Anyone that knows my makeup preferences knows that I've been a fan of Makeup Forever for the longest. Not because they are celebrity endorsed. Not because they have cute or luxurious packaging. And definitely not for the sake of makeup collecting. I love so many of their products because they work.
The way I would describe Makeup Forever as a brand is pro quality with consumer convenient access. They carry a full shade range in all of their products, simple packaging (many of which are freelance kit friendly), as well as so many different travel options (their amazing metal palettes are always sold out!).
Makeup Forever Ultra HD foundation is by far my favorite foundation stick ever. No other foundation sticks have ever worked on my skin, always too matte and cakey. When they introduced their reformulated Artist Shadows, I was in love from first swipe (I seriously need to get more!). So when I saw that they had launched a similar product for highlight, blush, and contour, I was all over it!
I picked up 6 shades to start with: 3 blushes, both a matte and shimmer highlight, and one contour shade.
The great thing about these refill pans (same as the shadows) is that Sephora has bundle deals when you buy in quantities of 2 or 3 and add the metal palette to your cart. A single pan runs $28, whereas a bundle of 2 is $38, and a bundle of 3 is $45. That's almost a 35% discount if you buy 3 at a time. I love this because while I do get a pro discount with Makeup Forever, I would still have to pay shipping, whereas now I can just walk into Sephora and grab what I need.
I have used all of these shades nonstop since I received them and have zero complaints. I actually might pick up some more as soon as I finish this post, while Sephora's extra Beauty Insider points event is still going on.
The shades I initially picked up are ones that I would typically gravitate towards. Peachy-pink blushes, champagne-gold highlight (as well as a matte yellow for under-eye), and a light-medium contour. The blushes very much remind me of the original MAC powder blushes, which are still some of my favorites. Especially the last shade in the palette I made below (S310) which reminds me of my favorite matte MAC blush: Melba.
Top to Bottom: B304, B306, S310
Top to Bottom: H108, H106, S112
All of the shades wear beautifully and blend easily. I haven't had any issues with fading or patchiness. The banana highlight (H108) I only use when I want that super bright under-eye and usually mix with Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Ethereal to tone it down because it is quite pigmented. The champagne highlight (H106) is similar to Becca Opal, just a little more golden. The contour shade (S112) doesn't swatch very well, but it's very pigmented on the face. Initially after swatching I thought it would be too light, but now I actually wish they had an even lighter shade when I don't want intense contour.
If you haven't taken a look at all these new shades yet (7 highlighters, 7 sculpting powders, and 20 blushes), I highly recommend that you get on it! They may not be innovative shades, cutesy packaging, or a huge palette, but they are worth it in what they DO bring to the table. You get a great deal if you buy more than one, you get to customize your own palette, and their sturdy, functional packaging is perfect for travel (huge mirror inside!). I mean, how many palettes do we buy because we are all full of FOMO, and we only end up using 2 shades while the rest just sits there looking pretty? Won't happen here guaranteed! If you have looked at them, what shades have caught your eye?
