Make Up For Ever Bronzes & Plums Artist Color Shadows Reviews, Photos, Swatches
I544 Pink Granite
Make Up For Ever I544 Pink Granite Artist Color Shadow ($17.00 for 0.08 oz.) is a muted, medium-dark mauve with strong, warm undertones and a frosted sheen. It was richly pigmented with a smooth, blendable texture that wasn’t too dense nor was it too soft or powdery in the pan. It applied evenly to bare skin and was easy to work with. The color wore well for 10 hours on me before fading noticeably. The color, however, was completely different compared to the previous formula (see side-by-side comparison).
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Makeup Geek Twilight (DC, $6.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Anastasia Labyrinth (P, $12.00) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- Laura Mercier Cherrywood (LE, ) is darker (90% similar).
- NARS Montparnasse (Right) (DC, $25.00) is darker (90% similar).
- MAC Ever Amethyst #1 (PiP, $21.00) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- ColourPop FBO (PiP, $4.50) is lighter, brighter (90% similar).
- Tom Ford Beauty Orchid Haze #3 (PiP, ) is lighter (90% similar).
- Ciate Morello Cherry (LE, ) is darker, cooler (85% similar).
- Urban Decay Buzz (PiP, $19.00) is lighter, brighter (85% similar).
- MAC Lingering Dusk (LE, $17.00) is lighter (85% similar).
Formula Overview
$17.00/0.08 oz. - $212.50 Per Ounce
The original Artist Shadow formula had a creamier, slightly softer, and thicker feel for finishes like Metallic, Iridescent, and Satin, while I felt the original Diamond finish was denser/thicker (heavier almost) and the Matte finish was more powdery but similar in softness and pigmentation (I did not find the original Mattes to be ultra pigmented across the board--semi-opaque to opaque, buildable, which you can see in my original swatches here). By and large, I found the formula to be easy to work with and did not have to spend a lot of time blending or fussing with the shades on the lid.
The new Matte formula has a smoother consistency that has more slip to the touch with less powderiness in the pan, but the pigmentation did seem slightly weaker on average compared to the original formula. The pigmentation of the new Matte formula was still semi-opaque to opaque and buildable but I felt like there were just more shades that were closer to semi-opaque than to opaque.
However, shades like M402 Mimosa showed improvement, as it used to be a Satin (see here) and not as easy to work with due to the denser texture. A lot of the shades were similar in color between the formulas, but there were a few that were not (M546 Dark Purple Taupe was a shade with more significant changes; the new version is warmer and lighter).
Overall, I did not have any issues applying most of the matte shades to the lid, blending them out, or building up coverage. They lasted between nine and ten hours on me, which was actually a bit longer (on average) compared to the original formula, where the mattes tended to wear between seven and eight hours on me (without primer).
The new Satin formula was the most different; it had weaker pigmentation, felt denser and drier with less give and creaminess. In practice, I did not feel like application was harder or noticeably different other than feeling like more of the shades required two layers for more opaque coverage, though some of the more neutral shades were fairly pigmented in a single layer. I also noticed that this particular finish seemed to be the most culled; there weren't that many shades in it, and I wonder if they did not sell well or something about the finish is harder to produce.
There were significant differences in color (and/or undertone) between shades in the new formula and old formula (with the same names) within this finish, too, where most were different rather than only a handful being different. The pigmentation of the new Satin formula was typically semi-opaque and buildable, while they applied evenly, blended out without much effort, and lasted between eight and ten hours (without primer).
The new Iridescent formula was the second most different and more comparable to the Satin finish in terms of overall feel and performance, just with larger shimmer/micro-sparkle. The new formula has a denser consistency (almost "drier" and with less slip) and didn't feel as cream-like, but the powder seemed to pickup better with most brushes and was more consistent in the actual finish--pearly with sparkle--whereas the original formula varied more heavily between pearly and metallic, sparkle and finer shimmer.
There were, however, more substantial color and undertone differences between old and new within this formula, like I saw with the Satin formula. Overall, I did not experience any significant issues applying most of the shades to the lid--they were semi-opaque to opaque, fairly buildable, blendable, and long-wearing (eight to ten hours).
