Buying guide for best Morphe makeup palettes
Morphe may have made its name in the beauty game with affordable, high-quality brushes, but in recent years it’s been makeup palettes that have taken the brand to the next level. Morphe makeup palettes aren’t just a great value, they’re also high-quality enough to earn approval from beauty YouTubers, influencers, and even professional makeup artists.
Morphe is best known for impressive eyeshadow palettes that run the gamut from bold, bright shades to everyday neutrals. But you can also choose from blush, highlighter, and bronzer palettes to help you complete your makeup look. Some Morphe makeup palettes are suited to travel thanks to their compact size, while other palettes offer so many shades options that they’re best saved for use at home.
Because of the sheer number of options, finding the right Morphe makeup palette can be a challenge. Our buying guide has all the information you need to choose the best Morphe palette for your vanity. If you want to start shopping right away, take a look at our top product picks.
Key considerations
Types of palettes
Morphe offers several different types of palettes, so there is an option for any makeup look you might want to do.
Morphe eyeshadow palettes are probably what the brand is best known for and typically contain a large number of shades. These palettes are often made in collaboration with beauty YouTubers or influencers who select the color scheme. But the brand also puts out non-affiliated palettes that follow a specific color story, such as neutrals, brights, or warm tones.
Morphe blush palettes contain three or more blush shades for adding color to your cheeks. Some palettes feature only matte blushes, while others include shimmery shades.
Morphe highlighter palettes feature at least six highlighter shades that can be used to add a glow to the high points of your face for added dimension.
Morphe bronzer/contour palettes contain four or more bronzer or contour shades that can be used to give your face a more sculpted, chiseled look. Most shades are matte, but Morphe also offers some shimmery bronzer shades.
Morphe sells some palettes that feature a combination of products, such as eyeshadows and blushes or highlighters and bronzers. The brand also sells empty magnetic palettes that you can fill with single eyeshadows, blushes, highlighters, bronzers, and contours in pan form to create your own custom palette.
Palette size
Morphe makeup palettes vary in size. Large palettes are best used at home for your daily makeup routine. Some are also a good option for travel because you can take a single palette and have multiple shades to choose from instead of having to pack several smaller palettes or single products.
Small palettes, on the other hand, work well for taking with you on the go. If you want to touch up your makeup throughout the day or change your daytime makeup for a night look, you can easily fit a small palette in your bag to take with you. Small palettes are also ideal for travel if you tend to stick to a signature makeup look.
Morphe offers palettes with as few as three shades and as many as 39. Eyeshadow palettes generally provide the greatest variety since you tend to use more eyeshadow shades in a single look. No matter what type of makeup palette you choose, the more shades it offers, the more creative you can be with your look.
Some Morphe makeup palettes are vegan-friendly, but others aren’t. Check the ingredient list carefully if using vegan products is important to you.
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Features
Color story
Morphe offers makeup palettes in various color stories, so you can find an option to suit any makeup look you want to do.
Morphe eyeshadow palettes offer a wide variety of color stories. Some shadow palettes feature neutral shades like tan, beige, taupe, and brown that are perfect for everyday wear, while others offer bold, bright shadow options like red, green, blue, and purple that are ideal for special occasion looks. You can also find palettes containing a mix of neutral and bold shades, so you can create nearly any look you want from a single palette. Other palettes focus on monochromatic color stories, so they might contain shades that are all purple, rose, or orange tones.
Morphe blush palettes are typically categorized as either cool or warm. Cool-toned blush palettes usually contain pale pink, mauve, and raspberry shades, while warm-toned blush palettes often contain peach, coral, and copper shades.
Morphe highlighter palettes are generally available in natural and bold shade options. Palettes with natural tones typically contain champagne, gold, and bronze highlighters, while palettes with bold tones usually contain lilac, pink, silver, and other off-beat highlighter shades.
Morphe bronzer/contour palettes all include warm and cool shades for shading the face, and they’re categorized by skin tone. Some palettes are designed for light to medium skin tones, while others are meant for tan to deep skin tones.
Finishes
Morphe eyeshadow palettes feature a range of finishes, from mattes to shimmers to metallics to pressed glitters.
