On me, it wore well for four and a half hours and was lightly hydrating. This is yet another gloss that would is only workable layered over something with better coverage, and it continues to miss the mark of “vivid color.” MAC Jet Boy (LE, $20.00) is sheerer. MAC Dark Outsider (LE, $20.00) is sheerer. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.

Make Up For Ever Artist Plexi-Gloss
Make Up For Ever Artist Plexi-Gloss

Make Up For Ever Artist Plexi-Gloss
Make Up For Ever Artist Plexi-Gloss

Make Up For Ever Artist Plexi-Gloss
Make Up For Ever Artist Plexi-Gloss

Make Up For Ever Artist Plexi-Gloss
Make Up For Ever Artist Plexi-Gloss

Make Up For Ever Artist Plexi-Gloss
Make Up For Ever Artist Plexi-Gloss

Make Up For Ever Artist Plexi-Gloss
Make Up For Ever Artist Plexi-Gloss

Make Up For Ever 405P Pearly Plum Artist Plexi-Gloss
Make Up For Ever 405P Pearly Plum Artist Plexi-Gloss

Make Up For Ever 405P Pearly Plum Artist Plexi-Gloss
Make Up For Ever 405P Pearly Plum Artist Plexi-Gloss

Make Up For Ever 405P Pearly Plum Artist Plexi-Gloss
Make Up For Ever 405P Pearly Plum Artist Plexi-Gloss

Make Up For Ever 405P Pearly Plum Artist Plexi-Gloss
Make Up For Ever 405P Pearly Plum Artist Plexi-Gloss

Make Up For Ever 405P Pearly Plum Artist Plexi-Gloss
Make Up For Ever 405P Pearly Plum Artist Plexi-Gloss

Make Up For Ever 405P Pearly Plum Artist Plexi-Gloss
Make Up For Ever 405P Pearly Plum Artist Plexi-Gloss

Make Up For Ever 502P Beetle Artist Plexi-Gloss
Make Up For Ever 502P Beetle Artist Plexi-Gloss

Make Up For Ever 502P Beetle Artist Plexi-Gloss
Make Up For Ever 502P Beetle Artist Plexi-Gloss

Make Up For Ever 502P Beetle Artist Plexi-Gloss
Make Up For Ever 502P Beetle Artist Plexi-Gloss

Make Up For Ever 502P Beetle Artist Plexi-Gloss
Make Up For Ever 502P Beetle Artist Plexi-Gloss

Make Up For Ever 502P Beetle Artist Plexi-Gloss
Make Up For Ever 502P Beetle Artist Plexi-Gloss

Make Up For Ever 502P Beetle Artist Plexi-Gloss
Make Up For Ever 502P Beetle Artist Plexi-Gloss

Make Up For Ever 503 Black Artist Plexi-Gloss
Make Up For Ever 503 Black Artist Plexi-Gloss

Make Up For Ever 503 Black Artist Plexi-Gloss
Make Up For Ever 503 Black Artist Plexi-Gloss

Make Up For Ever 503 Black Artist Plexi-Gloss
Make Up For Ever 503 Black Artist Plexi-Gloss

Make Up For Ever 503 Black Artist Plexi-Gloss
Make Up For Ever 503 Black Artist Plexi-Gloss

Make Up For Ever 503 Black Artist Plexi-Gloss
Make Up For Ever 503 Black Artist Plexi-Gloss

Make Up For Ever 503 Black Artist Plexi-Gloss
Make Up For Ever 503 Black Artist Plexi-Gloss

Makeup Look
On face:
  • Guerlain Parure Gold Foundation
  • Urban Decay Naked Loose Setting Powder
  • Laura Geller Ballerina
On eyes:
  • ColourPop Where the Light Is Set
  • Sephora Good Mood Eyeliner

63 Comments

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Nicole Avatar

Alright for Pearly plum! Finally an A! I hope to see more. Now that throws a loop in the game because now we don’t know which ones are going to do good unless you review the entire range Christine! MUFE better get on it and send it to the best beauty blogger if they want to sell more than one shade. Beetle is cool. It may sell because it is unique and I think I would like it to layer. Though I’m not sure how much wear I would personally get out of it though.