The new Metallic formula was the most consistent between old and new for overall feel, performance, and color. There were, of course, a few shades that seemed lighter/darker, cooler/warmer compared to the previous versions, and all those notes will be made within the respective shade's review. I think the new Metallic finish has a more flattering look on the lid, as the consistency wasn't quite as thick, which should make it apply and appear smoother on the lid for more people.
There were several shades that seemed slightly deeper or less reflective, while others were as reflective as past versions. The majority of the shades of this finish were very pigmented with a moderately dense, lightly creamy texture that blended out well on the lid and wore between nine and ten hours on me.
The new Diamond finish was noticeably less dense/thick, particularly on the lid, which did make it easier to spread across a larger area and easier to pickup with more types of brushes. I was worried that there would be more fallout, but I haven't noticeable much fallout with the new Diamond shades over the eight to ten hours they last for.
Most of them had good pigmentation, though there were a few that were weaker (medium to semi-opaque coverage); a shade like D410 Gold Nugget was a weaker shade before and still is while D326 Lagoon Blue is significantly less pigmented in the new formula.
As I typically do with new eyeshadow formulas, I tested a few shades from each finish over various primers, as I like to see how new formulas interact with different types of primers and if there are any unexpected consequences of using primers (I felt that some of the more silicone-heavy Artist Shadows from before actually applied better without primer).
I didn't notice any ill effects of using primers like Smashbox 24-Hour, Marc Jacobs Coconut Eye Primer, Too Faced Shadow Insurance, or Urban Decay Primer Potion. They all seemed to just help with wear, and with some of the shades that felt drier or had weaker pigmentation, the use of primer seemed to improve initial coverage levels, too.
Browse all of our Make Up For Ever Artist Color Shadow swatches.
Ingredients
I544 Pink Granite
PPermanent. $17.00.
S606 Pinky Earth
Make Up For Ever S606 Pinky Earth Artist Color Shadow ($17.00 for 0.08 oz.) is a muted, medium brown with subtle, warm undertones and a semi-matte finish. It had rich pigmentation that applied fairly evenly to bare skin and blended out with minimal effort. The texture could have been slightly more yielding and less dense, as I needed to use flat, synthetic brushes to pickup and apply this the best. It wore well for nine hours on me before fading a bit. The original shade was an Iridescent finish, but functionally, it was slightly richer and creamier in feel (see side-by-side comparison).
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- NARS La La (DC, $25.00) is darker (95% similar).
- Coloured Raine Intergalactic (DC, $6.99) is cooler (95% similar).
- Dior Sugar Shade #5 (LE, ) is cooler (95% similar).
- Coloured Raine Cinnamon Lust (DC, $6.99) is more shimmery, lighter (95% similar).
- Chanel City Lights #1 (LE, ) is more shimmery, cooler (95% similar).
- Urban Decay 180 (LE, $19.00) is darker (95% similar).
- Tom Ford Beauty Cocoa Mirage #3 (PiP, ) is lighter (95% similar).
- Dior Coral Canvas #3 (LE, ) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- Tarte Runway (LE, ) is warmer (90% similar).
- LORAC Tails & Top Hats #7 (LE, $19.00) is more shimmery (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$17.00/0.08 oz. - $212.50 Per Ounce
The original Artist Shadow formula had a creamier, slightly softer, and thicker feel for finishes like Metallic, Iridescent, and Satin, while I felt the original Diamond finish was denser/thicker (heavier almost) and the Matte finish was more powdery but similar in softness and pigmentation (I did not find the original Mattes to be ultra pigmented across the board--semi-opaque to opaque, buildable, which you can see in my original swatches here). By and large, I found the formula to be easy to work with and did not have to spend a lot of time blending or fussing with the shades on the lid.
The new Matte formula has a smoother consistency that has more slip to the touch with less powderiness in the pan, but the pigmentation did seem slightly weaker on average compared to the original formula. The pigmentation of the new Matte formula was still semi-opaque to opaque and buildable but I felt like there were just more shades that were closer to semi-opaque than to opaque.
However, shades like M402 Mimosa showed improvement, as it used to be a Satin (see here) and not as easy to work with due to the denser texture. A lot of the shades were similar in color between the formulas, but there were a few that were not (M546 Dark Purple Taupe was a shade with more significant changes; the new version is warmer and lighter).
Overall, I did not have any issues applying most of the matte shades to the lid, blending them out, or building up coverage. They lasted between nine and ten hours on me, which was actually a bit longer (on average) compared to the original formula, where the mattes tended to wear between seven and eight hours on me (without primer).
