Make Up For Ever S502 Artist Face Color (Sculpting) Review, Photos, Swatches
S502
Make Up For Ever S502 Artist Face Color ($23.00 for 0.17 oz.) is a deep plum with subtle, cool undertones and a semi-matte finish. It had nearly opaque pigmentation in a single layer and easily built-up to full coverage if desired with not even a full second layer. The texture was smooth and moderately dense in the pan, and though it felt like the majority of the line, it did not blend out as evenly or as easily as other shades have for me. It looked a little patchy on me even after buffing and blending with vigor. It did wear really well at nine hours, but I just wish it was easier to work with on the skin. To make it more even, I would use my foundation brush and buff and blend the edges (though I did not do so when I tested for wear).
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Smashbox Plum (LE, ) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Anastasia Velvet (PiP, ) is darker (95% similar).
- NARS Dolce Vita (P, $30.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- Anastasia Exotic (PiP, ) is lighter, brighter (90% similar).
- NARS Oasis (P, $30.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- Makeup Geek Desire (P, $10.00) is darker (90% similar).
- Viseart Plum #3 (PiP, ) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- MAC Fever (P, $24.00) is brighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Clinique Black Honey Pop (P, $21.00) is more shimmery, lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- Becca Nightingale (P, $32.00) is brighter, warmer (85% 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
Really love the color but don’t want to work that hard when applying blush as I don’t like products that muck with my base.
Totally understand that feeling, Deborah!
The more I see of this shade family, (which increases my heart rate) the more I realize that MAC Fever is the one I need. All in all, not as impressed as I expected to be with these mufes. Frankly, they could have done better. Mufe has a very high bar, do it is easy to be mildly disappointed.
Aww, darn! 🙁
The shade itself is simply beautiful, the formula seems rather tricky, however. I would imagine that the patchiness that you experienced may not be as noticeable on much darker and deeper skintones, especially those with a cooler undertone. As for me, I’ll get Clinique Black Honey Pop instead. That formula is much better than this one.
Yeah, I love the color – it has such a great tone to it! It could apply better, though, and I agree that on deeper skin tones, it may be more forgiving!
Very pretty but I prefer the Clinique and NARS dupes for my pale skin. I could see how this would be the perfect version of those for the very dark skinned though!
That makes sense to me, Erin! 🙂
This is probably a colour that I’m passing this time around! I love the range but this colour might be a little bit much on my medium skintone!
I could see that!
This blush looks a little bit too tricky to use, although the shade would suit some deeper toned complexions.
It would be lovely on tan and deep complexions!
Wow. I was thinking as I was looking at your face swatch (before I read your review) that it looked uneven to the point of making your check seem bruised or lumpy. Now … I know your cheek isn’t like that. I’m sure some people can make this work for them with some experimentation, but I have a couple dupes, so not even a consideration.
So glad you have dupes already 🙂
A am a MUFE girl. I haven’t picked up any of these yet but I plan too very soon! They look sooooo good!