Nicole Avatar

Oh no.Thanks for that input Angle! Ugh. Maybe I won’t get Beetle..Christine whats your opinion on layering Beetle? Liner,primer, or is it a no go ? The swatch is so great. No offense,it looks a mess on your lips.:)

Nicole Avatar

Thanks! Good ! I’d prefer it to be stand alone and hopefully someone will pick up on that . There’s gotta be an indie brand that will get some unusual glosses going..ColourPop,hello and some eye liners too please…and cream colors! Wouldn’t that be awesome? Good quality,great pigmented,great prices cosmetics,on trend..imagine that! Then they need to open stores! A girl can have a dream. Seriously,look how far they have come in sich a short while though.it is very possible.:)

Nicole Avatar

I think it’s a matter of time for them. They pretty much exploded out of nowhere. Now that they have the $ to work with, I’m hopeful they will work with some new formulas. They seem like a smart company. I’m a pretty positive person though generally.So,i tend to hope for the best in other things that I see as positive. Colorpop is a company that I really hope does well.

Nancy T Avatar

Pearly Plum looks like an absolutely perfect ‘throw and go’ lippy! It doesn’t need a lipstick underneath it in order to look solid in and of itself. And the shade itself is probably ultra flattering for almost every skintone too! As for Beetle and Black…..a huge NOPE!

Katherine T. Avatar

OMG, I’m going to get Pearly Plum. I have enough glosses to go through, but I’ve been looking for one like this for the longest time, a reddish plum with gold shimmer. As for Beetle, too bad it doesn’t look like the shimmery blue swatch on the arm, but I think it would look nice over some purple lippies for a very vampy, goth look. As for Black, if you’re going to do a black gloss, might as well go all in, and make it black black, otherwise, why bother?

Nancy T Avatar

Christine, that was my first thought, too. As if they were thinking: ” Let’s do something edgy and wild!….But not TOO edgy or TOO wild.” So they did it half-heartedly instead.

Lacey Avatar

I wanted so much more from Beetle! If it were sheer but still gave off a blue/purple tint, I could forgive it a bit. At least it would be easy to use for layering. And opaque, of course, it would be a fun shade for the adventurous among us. But it’s somewhere in the middle, and I’m not sure what I would even do with it!

Pearly Plum is quite pretty, if not the most unique. This release has been so hot and miss!

Christine Avatar

In my world, the question is why not?

Wherever someone feels confident and wants to wear it is absolutely appropriate. There are very few situations that should dictate what one wears or doesn’t wear; things that come to mind: work places with specific dress codes and funerals.

Hanna Avatar

I wear black lips all the time! I really want beetle, I will definitely layer it over a matte black, like I do with Illamasqua’s “Violate”.

Rachel R. Avatar

Black gloss over any color will make it cooler and darker for a different look. It’s a great way to expand a lip wardrobe. I like alternative and goth looks myself, but they’re not the only reason to wear black lips. I’ve seen some very classy dressy/formal looks done with black lips. It’s nice to have options; that’s why black lipgloss. Some of us don’t want to look like everyone else; that’s why black lipgloss. Because some of us would want and use it. It’s there for those of us who want it, just like any other color. Anyone who doesn’t want it, or like it, doesn’t have to. So why not?

Even a lot of traditional lip colors are in no way natural looking; we’re just used to seeing them now. No one bats an eye at bright red lipstick now, but 100 years ago, it would would have been seen in the same way black is now, as inappropriate in any situation. (Plus as slutty on top of it.) I’ve never seen anyone with naturally fuchsia lips, or orange, or purple, but those colors are all the rage right now. How are orange lips less odd or more appropriate than black?