The new Satin formula was the most different; it had weaker pigmentation, felt denser and drier with less give and creaminess. In practice, I did not feel like application was harder or noticeably different other than feeling like more of the shades required two layers for more opaque coverage, though some of the more neutral shades were fairly pigmented in a single layer. I also noticed that this particular finish seemed to be the most culled; there weren't that many shades in it, and I wonder if they did not sell well or something about the finish is harder to produce.
There were significant differences in color (and/or undertone) between shades in the new formula and old formula (with the same names) within this finish, too, where most were different rather than only a handful being different. The pigmentation of the new Satin formula was typically semi-opaque and buildable, while they applied evenly, blended out without much effort, and lasted between eight and ten hours (without primer).
The new Iridescent formula was the second most different and more comparable to the Satin finish in terms of overall feel and performance, just with larger shimmer/micro-sparkle. The new formula has a denser consistency (almost "drier" and with less slip) and didn't feel as cream-like, but the powder seemed to pickup better with most brushes and was more consistent in the actual finish--pearly with sparkle--whereas the original formula varied more heavily between pearly and metallic, sparkle and finer shimmer.
There were, however, more substantial color and undertone differences between old and new within this formula, like I saw with the Satin formula. Overall, I did not experience any significant issues applying most of the shades to the lid--they were semi-opaque to opaque, fairly buildable, blendable, and long-wearing (eight to ten hours).
The new Metallic formula was the most consistent between old and new for overall feel, performance, and color. There were, of course, a few shades that seemed lighter/darker, cooler/warmer compared to the previous versions, and all those notes will be made within the respective shade's review. I think the new Metallic finish has a more flattering look on the lid, as the consistency wasn't quite as thick, which should make it apply and appear smoother on the lid for more people.
There were several shades that seemed slightly deeper or less reflective, while others were as reflective as past versions. The majority of the shades of this finish were very pigmented with a moderately dense, lightly creamy texture that blended out well on the lid and wore between nine and ten hours on me.
The new Diamond finish was noticeably less dense/thick, particularly on the lid, which did make it easier to spread across a larger area and easier to pickup with more types of brushes. I was worried that there would be more fallout, but I haven't noticeable much fallout with the new Diamond shades over the eight to ten hours they last for.
Most of them had good pigmentation, though there were a few that were weaker (medium to semi-opaque coverage); a shade like D410 Gold Nugget was a weaker shade before and still is while D326 Lagoon Blue is significantly less pigmented in the new formula.
As I typically do with new eyeshadow formulas, I tested a few shades from each finish over various primers, as I like to see how new formulas interact with different types of primers and if there are any unexpected consequences of using primers (I felt that some of the more silicone-heavy Artist Shadows from before actually applied better without primer).
I didn't notice any ill effects of using primers like Smashbox 24-Hour, Marc Jacobs Coconut Eye Primer, Too Faced Shadow Insurance, or Urban Decay Primer Potion. They all seemed to just help with wear, and with some of the shades that felt drier or had weaker pigmentation, the use of primer seemed to improve initial coverage levels, too.
Browse all of our Make Up For Ever Artist Color Shadow swatches.
Ingredients
S606 Pinky Earth
PPermanent. $17.00.
I834 Grape
Make Up For Ever I834 Grape Artist Color Shadow ($17.00 for 0.08 oz.) is a dark plum with warm, brown undertones and multi-colored pearl. It had opaque pigmentation that applied evenly to bare skin and blended out easily along the edges for a diffused look. The consistency was moderately dense but not stiff to work with and I had no trouble getting product onto my brush. This shade stayed on well for almost 10 hours on me before fading slightly. The color was much warmer and deeper compared to the original formula (see side-by-side comparison).
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- NARS Real Surreal (LE, $28.00) is cooler (95% similar).
- LORAC Sea Urchin (LE, $19.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- MAC A Medley of Mauves #3 (PiP, $21.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Urban Decay Third Eye (LE, $19.00) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- Tom Ford Beauty Iris Bronze #4 (LE, ) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- Laura Mercier Cherrywood (LE, ) is warmer (90% similar).
