Lately I’ve been turning away from wearing a high-gloss lip, and getting more and more interested in playing with the colors and richer textures of lipstick.  I’m slowly trying to switch up my routine just to get out of doing the same old.  Apparently, ~somebody~ is on my side, because last week I received a surprise package in the mail – three new MAKE UP FOR EVER lipsticks to play with!Ultra-creamy and moisturizing, MAKE UP FOR EVER’s Rouge Artist Natural lipstick ($22CAD) provide light coverage and a soft, shiny finish.  Similar to their gloss formulations, the Natural lipsticks are formulated with illuminating mother-of-pearl which adds a natural sheen to the lips. Candelilla and beeswax, as well as cuapacu butter (which is rich in essential fatty acids), helps add moisture to the lips and improve the longevity of the color.  50 shades in all, there are three finishes – satin, iridescent, and diamond. The shades I received are N21 – a pastel pink ; N36 – an iridescent coral; and N46 – a cherry red.As my lipstick stash is woefully small and lacking in diversity, I was really looking forward to digging in with these shades.  Working from lightest to darkest, I started with N21, the pale, milky pink shade.

Obviously, this shade is far too light for my skintone – it washes me  out, and with the flash it looks like something Nicki Minaj would wear – not really my style   Also, I found because my lips are more pigmented, it highlighted flakes on my lips – which were, in fact, exfoliated prior to testing these shades and weren’t actually dry or rough in the least.  It also settled into lip lines.  Bummer.

The second shade, N36 (a pretty, medium coral), was more wearable than the first as the pigmentation was a touch more sheer, and is the first coral lipstick I own – if you can believe it!!

I found that this shade was quite nice worn, even though it is still a little bit light for me.  It really give a nice subtle tone to my lips that feels like a perfect color to wear this Spring.  It still highlights lines and flakes on my lips a bit, but if I’m very careful in my application and am sure to apply the color to completely bare (as in, with no balm etc.) exfoliated lips, then it seems to be OK.

The last shade I was sent, N46, is a deep, slightly blue-leaning red that delivers a fair amount of coverage without much effort.

Of all the three shades, this one was the most wearable and easiest to put on – no need for any special tricks here!!  I think if you are looking to ease into wearing red lips, this is an excellent shade to start with – it’s so creamy and lightweight and non-obnoxious – I really love it!  They also offer a few other reds if this one doesn’t float your boat.

Overall, while the shades didn’t all work for me perfectly, I quite enjoyed the creamy, smooth, easy to apply formula that left my lips feeling exceptionally hydrated with none of the dry feeling that lipstick can sometimes leave.  I think the formula is the perfect way to segue into wearing lipstick more regularly, and it’s particularly suitable for the upcoming warmer months as it’s featherlight and on the sheerer side (note that due to this fact, wear time is around ……..).  Without a doubt I’ll be checking more of these shades out!

Note: 18 of the 50 shades of Rouge Artist Natural are sold exclusive at Sephora stores; the shades I received are only available at MAKE UP FOR EVER’s ProLoft (514-288-4445) or by visiting makeupforever.ca.

Thoughts? Are you also a lipstick newb? What color lipstick in general is your fave?

**Don’t forget to enter my giveaway!

*These products were provided for my unbiased consideration by the PR company/brand.