Alice Avatar

ALL of this comment!

I’m an artist and art teacher, and I wear black, blue, green, gray, and purple lipsticks regularly, because it’s fun. Also I have a few friends who are kindergarten teachers and they wear blue, yellow, green, and bright purple lipstick as a strategy to keep the kid’s attention on their faces.

Nicole Avatar

Well said Rachel R. ..I think black lips can look just as sophisticated or goth as any other color. Its how you pair the rest of the look . IMO, its makeup …life gets so stressful. Lets have fun when we can. Wear a black,blue ,purple lip if you want. If you don’t want to..don’t. Very simple.

Mocha Avatar

I think the black would be for darkening a color, for example turning a solid red to a more vampy color or deepening any other color you might want to play with. I view it more along the lines of color theory, but personally would still layer it over a solid black lipstick for editorial, Halloween looks, or for a liquid latex/vinyl look…for my closet goth lol!

xamyx Avatar

I personally can’t stand the look of orange/coral lip products, but they seem to be the rage right now…

As a mom, I wouldn’t wear black lip products to my daughter’s school. I also can’t see myself having a job at this point in my life where I would be permitted to wear it. However, as an old-school goth, it’s definitely something I’d wear to a concert/club/hanging out with friends.

There are also women with very deep, ebony skintones which black would look very subtle. Whoopi Goldberg is a great example; she’s worn black lipstick for decades!

Clarey Avatar

I’m a goth, I wear loads of dark lip colours including black. I’m thankful for the sort of company that makes colours other than pink, red and beige, even though they didn’t quite hit it off this time, what a shame!

Carla Avatar

It is great that people who like, can wear, and have occasion to wear such colors have access to them.
They just don’t work for me.
Neither do corals and oranges, BTW. 🙂

El Avatar

Gloss doesn’t lend itself well to black, imo – and I tend to be a lipgloss kind of girl, so that’s saying something for me, lol. With Beetle, I wasn’t terribly surprised that it went on fairly sheer, but blotting it down seems to have killed all the pretty glitter, wow! Not used to that, usually it just mutes it some. I think it would look cool layered over a black lipstick, though. Or Technopagan. 😉

Pearly Plum is a hell yes, though. Next time I order from the one place I know of that actually bloody carries MUFE here!

Oh, also, I am happy to confirm that whilst the purple Plexigloss is mildly tacky, and does tend to catch hair, it does not actually transfer any gloss onto the hair. It was crazy windy out today and I didn’t end up with gloss anywhere except where I’d purposefully applied it. Yay!

Rachel R. Avatar

I agree Beetle doesn’t make the “vivid color” claim, but it seems much darker and opaque on me. My lips are nearly colorless on their own, though. It is excellent for layering. It’s not as advertised, but I’m glad I bought it. I was hoping Black would be an opaque, shiny vinyl-looking color. I have OCC’s LBD Stained Gloss for layering, so I will probably skip this one. I really love Pearly Plum. I may have to pick that up in the future. Gorgeous! I’m glad to see it scored well.

xamyx Avatar

I’ll most likely pick up Beetle at some point, and if I do well with the overall formula/feel of the gloss, Black will come home with me, too… I don’t like the look of Black on its own, but maybe over another vampy shade it could work.

Jeanatte Avatar

Hi Christine (and others)! Do you think Beetle would layer well over something like one of the Ben Nye creme colors? I’m thinking Beetle might be a nice added touch for my daughter’s Gamora cosplay, but if its streaky over other lippies as some comments have stated then I might not want to waste the money. (PS, I would be layering it over Kelly Green.)

Marissa Avatar

As an owner of Beetle, I’d like to say that I absolutely LOVE layering it. I like to wear it over my black, deep blue, navy, and greener lipsticks. It adds that extra depth and little something that make me so happy I purchased it. I don’t wear it on its own but it’s absolutely gorgeous over lipsticks!

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