Make Up For Ever Artist Plexi-Gloss in 202 Sweet Pink Review & Swatches

Make Up For Ever has recently replaced their Lab Shine Lipgloss with the new version called Artist Plexi-Gloss. The new formula is supposed to deliver up to five hours of wear time and provide a 360-degree maximized shine. I’ve put it to the test and today I’m going to let you know whether it lives up to the claim!

Shown here is a mini sample of the Make Up For Ever Artist Plexi-Gloss in 202 Sweet Pink. The color is described as a sheer sweet pink. It looks milky pink in the tube but once applied on the lips, it basically shows up as just a clear gloss on me, even with multiple layers. I guess they take the word “sheer” literally!

The gloss comes in a traditional lip gloss tube but the funny thing (to me) is the shape of the doe-foot applicator! Look below, doesn’t it look like an oven mitt? :D

But the brand has a fancy name for it which is Superflex Applicator! And boy, is it super flex(ible)! It’s very soft and bends generously to fit the contour of your lips with precision and control. I suppose the tiny “slit” on one side is for “collecting” the gloss so that you can pick up an ideal amount of product in one dip.

Here’s a swatch of 202 Sweet Pink layered (L) and sheered out (R):

It’s a pretty basic shade that you can use alone to enhance your natural lip color or layer over a lipstick to add high shine. I appreciate a simple color like this but I’m still not sold on the “innovative” formula. I find it mediocre at best. Here’s why:

• The texture is rather thick. It’s not heavy but it’s not lightweight, either. I always feel it on my lips but not in an uncomfortable way. It becomes more weightless as it wears on, though.
• The high shine is yummy, almost lacquer-like! And I love it! But it doesn’t last very long. About 2-3 hours at most.
• It is one sticky gloss. The hair-stuck-on-your-lips type of sticky, although it’s not the stickiest I’ve used. The stickiness of a lipgloss generally tends to help extend the longevity of the product but for this particular shade, I don’t find it to be any longer-lasting than my other glosses of similar color. It leaves a light tackiness on the lips once it wears off, too.

But good things about it also do exist! I find 202 to apply very evenly without settling into lines (common for milky glosses) or catching on flakes. When it dries out, it doesn’t leave that white line between the top and upper lips. It’s also fairly moisturizing as my lips don’t feel dehydrated after wear.

I have a feeling that the other more pigmented shades in the line-up will do better in terms of staying power. I don’t think I’ll purchase any to find out, though, since I’m not fond of the sticky formula. I used to be able to tolerate sticky glosses but lately I wear them less and less. Everyone has different taste and I’m not saying this is a poorly-executed product by any means, it’s just not what I current prefer.

If you don’t mind the texture, there is a whopping 35 colors in the line-up for you to choose from! From clear, to nudes/beiges, to pinks, to corals, to reds, and even to opaque blacks (check out Pearly Beetle shade in particular, it’s such a stunning color!). Additionally, there are solid and shimmery colors to accommodate your preference and/or skin tone. The price point is very reasonable, too, at US$19 a pop!

Do you mind sticky glosses? Would you trade comfort for longevity?

Purchase