Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes Collection Set Review

Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes Collection Set

For any beauty junkie, the best part of the holiday season is undoubtedly the many gift sets cosmetics companies offer. Gift sets are perfect for trying out new products without making a big dent in your wallet. As for products you’ve tried, tested and loved, gift sets are perfect to stock up on a year’s (or two years’!) supply of your favorite beauty products. My purchase belongs to both categories. I’ve loved Make Up For Ever’s (henceforth, MUFE) Aqua Eyes black pencil liner since I first tried it more than four years ago. With this set I got the opportunity to try out some more colors and I’d like to share my thoughts with y’all!

Make up For Ever Aqua Eyes Holiday Set

Make up For Ever Aqua Eyes Collection Set 2012

Product Background and Description

MUFE was founded, in 1984, by French sculptor, painter and makeup-artist Dany Sanz. The brand is now owned by the luxury giant LVMH, which also owns Louis Vuitton, Bulgari, Givenchy and Sephora among a number of other high-end luxury companies. MUFE products are a favorite among makeup artists for their lasting power and vibrant colors.

The Aqua Eyes Collection Set is a part of MUFE’s Holiday 2012 offerings. The set contains two full size (0.04 oz) eyeliners in Mat Black and Pearly Brown and four travel-size pencils (0.025 oz) in Black Purple, Champagne, Teal and Dark Grey. Sephora describes the pencils as “smudge-proof, fade-proof and waterproof…[a] long lasting eyeliner that stays put.”

The product comes in a cute but flimsy cardboard package with a clear plastic cover in the front. The graphics on the packaging are pretty cool, but I can’t think of any use for it beyond shipping the product.

MUFE PACKAGING

MUFE PACKAGING 2

Price
The set currently retails for $36 in Sephora stores and on Sephora.com and for $38 to $49.99 on eBay.

My Experience with the Product

The instructions for use suggest applying three coats of the pencil eyeliner on your waterline and allowing it to dry for a minute between each application. I’ve tried both the method they suggest, and the ol’ swipe and go and both work pretty well for me. If I know I won’t have the opportunity for touch-ups through the day, I go for the three-coat method. These liners last the whole day, even without primer on my waterline and super-oily eyelids. I have to use a generous amount of remover at the end of the day to get these out, but I’m not complaining!

MUFE TRAVEL PENCILS 2

Swatches (From L-R) Mat Black (0L), Pearly Brown (2L), Black Purple (6L), Teal (12L), Dark Grey (21L) and Champagne (23L).

MUFE SWATCHES

The Mat Black and Pearly Brown are my favorites. I often wear the black on my lid and the brown on the lower lash line for a soft, defined look.

MUFE FULL SIZE PENCILS 2

MUFE FULL SIZE PENCILS

The Champagne makes a great eye-brightener. Using it on my waterline instantly makes my eyes look bigger and less tired. Plus, the shade is a great alternative over white eye pencils, which can often look odd on Indian women. The Dark Grey and Teal are great for the evenings. I like to wear the grey with a bright lipstick and the teal with nude lip colors, for a balanced look. Although purple liners are great for brown eyes, I don’t think the Black Purple flatters me at all! It’s far from a true purple and on me the purple doesn’t show up at all. To me, the color sticks out like a sore thumb in the set.

Pros

  •  Lasting Power. These pencils are great on the waterline AND the lid. In my view, that’s a win-win. I don’t have to keep worrying about touch-ups or raccoon eyes throughout the day!
  •  Bright Colors. The colors are vivid and show up really well on the eyes.
  •  Great Value. The full size pencils retail for $18 each. You’re getting the four travel-sized eyeliners practically for free!
  •  The consistency. I love that the eyeliner neither too soft nor too hard. It’s soft enough to glide on the eyes without tugging and pulling. And it doesn’t crumble or smudge during application either.

Cons

  •  The purple pencil. It’s bound to look better on lighter-skinned gals, but definitely not a good color for my NC40 skin tone.
  •  I wish the packaging was tin instead of plastic and cardboard. The packaging can’t be reused, and, as an environmentally conscious person, that doesn’t make me too happy!

Bottom Line

Overall, this is a great set for both Aqua Eyes’ fans and those new to MUFE. If it was a permanent offering, I’d definitely repurchase the set. I will be repurchasing the Black, Brown and Champagne pencils. I would re-purchase the Teal and Dark Grey, but I think these will take a while to use up!

Rating: 4.5 / 5

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18 thoughts on “Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes Collection Set Review

  1. awesome piccys devie. good to see you back. 🙂 I cant wait for sephora to open here in delhi . they are getting MUFE here. woohooo!!! They look very pretty. I loved how coloured pencils are travel size and basic pencils are bigger size. totally makes sense. 🙂

  2. Devie, i keep checking the sephora website for all thz gift sets and thz r so so drool worthy 😀
    Love all the shades u have in this MUFE set 🙂
    Good pictures and Review 🙂

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