Morphe blush palettes typically feature a combination of matte and shimmer finishes. Matte products have no shine or glitter, so they don’t reflect the light. They work well if you have textured skin, such as enlarged pores on your cheeks. Shimmer products, on the other hand, have micro-glitter particles that catch the light and provide shine. They work well to add glow to the skin or draw attention to a specific area of the face.
Highlighter palettes contain powders solely with a shimmer finish. Bronzer/contour palettes usually have a matte finish, though Morphe does make bronzers with shimmer for a glowy, sun-kissed look.
Packaging
Many Morphe makeup palettes feature hard plastic packaging. This type of packaging is typically most effective at protecting the makeup inside, so you don’t have to worry about the products shattering if you accidentally drop the palette. If you plan to travel with your palette, opt for one with plastic packaging to avoid the makeup getting damaged in your suitcase.
Other Morphe palettes feature cardboard packaging. While it’s usually sturdy, heavy-duty cardboard, it doesn’t offer the same protection that a plastic case does. That’s why cardboard palettes aren’t the best option for travel or bringing with you for touch-ups.
DID YOU KNOW?
Morphe was founded in 2008 with feedback from professional makeup artists and beauty influencers.
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Accessories
Makeup brushes: Morphe 18-Piece Vegan Variety Makeup Brush Set
If you want the makeup from your Morphe palette to look as flawless as possible, you need the proper makeup brushes to apply it. We love this vegan set from the brand because with 18 brushes it has everything you need for a full face of makeup.
Eyeshadow primers: Benefit Stay Don’t Stray Eyeshadow Primer
You need a quality eyeshadow primer to keep the shadows from your Morphe eyeshadow palette looking fresh and vibrant all day. This primer from Benefit is a favorite because it’s available in two shades to match most skin tones and contains vitamins C and E to fight the signs of aging.
Morphe makeup palette prices
Morphe makeup palettes vary in price based on what products they contain, size, and packaging. Most palettes cost between $12 and $39.
The most affordable Morphe palettes are usually eyeshadow palettes that contain 18 shadows or less. You can find some beauty influencer collaboration palettes in this price range, but most are general Morphe palettes. They usually cost between $12 and $20.
Mid-range Morphe palettes are usually highlighter, bronzer/contour, and blush palettes or eyeshadow palettes that contain 35 shadows or less. There are some combination palettes in this price range, too, as well as beauty influencer collab palettes. They typically range from $20 to $29.
The most expensive Morphe palettes are eyeshadow palettes that contain 35 shadows or more. Most palettes in this price range are collaboration palettes with beauty influences or YouTubers. They generally cost between $29 and $39.
Some Morphe makeup palettes feature a mirror inside that you can use when you’re applying your makeup.
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Tips
- Make the shadows from your Morphe palette pop – and last all day – by applying an eyeshadow primer before the eyeshadow. If you don’t have a primer, blend a small amount of concealer across your lids to serve as a base.
- If you opt for a Morphe blush, highlighter, or bronzer/contour palette, the products can usually double as eyeshadow in a pinch. Just make sure that the shades are eye-safe.
- If there are shades in your eyeshadow palette that you think are too bright or dark to wear all over the eye, use them as an eyeliner by applying the shade along the lash line with an angled liner brush. For added intensity, spray the brush with setting spray after picking up some of the shadow to get a liquid liner effect.
FAQ
Q. What’s the best type of Morphe makeup palette for a beginner?
A. For anyone new to applying makeup, an eyeshadow or blush palette is probably your best bet. Some beginners prefer a smaller shadow palette so they’re not overwhelmed by too many shade options. Other beginners might appreciate a larger palette that allows them to experiment with a variety of shades. It’s usually best to stick to a palette with a large number of neutral shades, though, because they’re more forgiving when you’re just learning to apply eyeshadow.
Q. Does Morphe offer any makeup look ideas based on their palettes?
A. If you need inspiration for looks to create with your palette, Morphe has you covered. They offer a variety of tutorial videos on their website to help you use their palettes. Many of the videos feature the beauty influencer or YouTuber who helped design the palette, too.
Q. Are Morphe makeup palettes cruelty-free?
A. Yes. Morphe doesn’t test products on animals, so all Morphe makeup palettes are cruelty-free.
