Just when I find a Holy Grail product, it gets discontinued! Ugh, so frustrating. I was surprised to hear that Make Up For Ever (“MUFE”) was replacing its blogger-fave HD High Definition Foundation with a new formulation, called MUFE Ultra HD Foundation. It makes perfect sense: why be satisfied with measly “HD” when you can have “Ultra HD”? I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before MUFE discontinues the “Ultra HD” in favor of “Extreme Super Max Ultra HD” foundation. Just you wait. Anyway, despite my annoyance at my favorite nighttime foundation being discontinued, I sucked it up and purchased the new MUFE Ultra HD Foundation. Since I had a few remaining precious drops of the original HD, I thought I would compare the new Make Up Forever Ultra HD Foundation vs. the original MUFE HD Foundation:
Also I’m excited that for the first time ever, I made a YouTube video to go along with this blog post! (I worked REALLY hard on it!) Please take a moment to subscribe to my YouTube channel and let me know in the comments which format you prefer. Not sure if most people want to read a blog post or watch a video, so let me know what you think!
First of all, let me introduce you [belatedly] to the original MUFE HD High Definition Foundation. Even though I have been using the It Cosmetics CC Cream Illumination (full review here) during the day because of its superior SPF protection, at night I like a foundation that does not have SPF protection. I’ve found that some physical SPF ingredients in foundations like zinc oxide can cause a “flashback” or whitish face when you are photographed at night. So for events at night I have been using MUFE HD Foundation because of its full, yet undetectable coverage, and perfectly glowy finish. I would wear Laura Mercier Oil-Free Foundation Primer (my longtime fave primer) underneath and set with Hourglass Ambient Light Powder in Ethereal Light. I received so many compliments on my skin, especially if I had prepped my skin beforehand with an SK-II sheet mask. That was my magic, go-to combination. R.I.P original HD Foundation.
Come late 2014/2015, all the cosmetic companies started making those liquid-y, serum-type foundations (like Giorgio Armani Maestro, Bare Minerals Pure Brightening Serum Foundation, and Loreal Magic Nude Liquid Powder Foundation, to name a few). They utilized new technology to make a runny, watery liquid that then turned to powder. I tried many and never liked these foundations because they lacked enough coverage for me.
Like the proverbial lemming jumping off a cliff, the new MUFE Ultra HD Foundation follows the crowd– it is definitely more liquidy and thin than the original version. And the Ultra HD has more of a matte finish. At least for my combination, mid-thirties skin, I really don’t like the new finish! It is definitely more matte and dry-looking after a few hours. I also feel like it exaggerates my pores more than the original HD, and does not have the same level of coverage. I do not find the Ultra HD to have buildable coverage at all to cover my melasma, dark circles, and other skin issues. That said, the difference is not as apparent in my photos– you have to look super closely to tell any difference between them at all. You might be able to see that the original is slightly more glowy, and the new Ultra HD has a more matte, powdery finish:
Another problem: MUFE did not recreate all the original shades in the new Ultra HD formulation. I wore N120 in the original HD Foundation, and the company says the match in the new formulation is Y245. They admit that this is not an exact color match- the Ultra HD is slightly lighter in the bottle, but then after a few minutes when it dries, it gets darker. I thought the color match would be a disaster, but I think I was overly alarmist on that front. The new Y245 is fine on me. Here are swatches to compare:
Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, PEG-10 Dimenthicone, Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate, Talc, Mica, Phenyl Trimethicone, Sodium Chloride, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Lauroyl Lysine, Glyceryl Caprylate, Methylpropanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Myristoyl Glutamate, Chlorphenesin, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Fagus Sylvatica Bud Extract, Sorbitan Sesquileate, Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein, Propylene Carbonate, Aluminum Hydroxide, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Fragrance, Butylene Glycol, Benzyl Alcohol, Pentylene Glycol, Benzoic Acid. May Contain: Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides.