- Viseart Cerise (PiP, ) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Stila Garnet (PiP, ) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- Hello Kitty Celebrate (LE, ) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- NARS China Seas #2 (DC, $25.00) is lighter (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$17.00/0.08 oz. - $212.50 Per Ounce
The original Artist Shadow formula had a creamier, slightly softer, and thicker feel for finishes like Metallic, Iridescent, and Satin, while I felt the original Diamond finish was denser/thicker (heavier almost) and the Matte finish was more powdery but similar in softness and pigmentation (I did not find the original Mattes to be ultra pigmented across the board--semi-opaque to opaque, buildable, which you can see in my original swatches here). By and large, I found the formula to be easy to work with and did not have to spend a lot of time blending or fussing with the shades on the lid.
The new Matte formula has a smoother consistency that has more slip to the touch with less powderiness in the pan, but the pigmentation did seem slightly weaker on average compared to the original formula. The pigmentation of the new Matte formula was still semi-opaque to opaque and buildable but I felt like there were just more shades that were closer to semi-opaque than to opaque.
However, shades like M402 Mimosa showed improvement, as it used to be a Satin (see here) and not as easy to work with due to the denser texture. A lot of the shades were similar in color between the formulas, but there were a few that were not (M546 Dark Purple Taupe was a shade with more significant changes; the new version is warmer and lighter).
Overall, I did not have any issues applying most of the matte shades to the lid, blending them out, or building up coverage. They lasted between nine and ten hours on me, which was actually a bit longer (on average) compared to the original formula, where the mattes tended to wear between seven and eight hours on me (without primer).
The new Satin formula was the most different; it had weaker pigmentation, felt denser and drier with less give and creaminess. In practice, I did not feel like application was harder or noticeably different other than feeling like more of the shades required two layers for more opaque coverage, though some of the more neutral shades were fairly pigmented in a single layer. I also noticed that this particular finish seemed to be the most culled; there weren't that many shades in it, and I wonder if they did not sell well or something about the finish is harder to produce.
There were significant differences in color (and/or undertone) between shades in the new formula and old formula (with the same names) within this finish, too, where most were different rather than only a handful being different. The pigmentation of the new Satin formula was typically semi-opaque and buildable, while they applied evenly, blended out without much effort, and lasted between eight and ten hours (without primer).
The new Iridescent formula was the second most different and more comparable to the Satin finish in terms of overall feel and performance, just with larger shimmer/micro-sparkle. The new formula has a denser consistency (almost "drier" and with less slip) and didn't feel as cream-like, but the powder seemed to pickup better with most brushes and was more consistent in the actual finish--pearly with sparkle--whereas the original formula varied more heavily between pearly and metallic, sparkle and finer shimmer.
There were, however, more substantial color and undertone differences between old and new within this formula, like I saw with the Satin formula. Overall, I did not experience any significant issues applying most of the shades to the lid--they were semi-opaque to opaque, fairly buildable, blendable, and long-wearing (eight to ten hours).
The new Metallic formula was the most consistent between old and new for overall feel, performance, and color. There were, of course, a few shades that seemed lighter/darker, cooler/warmer compared to the previous versions, and all those notes will be made within the respective shade's review. I think the new Metallic finish has a more flattering look on the lid, as the consistency wasn't quite as thick, which should make it apply and appear smoother on the lid for more people.
There were several shades that seemed slightly deeper or less reflective, while others were as reflective as past versions. The majority of the shades of this finish were very pigmented with a moderately dense, lightly creamy texture that blended out well on the lid and wore between nine and ten hours on me.
The new Diamond finish was noticeably less dense/thick, particularly on the lid, which did make it easier to spread across a larger area and easier to pickup with more types of brushes. I was worried that there would be more fallout, but I haven't noticeable much fallout with the new Diamond shades over the eight to ten hours they last for.
Most of them had good pigmentation, though there were a few that were weaker (medium to semi-opaque coverage); a shade like D410 Gold Nugget was a weaker shade before and still is while D326 Lagoon Blue is significantly less pigmented in the new formula.
As I typically do with new eyeshadow formulas, I tested a few shades from each finish over various primers, as I like to see how new formulas interact with different types of primers and if there are any unexpected consequences of using primers (I felt that some of the more silicone-heavy Artist Shadows from before actually applied better without primer).
