For many of us, summer means spending a large chunk of time by the pool or at the beach, whether we’re enjoying a dive into the water or simply lying on a lounge chair and bathing in the sun. In light of that, long-lasting waterproof eye makeup that is able to withstand the heat and humidity is definitely an essential! Don’t panic if you have not found the products that can help you to achieve a perfect makeup look yet! Two makeup products from Make Up For Ever’s Aqua line, the Aqua Shadow and Aqua Cream, have got you covered!


AQUA SHADOW
These waterproof makeup shadow sticks come in a plastic pencil form, and they are available in 12 shades from neutral to smoky, with five matte and seven pearly finishes. According to the company’s product description, this product was highly requested at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim in summer 2011, where runway-ready makeup that won’t crease or smudge under hot lights and humidity had to be created by artists in just a few minutes. I am lucky to have had the opportunity to test out several colors from this line, including #4E (Taupe Grey), #6E (Navy Blue), #22E (Copper) and #28E (Beige). Among these colors, my favorite is #28E, because it is so natural that it can be worn everywhere from the office to a picnic. Plus, even though the color is quite similar to my skin color, it is still able to create a glow to my eyes and give them more depth and dimension.

Pros:
All of the colors I tried are very true to their descriptions: they look exactly like the color they claim to be. Besides, they are all very rich and opaque, and the end result gives a fabulous pigmentation to your eyes. Another good thing is that they are really simple to apply! The creamy and silky formula in a pencil form allows it to glide on the skin smoothly with just a quick swipe on the eyelids. One suggestion is that you can create the smoky-eye look by smudging it on the upper and lower lash lines of your eyes, either on their lonesome or by layering it on top of other shades for a multicolored effect. They can be used as eyeliner as well. Moreover, every color lives up to Make Up For Ever’s waterproof claim extremely well, and stick with you through heat and rain! To test drive, I wore it to the beach on a hot and humid day. Around five hours later, the makeup still had not creased! Last but not least, the fact that this product is pint-sized is a big bonus! Its size makes it perfect to bring along on a summer trip, as they won’t take up space in your suitcase!

Cons:
The only downside is that although it has a creamy formula, it sets on the skin and dries really quickly. I recommend you to move fast and blend it in quickly before the product dries because once it’s dried and set, you cannot really smooth the hard edges out no matter how hard you push it with your fingertips or any kind of brush. On the bright side though, this shows how budge-proof the product really is, and this explains why it can be worn over a long period of time without any crumbling.

Rating: 9.5/10

AQUA CREAM
This product is similar to the Aqua Shadow in that it was designed for “extreme conditions” (like synchronized swimming!). Make Up For Ever is well known for treating makeup like art, and this line can especially reflect this point. Instead of just focusing on a few basic common colors, this collection includes a wide variety of shades to meet the needs of all sorts of customers, including colors that are not worn by many people normally, like the recently launched colors bright yellow and lime green. There are 26 shades in total, with #5-#10 specifically designed for use on lips and cheeks, and the rest for eyes and cheeks.

Pros:
This product highly resembles the Aqua Shadow in many ways. Like the Aqua Shadow, these potted creams have a creamy and smooth texture as well. However, they are even creamier and smoother, and they dry slower than the former does, which provides extra ease for blending out the hard edges, and lets it glide onto the skin so effortlessly. Their similarities do not stop here. These two products from the Aqua range have a lot more in common. For instance, same as the Aqua Shadow, they are also waterproof and crease-proof once set on your skin, and the color radiated is very pigmented and lively too! They are also great to be applied either just by themselves or as an eye shadow base. Speaking from my personal experience, the shade can last for at least five hours and probably even longer without using any eye shadow primer! The multi-purpose design of this product is definitely a plus! With just one little pot, you can apply color to your eyes and cheeks, or lips and cheeks, in order to achieve a complete makeup look! And the extensive selections of colors can help you achieve any makeup look you are aiming for!

Cons:
A small drawback of this product is that the shades are on the more shimmery side, so those who prefer a more natural look may find it a bit too dramatic to use on an everyday basis. On the other hand, it is always fun to show a pop of color that sparkles on your eyelids and draws attention to your eyes for the summer!

Rating: 9/10