Cyclopentasiloxane • Water • PEG-10 Dimethicone • Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate • Talc • Mica • Phenyl Trimethicone • Sodium Chloride • Lauroyl Lysine • Dimethicone Crosspolymer • Methylpropanediol • Glyceryl Caprylate • Propanediol • Disteardimonium Hectorite • Sucrose Palmitate • Phenoxyethanol • Sodium Myristoyl Glutamate • Alumina • Cyclohexasiloxane • Propylene Carbonate • Pentylene Glycol • Sorbitan Sesquioleate • Evodia Rutaecarpa Fruit Extract • Tocopheryl Acetate • Glyceryl Linoleate • Aluminum Hydroxide • Glycerin • Fragrance • Benzyl Alcohol • Benzyl Benzoate • Citric Acid • Potassium Sorbate • Sodium Hyaluronate • Tin Oxide • BHT • Tocopherol /- (CI 19140/Yellow 5 • CI 19140/Yellow 5 Lake • CI 77007/Ultramarines • CI 77163/Bismuth Oxychloride • CI 77491/CI 77492/CI 77499/Iron Oxides • CI 77891/Titanium Dioxide)
The biggest difference is switching the concentrations of Cyclopentasiloxane (a type of silicone you can learn more about here) and Water. I’m not a chemist, but I’m guessing this allows the new Ultra HD to be a thinner, more runny liquid than the original.
Overall the MUFE Ultra HD Foundation is a nice foundation, but at least for my skin, is not as good as the original because it is drier and more matte looking, and does not have quite as much coverage.
FYI I also reached out to Make Up For Ever directly to see if I could buy any back stock of the discontinued HD Foundation. I will update the post if I hear anything back. So far the closest dupe I have found for the original MUFE HD Foundation is Nars Sheer Glow Foundation (I wear shade Deauville).
xoxo,
@beautynowapp
Ultra HD and 4K film, television, and photography have around four times the resolution as standard HDTV, which was itself up to five times the resolution of its standard-definition counterparts. The advance in technology therefore dictates that in the makeup industry, it will never again be enough to gauge by what looks good to the human eye. We need makeup specially formulated to look great in ultra high resolution (aka: Ultra High Definition). This is the inspiration behind our Ultra HD makeup line and the high standards we set for all of our products.
Our U;tra HD line, as well as our compatible skin care line, is excellent for keeping your skin properly moisturized. Traditional makeup settles into the creases and cracks of dry skin, but Graftobian UHD makeup increases hydration, and reduces the appearance of wrinkles.
It is vital to make the switch to high-definition makeup if you are ever in front of a camera. These formulas make skin appear smooth and uniform by softening any imperfections, plus they feel wonderful on your skin!
While other cosmetics on the market today feature wrinkle-concealing, or light-reflecting components, they also tend to contain silicone or silicone derivatives which will not achieve the same flawless look that you get from our HD makeup solutions. Silicone formulations might look good for an hour but they don’t tend to last. Graftobian HD makeup stays where you want it all day long!
Begin with a concealer, or foundation, that is specifically designed for use with UHD cameras. This is usually where you will see the greatest impact. If you are concerned about the appearance of your skin for important photos —weddings, for example— UHD foundation is the perfect choice to help you look your best.
All of our products are made right here in the USA, which allows us to closely monitor quality and provide you with the finest UHD makeup products, at the most affordable prices. Our products are cruelty free and many of them are fragrance free and vegan as well!
Every blemish, wrinkle, or crease will be picked up with a Ultra HD or 4K camera which means a heavy-looking foundation is not the right choice when standing in front of Ultra HD lenses.
Graftobian foundation pigments are micronized for excellent Ultra HD color cohesion. This micronization of the pigment base also allows for more pigment to be held in suspension by a thinner substrate (the the part of the formula that holds everything together). The resulting product is smooth, lightweight, invisible to the camera, but still a full coverage makeup.
In addition to foundations, our powders are micronized to the finest and smoothest consistency, which helps deter detection by Ultra HD cameras. In addition, the micronized texture of mineral pigments will not settle into pores.
Our high-definition line includes creme and airbrush makeup, pressed and loose powders, pencils and lipsticks. All of these can be combined in a variety of ways to camouflage any visible imperfections, all while appearing invisible. All of the formulas, pigments, and shades that we manufacture are designed specifically to blend with any skin color and type, seamlessly.
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