Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation in Shades Y445 and Y505 – Swatches and Photos

Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation ($43) is a HD foundation with an ultra-lightweight texture that provides ultra flawless skin. It was developed specifically for film and TV to be invisible under the latest, super-focused 4k lens. It features uniquely-coated pigments that provide medium to buildable coverage with an even lighter weight, second-skin texture that looks just like skin.

I picked up two color shades to provide for color references:

Left: COLOR 173 = Y445 - Amber     Right: COLOR 177 = Y505 - Cognac

Photos taken with flash and in LED lighting: Left: COLOR 173 = Y445 - Amber     Right: COLOR 177 = Y505 - Cognac

Photos taken without flash and in LED lighting:

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MAKE UP FOR EVER Artist Palette Volume 2 – Artistic – Colors You Crave – Swatches, Review and Photos On A Woman of Color

Say hello to color with the MAKE UP FOR EVER Artist Palette Volume 2 – Artistic – Colors You Crave Palette.

Normally, this palette retails for $42.00 for 0.54 oz. of product but it is currently on a promotion at Sephora for $25. Clearly, with my recent obsession with eyeshadow products and our need to save some money, I got it to review.

Here are a few photos taken with flash and without flash:

Overall, I am very happy with the palette from the initial swatches. The only column that I wasn't too thrilled with was the first one:

• The pearly pink shade (I872) swatched well but I had to use about 3 coats to get it to build up to what you see above on my skin tone.
• The electric magenta shade (ME910) left me feeling underwhelmed by how difficult it was to build up if I wanted to use this as an eyeshadow. This is marketed and designed to be a blush so if you lightly pack it on then you will be fine. Otherwise, be prepared to put in a bit of work. I really like the blue undertones and iridescent violet sheen to it so I'll make it work without complaining. This also left a light pink stain on my arm when I removed it with one makeup wipe as the other shades
• The purple shade (S924) is a matte blush. There isn't too much that I can say on this shade that will make you like it. The color and undertones are pretty but the texture is pretty dry and hard to blend.

I haven't had the chance to play with it on my brushes and eyes yet so I will update you on social and on here once I do. Again, overall, I love this palette and it is well worth the price - especially if you're getting for yourself or as a gift. If I could, I would replace the two blushes with a similar shade to the ME-700 and the ME-302.

Availability: It is currently available at Sephora for $25.

Update 12/5/16: I played with it for an eye look twice. Here's a photo of me wearing the emerald green and gold shades from the palette. I had to use a bit of Unseen from Melt Cosmetics in my crease for a neutral transition and I mixed that with a bit of the purple blush to warm it up and add some color.

Additional products used:

• Make Up For Ever Liner No M-16 (white) No I-34 (green) and No M-10 (matte black)
• Nars Cosmetics concealer in Amande and Caramel
• Urban Decay Cosmetics Shadow Primer Potion (anti-aging)
• Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara (waterproof)
• CoverFX Perfect Setting Powder in Translucent Light and Translucent Deep and Mattifying Primer
• CoverFX Custom Highlighting Drops in Sunlight on top of the Highlighting Powders in Candlelight and Moonlight
• Liquid liner: Inglot black gel eyeliner in 77 and Sigma E06 wing liner brush
• Real Techniques Bold Metals Brushes from Octoly
• Tarte Cosmetics tarteist Pro Black Lash Adhesive ‑ Black
• MAC Cosmetics Fix+ Spray
• Becca Cosmetics Orange Corrector

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Make Up For Ever Water Blend Foundation - Review and Swatches of 13 out of 20 Shades

MAKE UP FOR EVER has released their new Water Blend Foundation - a new and reformulated version of their popular Face & Body Foundation.

MUFE reformulated the foundation to "combine the comfort of a sheer foundation with the performance that pro makeup artists demand in the new Water Blend Foundation. The buildable, lightweight formula delivers a flawless and dewy finish with a beautiful, even complexion. Available in 20 shades, Make Up For Ever Water Blend Foundation is the reformulation of pro makeup artist’s favorite Face & Body Foundation, delivering the same results with an upgraded formula." The new results include:

• Hydrating: 80% of the formula is purified water infused with vitamin B5 to provide hydration and improve skin elasticity.
• Waterproof & Transfer-proof: Coated micro-fine pigments improve payoff and skin affinity with guaranteed waterproof and transfer-proof coverage.
• Easy to apply: The unique, water-gel texture feels smooth and light, even when it dries to a resistant finish for flawless, all-day wear.

I first got to check these out early in April during the Makeup Show New York. As an ambassador to the show, I was able to get the sneak peek and behind the scenes on the foundation from the MUFE team and lead artist Nicholas Lujan. You can watch his mini demonstration and see live swatches of the shades here (I highly recommend watching this completely through as Nicholas gives some amazing talk through on the new foundation and some makeup artistry tips).

