MAKE UP FOR EVER Artist Rouge Lipsticks in C105, C211, M401, C506, C603 & C502

Make Up For Ever just released the Artist Rouge Lipsticks ($27 CAD each) - a collection of 45 lipsticks with new and improved packaging. The Artist Rouge Lipsticks are a bold colour formulation, with 25% more pigment than the old Rouge Artist Lipsticks. 

MUFE collaborated with Swedish electropop duo, Icona Pop, to create 2 limited edition shades of the Artist Rouge Lipsticks - a dramatic midnight blue (C603) and a bold hot red (M401). 

I'm into the packaging. I was showing the Artist Rouge Lipsticks to my roommate, and as I handed one to her she exclaimed, "This feels EXPENSIVE!". And it really does. Its the frosted metal is sleek and simple, while the weight of the bullet makes it feel like it has some good substance to it. Its only fault is that there is no way to tell which shade is which when the caps are on. I wish Make Up For Ever made the stickers at the bottom colour coded so I could distinguish between the shades. 

Speaking of the shades, there are a whopping 45 in two varieties - 31 lustrous cream finish lipsticks and 14 velvety matte finish lipsticks. As expected from MUFE, the colour selection is crazy good - a huge selection of nudes and even a mint green! The range is divided into colour families of Nudes, Pinks, Berries and Artistic.

In addition to the Icona Pop collab, another noteworthy shade is C211, a rosy brown hue. Make Up For Ever says that if you can't decide on a lipstick, C211 is your go-to as it is universally flattering on all skin tones. 

The lipsticks are super creamy, even the one matte red that I tried. There is a slight plastic/sweet scent with diminishes a few minutes after application. The texture and pigment reminds me a lot of the Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipsticks but the MUFE Artist Rouge Lipsticks are less thick and tacky feeling in texture and a tad less pigmented, requiring 2 layers for full on opacity. 

The Artist Rouge Lipsticks are surprisingly comfortable and longwearing at the same time. After swatching all six in a row, my lips felt... hydrated (rather than the usual tingly sting). They definitely transfer with eating, drinking and the like, yet the wear is pretty decent at 4+ hours (even the darker shades!) - no feathering and no drying. The deeper colours also leave a stain, particularly C603 (midnight blue) and C506 (dark purple).

Let's talk about the Artistic Artist Rouge shades - C603 (midnight blue) and C502 (taupe violet). Typically, unusual shades like these are found in liquid lipstick form. I'm not a fan of liquid lipsticks because they are mucho uncomfortable and drying. The MAKE UP FOR EVER Artist Rouge Lipsticks offer me the perfect balance between unique colour and wearability. 

 Make Up For Ever Artist Rouge Lipstick in M401 by Icona Pop || hot red