I didn't notice any ill effects of using primers like Smashbox 24-Hour, Marc Jacobs Coconut Eye Primer, Too Faced Shadow Insurance, or Urban Decay Primer Potion. They all seemed to just help with wear, and with some of the shades that felt drier or had weaker pigmentation, the use of primer seemed to improve initial coverage levels, too.
Browse all of our Make Up For Ever Artist Color Shadow swatches.
Ingredients
I834 Grape
PPermanent. $17.00.
M806 Antique Pink
Make Up For Ever M806 Antique Pink Artist Color Shadow ($17.00 for 0.08 oz.) is a light-medium pink with warm undertones and a matte finish. It had nearly opaque pigmentation that applied evenly to bare skin and blended out easily. The consistency was smooth and velvety without being dusty or powdery but still had good adhesion without primer. It was a bit lighter and was less dry compared to the original formula (see side-by-side comparison). On me, it lasted well for nine hours.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Viseart Cotton Candy (GPV1 #18) (P, ) is darker (95% similar).
- ColourPop Crzy Cool (PiP, $4.50) is warmer (95% similar).
- Make Up For Ever M806 Antique Pink (DC, $21.00) is darker (95% similar).
- Glaminatrix Breeze (P, $7.30) is lighter (95% similar).
- Natasha Denona Valentine (PiP, ) is darker (95% similar).
- ColourPop Say I Do (P, $4.50) is lighter (95% similar).
- Lethal Cosmetics Remission (P, $6.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Huda Beauty Off Balance (PiP, ) is darker (90% similar).
- ColourPop Candy Fluff (LE, $4.50) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- Sugarpill Glory (PiP, $13.00) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$17.00/0.08 oz. - $212.50 Per Ounce
The original Artist Shadow formula had a creamier, slightly softer, and thicker feel for finishes like Metallic, Iridescent, and Satin, while I felt the original Diamond finish was denser/thicker (heavier almost) and the Matte finish was more powdery but similar in softness and pigmentation (I did not find the original Mattes to be ultra pigmented across the board--semi-opaque to opaque, buildable, which you can see in my original swatches here). By and large, I found the formula to be easy to work with and did not have to spend a lot of time blending or fussing with the shades on the lid.
The new Matte formula has a smoother consistency that has more slip to the touch with less powderiness in the pan, but the pigmentation did seem slightly weaker on average compared to the original formula. The pigmentation of the new Matte formula was still semi-opaque to opaque and buildable but I felt like there were just more shades that were closer to semi-opaque than to opaque.
However, shades like M402 Mimosa showed improvement, as it used to be a Satin (see here) and not as easy to work with due to the denser texture. A lot of the shades were similar in color between the formulas, but there were a few that were not (M546 Dark Purple Taupe was a shade with more significant changes; the new version is warmer and lighter).
Overall, I did not have any issues applying most of the matte shades to the lid, blending them out, or building up coverage. They lasted between nine and ten hours on me, which was actually a bit longer (on average) compared to the original formula, where the mattes tended to wear between seven and eight hours on me (without primer).
The new Satin formula was the most different; it had weaker pigmentation, felt denser and drier with less give and creaminess. In practice, I did not feel like application was harder or noticeably different other than feeling like more of the shades required two layers for more opaque coverage, though some of the more neutral shades were fairly pigmented in a single layer. I also noticed that this particular finish seemed to be the most culled; there weren't that many shades in it, and I wonder if they did not sell well or something about the finish is harder to produce.
There were significant differences in color (and/or undertone) between shades in the new formula and old formula (with the same names) within this finish, too, where most were different rather than only a handful being different. The pigmentation of the new Satin formula was typically semi-opaque and buildable, while they applied evenly, blended out without much effort, and lasted between eight and ten hours (without primer).
The new Iridescent formula was the second most different and more comparable to the Satin finish in terms of overall feel and performance, just with larger shimmer/micro-sparkle. The new formula has a denser consistency (almost "drier" and with less slip) and didn't feel as cream-like, but the powder seemed to pickup better with most brushes and was more consistent in the actual finish--pearly with sparkle--whereas the original formula varied more heavily between pearly and metallic, sparkle and finer shimmer.
There were, however, more substantial color and undertone differences between old and new within this formula, like I saw with the Satin formula. Overall, I did not experience any significant issues applying most of the shades to the lid--they were semi-opaque to opaque, fairly buildable, blendable, and long-wearing (eight to ten hours).
