Advent Calendar 2015: Window 20

Yumi's picks: Step-By-Step Contour Kit (Smashbox)

I had tried to find myself a nice powder contour kit for a long, long time and finally I came across this one on a cruise a few weeks back. I needed to have a contour kit with a cool enough contour shade. Every shade I had found so far had been too warm, more like a bronzer than a contour shade, which are supposed to be cool, or at least neutral brown on skin. So yeah, there I was, standing in the cosmetic shop staring at this one, the one with a cool contour shade, a light highlight shade, and hey, a bronzer too! I basically grabbed it and ran away immediately as soon as it was paid for. Thanks, mom! ♥

How to use

Basically, bronzer is for bringing warmth to your skin. Contour shade is for bringing more shadow to the areas where shadows naturally fall and to "hide", like contouring under your cheekbones makes your cheeks seem more sucked in. Highlighting is for, well, highlighting something and bringing it forward. Contour and highlight is a detailed thing to explain, and I'd prefer guiding you to a site with instructions to the magic of it. I'll let the lovely Kandee Johnson explain!

My tool of choice

Some more of my Real Technique brushes. Here are a domed shadow brush (purple), setting brush (pink), contour brush (lower orange) and buffing brush (upper orange). There are different sizes for different areas, like the setting brush fits really nicely under the eyes and the contour brush is nice under my cheekbones.

Pros

The colors are pigmented, yet soft and gentle. It is rather easy to apply and build up layer by layer. All these shades are matte, which I love. This is an amazing kit to just grab along. The package comes with a leaflet filled with instructions for contouring different face shapes, which is surely helpful to many. A basic (removable) instruction sticker is also taped on the mirror of the case, so it is always on plain sight if needed. The package also comes with an extra contour brush, nice.

Cons

The case is quite pricy. The contour brush is rather average, just a standard brush, (though it's always nice to have some extra brushes). Though I love the matte shades, I think the highlight could be a teeny tiny bit more satin like, so skin would get a bit more life to it. But this I find to be a minor detail.

If you have anything further to ask about this product, don't hesitate to leave a comment!