This week I am pleased to bring you my full report on my day of beauty with Make Up For Ever. Enjoy!

A few weeks ago I was invited to spend the afternoon with a regional makeup artist for Make Up For Ever learning about what they do, and, of course, playing with all those outrageous colors!

The Skin Care
Make Up For Ever's focus is on color, so their skin care is a bit of an after-thought. It has a basic cleanser and moisturizer, as well as a unique cleansing oil designed to remove all traces of makeup completely without water. The oil feels unusual if you are used to traditional cleansers, but it is great for dry skin or if you want to change all of your makeup without washing your face.

The Makeup
The first step, if necessary, before foundation, is Make Up For Ever's color correcting makeup base. A variety of lines have these red, green, and blue pre-foundations that are supposed to mask skin "flaws" like redness, dark circles, and sallow skin. I personally wouldn't pay money for this type of product (especially $19 for one ounce). Unless you have scarring or discolorations other than a basic pimple, a simple foundation and/or concealer should do the trick.

Make Up For Ever has several foundation formulas to choose from: standard liquid, stick, and an all-over face and body makeup. I was treated to the face and body version in color #2. It delivers very nice coverage but with a thin, easy-to-blend texture. At $57 for a large 5 ounce bottle, this makeup would be great for someone who either really likes the color and texture, or who has several areas of both the face and body that require makeup. One "side effect" is that the face and body makeup is highly water-resistant, so it does take some work to wash it off.

After foundation, Make Up For Ever has a nice selection of loose powder that has to be the silkiest I have ever felt. The colors are yellow-based, and the formula is water-resistant, which could be handy for those of us living in especially rainy parts of the world. It is a bit spendy at $27 for just over an ounce, but if you love the smooth texture as much as I did, it could be a nice treat.

The Colors
When I think Make Up For Ever, I always think color. With over 100 eye shadow and blush colors in everything from basic beige to the wildest chartreuse, it is highly unlikely you won't find a color you like here. Even the brightest purple or blue can be applied as light or as heavy as necessary to suit any complexion. I was decorated in a variety of shades of purple that looked fun without being gaudy.

Of all the colors at Make Up For Ever, the Star Powders are my favorite. These tiny pots of sparkly loose powder can be used on eyes, cheeks, lips, or anywhere you want some shine. Here are a few of my favorites, listed by color number:

• 900 a silvery white
• 901 whitish purple
• 902 light gold
• 918 dark copper
• 919 dark mauve purple
• 922 coppery orange

I experimented with the Star Powders as eye shadow, brow color, and eye liner (both wet and dry), all of which made for a very fun makeup look that's great for going out or for a special occassion.

The Brushes
Just like every department store line these days, Make Up For Ever has a huge assortment of professional makeup brushes for applying everything from loose powder to undereye concealer. If you are looking for a particular brush for a particular makeup task, these brushes are worth checking out. I added the $16 eye liner brush to my collection since it was the first I had seen that was very thin and soft, not wide and stiff like most others. This thin style I think is better for drawing one fine line with wet eye shadow or cake liner.

The Final Look
I must say that while my finished Make Up For Ever "look" was a bit more colorful than I am used to, it was very fun and youthful. If you enjoy cosmetics and playing with different colors, Make Up For Ever is definitely worth a visit. Their prices are in line with most other high-end department store lines, so spend wisely to get the most for your money. If you want to try one thing that really represents what's different about Make Up For Ever, my pic is the Star Powders.