Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Intense #37

From one of my favorite make-up brands ever comes their newest Rouge Artist Intense lipsticks. The moment I saw the promo images and read the description, I knew they would be right up my alley. I lovelovelove bright lip colors, and with 50 new shades to choose from in matte/satin/pearl finishes (and a handy color wheel to help you choose your perfect shade based on skin and hair color--although you shouldn't take it as the final say), I knew I was bound to find something I would like. These are a Sephora exclusive, so I went there with the intention of just swatching them...but ended up walking out with 3. What can I say? They were just too nice to pass up!


While the nude shades looked ok, what really caught my eyes were the colors from #31 and on. These were the pinks, raspberries, corals, and reds that were the most attractive to me! There was even an orange, some dark purples, and, yes, a black. Coincidentally, the ones that I ended up liking the most were consecutive numbers--36, 37, and 38. I didn't really want anything with a matte or pearly finish, so these satin lipsticks were just right.


I don't recall MUFE having individual names for any of their make-up shades, so you have to go by numbers when you're shopping for their items. Starting from the left: #36 (satin fuchsia), #37 (satin bright pink), and #38 (satin coral). My pictures don't really do the shades justice, as they are actually very bright and pigmented (50% more pigment than traditional lipsticks) in real life. Therefore, these Rouge Artist Intense lipsticks are not for the shy of lips. They really mean it when they say that you can get immediately rich color in one swipe. I find that I don't need more than one swipe each for my top and bottom lips to achieve the full effect. Sometimes, I only use one swipe on my bottom lip and blend it with the top for a sheer wash of color that I would usually get after many layers from other lipsticks (Paul & Joe, I'm talking to you!).


The one I'm reviewing today is #37, which is the satin bright pink. This color stood out to me for its brightness. Though it's described as a bright pink, I think it leans more towards a more orange coral/red.


Here it is in the tube (I forgot to take a picture of it before I swatched it. Whoops!)


And a swatch on my arm. See what I mean? It looks more coral than pink to me.


For comparison's sake, I also swatched my YSL Rouge Volupte in Rose Paris and M.A.C. Viva Glam Cyndi. They are similar, but in real life the M.A.C. is a lot more muted and the YSL is much more orange.


Close up swatch of the lips


And what it looks like on me. By the way, this is what my hair looks like in the morning before it's been straightened! I took this picture as I was getting ready for work.

For $19, I feel that these lipsticks are a pretty good deal. They pack a lot of punch without requiring a lot of layers, so I can tell these will last me a while. They are cheaper than other high-end lipsticks but have way more colors and finishes for you to choose from. I wasn't particularly fond of the matte or pearly finish because they were a bit drying, but the satin finish was fine to me. Also, because these are so pigmented, you have to make sure your lips are moisturized and flake-free or else it won't go on as nicely. They are long-lasting: I usually get between 4-5 hours of wear out of them without reapplying. This particular shade is noticeable and eye-catching without having to wear a red lipstick; it also adds a fun pop of color to an otherwise neutral face.

At first, I kept hemming and hawing on whether I should get this shade. What finally convinced me to get this color? After I put it on my lips, I walked around Sephora to browse some more before I made a final decision. As I was walking around, 2 different people asked me what shade I was wearing and immediately headed to the MUFE display after I told them. The salesgirl who rang me up also asked what brand and shade I was wearing so that she could check it out during her break. Did I really need more convincing? Apparently not. Haha :)


Have you tried the Rouge Artist Intense lipsticks? Any thoughts and color suggestions?



(Reviews and swatches of #36 and #38 coming soon!)