Make Up For Ever Artist Shadows for the Win!

Hi, everyone! To all of you struggling back into your regular post-holiday work schedules, I send bunches of my virtual strength and caffeine your way! To perk you up, I'm sharing a review of one of the very best products I tried in 2014. They came *so* close to making it to my Top 20 Products of 2014, which says a lot! In my opinion, the Make Up For Ever Artist Shadows were one of the biggest sleeper hits of last year. They didn't get tons of advertising, they didn't make it on every single '"Best of 2014" list, and yet, I have not heard a single bad thing about them! Being slowly, but surely convinced that these shadows were for real, I finally picked some up in November. Good move on my part, as these are they amazing! 

The Make Up For Ever Artist Shadows promise superior blendability, bold pigmentation, and a gel-powder, comfortable formula. They come in 6 finishes, ranging from matte to metallic. Each shadow is sold in a separate pan and are made to be used in conjunction with the customizable Artist Palette, which is a mere $1 extra when purchased alongside a shadow. Each shade is $24 CAD when solo, but are sold at a discount when you buy multiples. One shadow + palette is $25 CAD, two shadows + palette is $40 CAD, and three shadows + palette is $50 CAD. Yes, this does encourage you to buy a few at a time, but it really is a fab value if you take the plunge. The collection offers over 200 shades, so there are definitely plenty to choose from! 

The shadows and palettes come in glossy black cardboard packaging with white lettering. The shadow boxes contain a window that allows you to see the colour inside, which does come in handy. 

When removed from the box, the shadows are contained in clear plastic clam shells for extra protection. The palettes are made of sturdy plastic with a clear top that clicks shut firmly. It's very easy to open the shadows and nestle them into the palette, in which they are secured magnetically. 

Here is the end result- looks quite pretty! 

Also pretty? My silly cat, Sadie, who loves to be involved in photo shoots :)

When choosing my first lineup of shades, I opted for wearable, yet unique neutrals. Since the shade range is so massive, it took a serious amount of time (and a major swatch-a-thon) to narrow it down. In the end, I chose:

ME512 Golden Beige- a metallic pale yellow gold
ME612 Silver Brown- a warm tawny pink-tinged brown with a silvery metallic finish
ME624 Black Gold- a deep neutral to warm brown rich with metallic golden shimmer

Here they are swatched on my inner arm (MAC NC15 skin tone):

(L-R); Make Up For Ever Artist Shadows in ME512, ME612, and ME624

Here is an eye look I created with all three shades. I applied ME612 Silver Brown all over my lid, blending up to the crease. I them added definition with ME624 Black Gold on the outer corner and crease of my eye. I finished things off with ME512 Golden Beige as a highlight on my brow bones and inner corners of the eye. 

And here is a closeup of the eye look. As you can see, the shadows are beautifully pigmented, yet blend into one another effortlessly. The metallic finish adds a lovely glow to the lids, without looking frosty or heavy. It's truly beautiful!

Overall, I've completely been bitten by the Artist Shadow bug. These shadows really deliver on all of their promises. Rarely have I found an eye shadow that is so amazingly pigmented while also being blendable, lightweight, and sophisticated. The price point isn't budget, yet I still feel these are an excellent value when purchased in trios. Each shadow contains .07oz (MAC shadows are .05oz), so it should last for ages!  I am super eager to try more shades and finishes from the range, within the parameters of my 2015 Beauty Resolutions, of course :)

Have you tried any of the Make Up For Ever Artist Shadows? Digging any of the shades I picked? What brand makes your favourite shadows at the moment?

Have a wonderful week! xo