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Nicholas says you can use Water Blend as a primer but also as foundation on your face and body. It's a light, transparent, buildable coverage that leaves the skin looking like skin. You can apply it with your fingers, a brush, a sponge or with an airbrush tool and you can manipulate the coverage depending on the tool that you use. Personally, I prefer to apply mines with my fingers. Just make sure that you let it fully dry before you add on additional layers.

Here are swatches of the 13 shades that I was able to get my hands on at the show. In the name - the Y stands for yellow undertones and the R stands for red undertones.

From left to right: R370, Y445, Y505, R520, R540

From left to right: R210, R240, Y325, R300, Y245

From left to right: R250, Y305, Y405

Overall thoughts: For reference, I wear shade Y455 (a more blended out swatch is posted below) and I absolutely love this foundation. Like I said, it is 80% water based so it gives me a very light weight coverage with a very natural looking look and dewy finish. I've been wearing this all throughout the summer for events and bbq's that require me to look a little bit more done up but without putting makeup on.

If you have severe hyperpigmentation, acne scars or serious break outs, this may not be the best foundation for you to use right now because the coverage just isn't there for that (or to be applied over layers of color correctors and concealers). As mentioned earlier, it has a gel like formula so you want to try using a denser brush or your fingers - try to stay away from using a beauty blender because I found it to just absorb the foundation on me (beauty blenders suck up water and this is 80% water).Comparison: Yes, for the same price, you can get the Ultra HD foundation which provides fuller coverage, however, I do recommend having a bottle of this in your shade for those extremely hot days when nobody has time for a melting face. This also make a great transitioning foundation for a younger teenager who is just starting out with makeup.

Purchase: The MAKE UP FOR EVER Water Blend Foundation retails for $43 is already available on Makeupforever.com, Sephora.com and in Sephora stores.

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Thank you to The Makeup Show, the Make Up For Ever Team and Nicholas Lujan for allowing me to film his segment.

Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Foundation and Concealer Review and Swatches - Y415, Y445, R40, Y41

There has been so much hype within the beauty community about the Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation - an Allure Best of Beauty winner of 2015 - that I decided to get some samples to test it out myself. This liquid foundation is a super light weight foundation that provides medium to full coverage that is best applied in small thin layers. It is designed to give you an airbrush-like finish on and off camera. There are 40 shades available. I also got a chance to try the Ultra HD concealer. There are 10 shades available and Y41 is the deepest shade.

Here are swatches of the foundation in Y415 and Y445 and the concealer in R40 and Y41.

The Makeup Show NYC 2016 Blogger Preview/Backstage and Beyond Workshop Recap

I can't even begin to tell you how long my day was. I've been on my feet running around for about 14 hours and I think all I ate today were pretzels. Pretzels, Ginger Ale and Twizzlers and now that I'm finally sitting down to give you the recap of the day all I can do is sit here and smile. I wouldn't have it any other way.  Today, was the start of The Makeup Show NYC 2016. If you're following me on my social media channels, then you've been able to keep up with some of the activities of the day. If not, let's jump right into this recap shall we?

I am an ambassador for The Makeup Show so today, I was assisting the amazing...no, no AMAZING James Vincent and Orlando Santiago in their workshop Backstage and Beyond: Understanding Fashion Week Makeup. It was an 8 hour seminar with both instructors that was very intimate, hands on and educational. We spoke with James about his background and experience in working Fashion Weeks across the world and he gave us the behind the scenes exclusives about what you need to become a successful fashion runway artist. Even though I am more on the editorial coverage side of Fashion Week, I was able to take a way major highlights that I am able to use in furthering my own career.

During the hands on workshop, the makeup artist were given a challenge to create the perfect bold red lip. If I had to pick one tip as my favorite tip to share with you, it would be the one product that both instructors would not stop raving about - the Make Up For Ever Aqua Seal ($21).

Aqua Seal is a liquid converter that instantly transforms your favorite makeup products into waterproof and smudge-proof formulas without changing the texture. They both literally took one drop of this product and mixed into a red lip tar from OCC and it did not budge once applied. And again, I watched as they mixed one drop into a foundation by Kevyn Aucoin and what is normally described as a "too heavy and too thick" foundation was now applying like butter. So needless to say, I will be picking this up from the MUFE booth tomorrow. If you're not going to The Makeup Show, you can order a bottle here.

Next, we have the press blogger preview where we get chance to see what's what at the show before it officially opens. James Vincent, the Director of Artistry for The Makeup Show, gave us the highlights on keynote speakers, educational seminars, the brands attending and some of the new products that are launching this weekend. Here is a sneak peek at the gift bag that I received - products from Kevyn Aucoin, Kat Von D, Smashbox, OCC, Tarte Cosmetics, Eve Pearl, Naked Cosmetics, The Body Shop, Make Up For Ever, MustaeV USA, Kett Cosmetics, Embryolisse and so much more!

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Of course, I'll dive in more over the next few days, but for now, stay tuned to all of the coverage on TMS here!