The new Metallic formula was the most consistent between old and new for overall feel, performance, and color. There were, of course, a few shades that seemed lighter/darker, cooler/warmer compared to the previous versions, and all those notes will be made within the respective shade's review. I think the new Metallic finish has a more flattering look on the lid, as the consistency wasn't quite as thick, which should make it apply and appear smoother on the lid for more people.
There were several shades that seemed slightly deeper or less reflective, while others were as reflective as past versions. The majority of the shades of this finish were very pigmented with a moderately dense, lightly creamy texture that blended out well on the lid and wore between nine and ten hours on me.
The new Diamond finish was noticeably less dense/thick, particularly on the lid, which did make it easier to spread across a larger area and easier to pickup with more types of brushes. I was worried that there would be more fallout, but I haven't noticeable much fallout with the new Diamond shades over the eight to ten hours they last for.
Most of them had good pigmentation, though there were a few that were weaker (medium to semi-opaque coverage); a shade like D410 Gold Nugget was a weaker shade before and still is while D326 Lagoon Blue is significantly less pigmented in the new formula.
As I typically do with new eyeshadow formulas, I tested a few shades from each finish over various primers, as I like to see how new formulas interact with different types of primers and if there are any unexpected consequences of using primers (I felt that some of the more silicone-heavy Artist Shadows from before actually applied better without primer).
I didn't notice any ill effects of using primers like Smashbox 24-Hour, Marc Jacobs Coconut Eye Primer, Too Faced Shadow Insurance, or Urban Decay Primer Potion. They all seemed to just help with wear, and with some of the shades that felt drier or had weaker pigmentation, the use of primer seemed to improve initial coverage levels, too.
Browse all of our Make Up For Ever Artist Color Shadow swatches.
Ingredients
M806 Antique Pink
PPermanent. $17.00.
D750 Frosted Peach
Make Up For Ever D750 Frosted Peach Artist Color Shadow ($17.00 for 0.08 oz.) is a light-medium coral with warm, orange undertones and a sparking, metallic sheen. It had semi-opaque pigmentation with a drier, firmer texture that was stiffer to work with and made it a challenge to pickup product onto the brush and have it translate evenly to bare skin. The eyeshadow stayed on well for eight and a half hours on me. The original shade was more shimmery, creamier, and more pigmented but very similar in color (see side-by-side comparison).
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Viseart Blossom (PiP, ) is lighter (95% similar).
- Chanel Ultra Flesh (838) (P, $36.00) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- ColourPop Bouquet Toss (LE, $4.50) is darker, brighter (90% similar).
- Too Faced Jardin (PiP, $16.00) is darker (90% similar).
- Melt Cosmetics Amelie (PiP, ) is cooler (90% similar).
- Viseart Nuance #5 (PiP, ) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Smashbox Cascade (PiP, ) is less shimmery, darker, more muted (90% similar).
- Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk #3 (LE, ) is more shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- ColourPop Chick (LE, $4.50) is warmer (90% similar).
- Fenty Beauty Mamacita (LE, ) is cooler (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$17.00/0.08 oz. - $212.50 Per Ounce
The original Artist Shadow formula had a creamier, slightly softer, and thicker feel for finishes like Metallic, Iridescent, and Satin, while I felt the original Diamond finish was denser/thicker (heavier almost) and the Matte finish was more powdery but similar in softness and pigmentation (I did not find the original Mattes to be ultra pigmented across the board--semi-opaque to opaque, buildable, which you can see in my original swatches here). By and large, I found the formula to be easy to work with and did not have to spend a lot of time blending or fussing with the shades on the lid.
The new Matte formula has a smoother consistency that has more slip to the touch with less powderiness in the pan, but the pigmentation did seem slightly weaker on average compared to the original formula. The pigmentation of the new Matte formula was still semi-opaque to opaque and buildable but I felt like there were just more shades that were closer to semi-opaque than to opaque.
However, shades like M402 Mimosa showed improvement, as it used to be a Satin (see here) and not as easy to work with due to the denser texture. A lot of the shades were similar in color between the formulas, but there were a few that were not (M546 Dark Purple Taupe was a shade with more significant changes; the new version is warmer and lighter).
Overall, I did not have any issues applying most of the matte shades to the lid, blending them out, or building up coverage. They lasted between nine and ten hours on me, which was actually a bit longer (on average) compared to the original formula, where the mattes tended to wear between seven and eight hours on me (without primer).
