Make Up For Ever S404 Artist Face Color (Sculpting) Review, Photos, Swatches
S404
Make Up For Ever S404 Artist Face Color ($23.00 for 0.17 oz.) is a dark, plummy brown with warm undertones and a semi-matte finish. The powder had a moderately dense texture, which gave it a smooth feel across the surface without kicking up powder, but it took a slightly heavier hand or denser brush to pick up product–I would not call it difficult, though. It had semi-opaque, buildable pigmentation that stayed on for nine hours on my skin. The issue I had with it was that the color took more effort to diffuse and blend out for even application.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Viseart Bronze #3 (PiP, ) is warmer (85% similar).
- NARS Almeria (LE, $30.00) is brighter, warmer (85% similar).
- ColourPop Trippin' (LE, $12.00) is more shimmery, lighter, cooler (85% similar).
- Smashbox Plum (LE, ) is cooler (85% similar).
- Anastasia Velvet (PiP, ) is darker, cooler (85% similar).
- The Estee Edit Ember Glow (04) (P, $28.00) is lighter, warmer (85% similar).
- Makeup Geek Covet (P, $10.00) is lighter, brighter (85% similar).
- Makeup Geek Chivalry (P, $10.00) is warmer (85% similar).
- MAC Blunt (P, $24.00) is darker, more muted, cooler (80% similar).
Formula Overview
$23.00/0.17 oz. - $135.29 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to have "intense color payoff" with a "long-lasting finish." The range is split into three types--Highlighters, Sculpting Powders, and Blushes--that is easy to determine by the first letter of the shade name (H for Highlighter, S for Sculpting, and B for Blush). There are three finishes--matte, shimmer, and pearl but was less obvious. In fact, the majority of the "matte" shades were more like semi-matte or natural matte where there were no distinctive shimmer particles but they seemed to take on the natural finish of the skin, which gave the "mattes" a particularly seamless finish on the skin but might be dewier on oilier skin types than desired. None of the 34 shades available were frosted or metallic except three of the highlighters (H100, H106, H312).
The pigmentation ranged from medium to opaque, depending largely on the shade, though they were always buildable if they were not opaque in a single layer. Some of the deeper, more matte shades were less forgiving and took more effort to diffuse and blend, even when I used a lighter hand or a more feathery brush. The texture was smooth, velvety, and moderately dense without any powderiness or dustiness in the pan. The formula has lasted between eight and ten hours on me.
Browse all of our Make Up For Ever Artist Face Color - Sculpting swatches.
Ingredients
Burgundy blush is actually a really good idea for the fall season. This looks like a rare dud by MUFE standards, though. It’s a nice color, so it’s too bad.
It is very fall-ish!
I don’t love this shade like I have a lot of the others! I’d be afraid I would try to apply it and it’d make me look like I had a bruised cheek! LOL!
Need a few to skip! 🙂
I think I like this one as a sculpting blush that gives some contouring that isn’t an obvious contour powder, if that makes sense? Especially as the Blunt side of my Selena cheek duo went hard and has become very difficult to pick up product from! Yours was like that for the pinkish blush end, but mine was the Blunt side unfortunately.
It could definitely work that way! 🙂
I was expecting a big splashy launch with this range because of how well-done it is! This is probably not a colour I’ll be picking up but I love the diversity of the range overall!
Aww!
Wow – that is a strong plummy face colour and it’s great that all kinds of complexions are being catered for.
It’s nice that there are so many shades!