Monday, November 16, 2015

Budget to Luxe: Contouring

I recently saw a video where someone contoured their nose and cheekbones with Milani Shadow Eyez Eyeshadow Pencil in Brown Deluxe, using the remnant product left on their finger after first blending the cream shadow onto their eyelids. After seeing that, it occurred to me that so long as you find what works for you — anything can be used to contour. (Of course, having an enviable underlying bone structure doesn't hurt.) Still, for the rest of us that might not be so resourceful or genetically blessed, a dedicated contouring product (cream or powder) usually does the trick. I've rummaged through my collection and dug out four products I've bought, from cheap and cheerful to hideously expensive, in my quest to cheat some dimension and shape to my plump, flat face.






NYX Blush in Taupe
One of the very first contouring powders I'd heard about back in the day. Taupe was famed and coveted due to its reputation as a "drugstore" product that was distinctly cool-toned and grey, in contrast to the usual warmer, orangey bronzers out there. I bought it for $10 from a trade-only event over 3 years ago when NYX wasn't yet stocked at Target in Australia. Since then, I've only reached for it maybe 5 times? It's just too grey and too cool-toned for me. It might be a winner on paler skin tones (I imagine being in possession of actual cheekbones also goes a long way in liking/using the product), but it's never appeared effective or natural on me. It has a unique pinkish undertone when swatched, but it veers dangerously close to muddy and ashy on my skin. It looks more like I'm applying a dark grey eyeshadow to my face than anything else. Probably desirable if you're looking for a noticeable effect in photos, but otherwise a little jarring and odd in "real life".


Maybelline Master Sculpt Contour Palette in Medium/Dark
My favourite of the bunch, and the cheapest one to boot (I bought it on sale for $9.97). Like I said in my original review, it reminds me of a slightly more ashy Benefit Hoola. I wasn't expecting anything from a more affordable contouring powder, but was pleasantly surprised by how much I ended up liking it. It's more of a darker matte brown (mimicking the colour of a tan) than an artificial shadow painted in grey. It doesn't look murky or bruised on my face, but defining and natural. It's easy to blend but hard to overdo while still remaining nicely pigmented.


Illasmaqua Cream Pigment in Hollow
I'd seen the Pixiwoo girls use this a few times in their earlier videos, so while in a contouring craze a few months ago, I purchased it from Myer for just under $30. I was curious about how a cream contour would perform compared with a powder, and Hollow seemed to enjoy near cult status. I really had high expectations and wanted to love it, but the colour let me down. Firstly, it's a bit too light to be truly effective at sculpting my face. Secondly, it applies like a subtle, putty/concrete grey on me, almost like a shadowy, milky mink, which both clashes with and disappears into my yellow-toned skin. It does blend effortlessly and isn't too opaque so it can be gradually built up with the fingers, but I need something darker and more brown.


Kevyn Aucoin The Sculpting Powder in Medium
I held off buying this for ages because the price tag made me uncomfortable. But seeing it used in this Lisa Eldridge video was the final straw. (It also popped up in a few of Tanya Burr's videos and always looked utterly transformative on her.) I couldn't wait to slap some of this on myself, hopeful it'd work the same miracles on me. Sadly, as is a recurring theme in this post, the colour wasn't right. This time, while it's not overly grey (it's definitely more brown), it's too dark and cool-toned for my liking. If you put too little on, there isn't much of an effect, but if you put enough that you can see it doing something, it looks unattractively muddy and dirty. Maybe my technique and placement isn't right, or maybe the bark brown just doesn't mesh with my skin tone. Either way, this was an expensive fail.

l-r: Illamasqua Hollow, NYX Taupe, Maybelline Contour (Medium/Dark), Kevyn Aucoin Medium

l-r: Illamasqua Hollow, NYX Taupe, Maybelline Contour (Medium/Dark), Kevyn Aucoin Medium

After my experience with various contour powders/creams from every point of the price spectrum, I've concluded the best out there for me is a tie between two bronzers: Benefit Hoola and the Sculpt shade in Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow. Warmer medium brown shades work better for me than cool grey or taupes. Oh, and the tools you use are equally, if not more important. My picks: Charlotte Tilbury Powder & Sculpt or Models Prefer Mystique Blush Brush. Both made of soft natural hairs, they pick up pigment well and make the task of placement and blending easy.

10 comments:

  1. Hollow works brilliantly on my uber fair complexion but I agree the NYX Taupe blush is way too pink toned, it never looks like a natural shadow on my skin x
    Beauty Wanderer

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    1. I can see a lot of these working on paler skin tones. If I were a touch paler, I think I'd really like Hollow. Taupe on the other hand is just the wrong undertone!

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  2. Haha I knew it would be yuri's video as soon as you said Milani's brown deluxe! I've been thinking of getting it ever since she posted the vid and seeing you mention it on your blog just now.. It's a sign!

    Are you more of a fan of contouring or strobing?

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    1. I've been eyeing the shadow crayon but it would be for my eyelids, not my cheeks or nose :p I think the quality of the pencils looks really good - pigmented and creamy, and hopefully long lasting.

      I guess I like highlighter more than I do contouring, though both play their role. Everything in moderation is the way to go, methinks!

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  3. I have been recently using my Burberry Almond eyeshadow as my contour product. I think the colour suits my skin tone really well. Also the quality of the powder itself makes it a dream to blend under my cheekbones. And the brush that I use for this product is an ELF brush. I think it's called small tapered brush or something like that. All I know is it's from the studio line. I am contemplating on getting the Kevyn Aucoin one though but since I just discovered the Burberry one, I think I will hold off on that plan. Also I use the same eyeshadow to contour my nose if I'm feeling sassy hahaha.

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    1. Almond looks like a really beaut colour! It reminds me (from online swatches) of a darker Illamasqua Hollow. I have two Burberry eyeshadows (though both shimmery), so I can attest to the quality of them. The ELF brush sounds nifty and it's good that it's so affordable but works well! I have one of their blush brushes but I rarely use it as I've found softer alternatives that are more appealing to me.

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  4. I have Hollow and I too bought it thanks to the Pixiwoos. It's a great color for someone else but it also looks morbid on my skin. It looks even worse when I'm tan, I never use it.

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    1. Haha, I can picture that! Contouring is such trial and error when it comes to finding the right colour for your skin tone. It seems Pixiwoo really popularised Hollow - as well as Jemma Kidd's Rose Gold cream highlighter back in the day.

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  5. I love NYX taupe for contouring! Thanks for the tips!

    xx, A Little Dose of Makeup

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