If you’re a makeup lover then you’ve undoubtedly heard of pro makeup brand Makeup Forever.  Once a pro only brand used backstage at some of the biggest runway and theatre shows of the 80’s and 90’s, in 1995 Makeup Forever hit the mainstream and became accessible to anyone and everyone who celebrated colour and individuality through a love of makeup.

It’s taken a while Voyeurs, 22 years in fact, but the North East finally has a Makeup Forever concession in Debenhams at Intu Metrocentre.  You’ll find this haven for colour lovers on the ground floor right next to the Kat Von D makeup counter and it’s usually mobbed with cool, edgy peeps looking to grab a slice of the action. Makeup Forever is a brand that most streetwise people will recognise, similar to NYX in confidence and street savvy – it’s quick to respond to the ever changing beauty landscape – but closer in price to MAC.  It’s not your average high street beauty brand.

Makeup Forever is pitching its pan-market suitability with the launch of its 4k Ultra HD makeup range which aims to give a flawless base.  From primer to foundation and concealer, Makeup Forever is working hard to make sure that customer needs are top of the agenda.  I can personally vouch for the primer, there’s a whopping range to choose from depending on your specific skin needs, and if you have dull skin in one area and fine lines in another, fear not; you can purchase all of the primers available in half sizes for around half the price (14.20) of a full sized product.  Meaning that if you need two, it costs you only slightly more than one full sized product (£25.50), leaving you with more cash for a super bright lip paint.

I was invited along to the Makeup Forever concept counter to discover a little more about the brand and get up close and personal with the products and boy did I take advantage…..

With the full counter at our disposal for the evening and an interactive demonstration of how to use the core products to create a flawless (and poreless) base and bright lip, we were invited to try the products on our own skin and find out which was our Hero Product.

As a purveyor of Heroine Chic and a cool purple lip, I’m championing this Acrylic Lip Paint in shade 500 (£17.50) which is a bright lilac, a little goes a long way, it has great colour pay off and amazing staying power.  Topped off with a chalky lilac Ink Liner (£17.50) which is quick drying and long lasting, everything you want in a liquid liner.  The flexible tips in these liner pots are great for creating feline flicks and you can vary the pressure to create thick or micro lines depending on the look you’re going for.

On my list of things to try as soon as I’m out of my current Tom Ford stash, is the Ultra HD Concealer (£20.50) and Skin Equalizer Smoothing Primer (£25.50) and that’s mainly because I find concealer to be one of the most tricky products to buy.  Too thick in consistency and it hurts my eyes and too far the other way leaves me looking almost transparent.  This one is thin, but buildable, it seems pretty stable when dry too so none of that weird peeling away you sometimes get with concealer when you try to layer it.

I came away with the Aqua XL Liner in jet Black (£17.50) and the Excessive Lash Mascara (£19.00) but I’ll be back for some Artist Acrylic Lip Paint to add to my collection of luscious lip brights.  If you’re a fan of bright lip colours then you’re most likely in one of two camps: 1. Cheap and cheerful – before NYX, Urban Decay and Makeup Forever became widely available on the high street this was the best option as blue, black and purple weren’t easily found, however, sacrifice quality and can often end up with colour bleed.  2. Quality over cost – Buying a more expensive product often (but not always) means more pigment, better glide and staying power.

These days, you can be somewhere in the middle, with high street and pro brands recognising trends and turning them over faster than regular season collections, it’s never been easier to tap into metallics, high gloss, low sheen, matte, or anything else that filters down from the runway or via a key Influencer’s Instagram.  Fancy trying it for yourself?  Makeup Forever is a good bet, it’s mid way between budget and high end in terms of pricepoint.  If you’re a teenager looking to tap the colour trend then head to NYX for your fix, if you can afford a little more then Makeup Forever is a great place to start.

Pixie xo