The new Satin formula was the most different; it had weaker pigmentation, felt denser and drier with less give and creaminess. In practice, I did not feel like application was harder or noticeably different other than feeling like more of the shades required two layers for more opaque coverage, though some of the more neutral shades were fairly pigmented in a single layer. I also noticed that this particular finish seemed to be the most culled; there weren't that many shades in it, and I wonder if they did not sell well or something about the finish is harder to produce.
There were significant differences in color (and/or undertone) between shades in the new formula and old formula (with the same names) within this finish, too, where most were different rather than only a handful being different. The pigmentation of the new Satin formula was typically semi-opaque and buildable, while they applied evenly, blended out without much effort, and lasted between eight and ten hours (without primer).
The new Iridescent formula was the second most different and more comparable to the Satin finish in terms of overall feel and performance, just with larger shimmer/micro-sparkle. The new formula has a denser consistency (almost "drier" and with less slip) and didn't feel as cream-like, but the powder seemed to pickup better with most brushes and was more consistent in the actual finish--pearly with sparkle--whereas the original formula varied more heavily between pearly and metallic, sparkle and finer shimmer.
There were, however, more substantial color and undertone differences between old and new within this formula, like I saw with the Satin formula. Overall, I did not experience any significant issues applying most of the shades to the lid--they were semi-opaque to opaque, fairly buildable, blendable, and long-wearing (eight to ten hours).
The new Metallic formula was the most consistent between old and new for overall feel, performance, and color. There were, of course, a few shades that seemed lighter/darker, cooler/warmer compared to the previous versions, and all those notes will be made within the respective shade's review. I think the new Metallic finish has a more flattering look on the lid, as the consistency wasn't quite as thick, which should make it apply and appear smoother on the lid for more people.
There were several shades that seemed slightly deeper or less reflective, while others were as reflective as past versions. The majority of the shades of this finish were very pigmented with a moderately dense, lightly creamy texture that blended out well on the lid and wore between nine and ten hours on me.
The new Diamond finish was noticeably less dense/thick, particularly on the lid, which did make it easier to spread across a larger area and easier to pickup with more types of brushes. I was worried that there would be more fallout, but I haven't noticeable much fallout with the new Diamond shades over the eight to ten hours they last for.
Most of them had good pigmentation, though there were a few that were weaker (medium to semi-opaque coverage); a shade like D410 Gold Nugget was a weaker shade before and still is while D326 Lagoon Blue is significantly less pigmented in the new formula.
As I typically do with new eyeshadow formulas, I tested a few shades from each finish over various primers, as I like to see how new formulas interact with different types of primers and if there are any unexpected consequences of using primers (I felt that some of the more silicone-heavy Artist Shadows from before actually applied better without primer).
I didn't notice any ill effects of using primers like Smashbox 24-Hour, Marc Jacobs Coconut Eye Primer, Too Faced Shadow Insurance, or Urban Decay Primer Potion. They all seemed to just help with wear, and with some of the shades that felt drier or had weaker pigmentation, the use of primer seemed to improve initial coverage levels, too.
Browse all of our Make Up For Ever Artist Color Shadow swatches.
Ingredients
Ohhh pink granite! I’m going to swatch that one in store (and its available in my sephora!)!
Bye-bye, Pink Granite and Pinky Earth. MUFE ruined them. And way too many of the others. It is totally beyond me that instead of just taking the OG Artist Shadows and simply repanning them into the square pans, they decided to reinvent the wheel. ?
I feel the same way Nancy. I can’t imagine why they did it. I’m glad I was able to get most of the ones I wanted before they were gone.
Me too 🙁 especially since just this week, my cat knocked over one of my custom palettes and my Pink Granite (original formula) did not survive the crash. I’m probably more disappointed than I should be.
Probably money. Root of all evil.
Your side-by-side comparisons are really helpful! I was really confused by how different Pink Granite was.
I feel the same way, granted other brands are also having issues with that shades pigmentation but they originally had it!
I’m also partial to corals myself. 😉
A wide variety of ratings here. I thought Grape was an interesting shade with the brown undertones and I quite liked it.
Gorgeous eye look Christine.
Yhese are my colors. Too bad about Frosted Peach though.
D+ Yikes…