A makeup palette is a multi-purpose makeup staple that includes several different products within one portable package. Think of it like an artist’s palette—only instead of housing multiple shades of paint, makeup palettes let you choose from different shades and types of makeup products, such as highlighters, blushes, or even eyeshadows. They’re especially useful if you’re out and about and need to do makeup touch-ups away from home (like at prom, for example). We have palettes that are portable and compact and perfect for stashing in your bag—no need to haul your whole makeup collection with you when you leave the house.

A pro face palette is, quite simply, a makeup palette that’s designed for professional use. Makeup artists often use them because they allow for the creation of a wide range of looks (without the need to lug around dozens of different products). That’s not to say makeup newbies can’t use pro palettes, though—the “pro” just signifies that they’re high-quality and versatile enough for a makeup artist to keep in their toolkit.

Generally speaking, face palettes are used for creating your makeup look without the need to lug around tons of different products to do so. The specific type of makeup palette you’re using, however, will really determine what it’s used for. Highlight palettes are, as the name suggests, used for highlighting, strobing, and illuminating; contour palettes, meanwhile, can be used to sculpt, shape, and define your features. As for color corrector palettes, these multi-taskers are designed to help camouflage imperfections, like redness, dark circles, and blemishes, before applying your concealer to give your skin a more even appearance.

How you use your face makeup palette will depend on what kind of palette it is—a highlighter palette, for example, is used differently than a color-correcting palette. For highlight, aim to choose a shade two to four shades lighter than your natural skin tone for a subtle brightening effect. Contour shades, on the other hand, should be about two to four shades darker than your natural skin tone (the darker they are, the more intense the effect). Be sure to swatch your chosen colors throughout the year, as your skin tone may change with the seasons and impact which highlighter and contour shades flatter your skin best. If you’re looking for a more in-depth explanation of the best ways to contour and highlight your face to sculpted perfection, check out our article Contour 101: How To Contour Like an Absolute Pro.

For color-correcting palettes, the shade you use should be determined by what you’re hoping to correct. Green shades neutralize the appearance of redness, while yellow and peach shades are great for evening out dark circles and bruises. You’ll want to layer your color corrector under a flesh-toned concealer for the most natural-looking effect.

There is no one best makeup palette—it really depends on what you’re looking for. If you’re seeking out something that can help even out your skin tone and cover imperfections, try our Color Correcting Palette. For customizable highlighting, we’re partial to our Born To Glow Highlighting Palette. The 3 Steps to Sculpt Face Sculpting Palette, meanwhile, is great for contour newbies, while our Highlight & Contour Pro Palette is a must-have for those looking to expand their collection of contours and highlighters.

It’s an easy question to answer: We definitely think makeup palettes are worth it. They make creating and customizing your makeup look simple and free up space in your makeup bag for more products. They also provide a range of options, so you can experiment with your look and change it up as much as you want.