There's nothing I love more than a makeup product that cuts down my morning routine. Whether it's an SPF that doubles as a skin tint, a lip stain that also acts as a blusher or a brow pencil that helps me recreate a '90s lip — the bottom line is, if it can save space in my already overfilled makeup bag, I already love it.
Enter: my newly found obsession with multi-purpose makeup crayons. They're the kind of products that don't necessarily fit into a specific category. They're not quite a bronzer or a contour stick, nor a blusher or a concealer. Rather, they blur the lines between each makeup step, throwing the conventional rules out the window. But what I love most about them is that they reinforce the idea that makeup is all about experimenting and embracing the artistry.
One particular product I've been loving recently is the new multi-purpose Artist Color Crayon from Make Up Forever, which comes in 27 (yes, twenty seven) shades—each formulated to be used on face, lips and eyes. So, yes, you could, in theory, use them to complete your entire makeup routine (minus the foundation and the mascara, ofc).
From universally flattering mauve-y hues to the more vibrant baby doll pinks and cherry reds, these multi-tasking crayons can easily double as a cream blusher or a lipstick. Elsewhere, there's a tonne of contouring and bronzing shades that can be used to sculpt and warm up your complexion. There's even a handful of highlighting iterations to suit every skin tone. And let's not forget that each shade can also act as eyeshadow, which is all the more tempting considering that it comes in both matte and shimmery finishes.
Long time Make Up For Ever enthusiasts will have noticed that the shade range also includes a few colours that mirror the brand's iconic Artist Colour Pencil shades, which have been unofficially proclaimed as some of the best lip liners. Think: Anywhere Caffeine (which also happens to be one of Hailey Bieber's favourites), Wherever Walnut and Endless Cacao.
Having opted for five shades (Wherever Walnut, Anywhere Caffeine, Boundless Berry, Endless Cacao and Daring Pink), I challenged myself to do my whole base, eye and lip makeup routine using just this product.
After applying my go-to foundation, I used Endless Cacao to contour, which admittedly, seemed a bit too dark for my pale complexion at first. But once blended, it was diffused into the most natural-looking contour that perfectly mimicked the shadows to chisel my face. Next, I opted for Anywhere Caffeine to brighten up my complexion, and it served as a great 'blonzing' shade that could be easily worn without a blusher.
However, being totally blush-obsessed, I couldn't help but add a bit of colour to my cheeks using a combination of Daring Pink and Boundless Berry. Together, both of these shades created a beautiful berry sorbet-like look, which makes for a perfect combination for the summer. To tie everything together, I completed the look with Anywhere Caffeine across my upper eyelids and to contour my lips. And of course, I couldn't resist but to add a dab of Boundless Berry in the middle of my pout for an ombré finish.
Above all, I loved the creamy formula, which allowed me to blend each shade with ease. Although the finish was matte, it wasn't cake-y, and it layered beautifully without causing any patchiness whatsoever.
But apart from this clever launch from Make Up For Ever, there's a few multi-purpose crayon formulas that are equally deserving of the praise. First off, the Lisa Eldridge Pin Point Concealer Pencil, which can be used to spot-conceal blemishes, sharpen up your brows or clean up the area around the lips for a precise pout.
Next, the Rhode Peptide Lip Shape, which, although designed to contour and shape the lips, can also be easily used as nose contour or as a way to add a bit dimension to your eyeshadow. Meanwhile, the newly launched Trinity Multitasker Blusher from Trinny London doubles as both blusher and a highlighting stick that you can also swipe across your eyelids or lips for a more cohesive look.
The bottom line is, while they're definitely not as essential a step as your daily doese of SPF, makeup crayons can still make a genuinely worthy addition to your makeup routine. In fact, they're all I've been using as of late. The best part is that they can be enjoyed by any makeup enthusiast regardless of skill, especially given you can easily blend them out using your fingers. I rest my case.
