Give Me Contour or Give Me Death

I’m not a makeup person.

At least not really once you break down the stats. Though I’m vaguely familiar with upcoming launches and beauty trends (baking, contouring, strobing, and now (please God, no) ‘ton-touring‘), my daily face (three days a week) consists of exactly three to four products, and all my makeup fits neatly into one drawer.

It’s not to say I don’t wear makeup, or that I don’t like it. I’m a sucker for good packaging and pretty (neutral) shades; plus, when applied well, makeup can do nice things for my face. It’s finding the good stuff that’s hard: quality—not quantity—is everything.

So, it’s a feat that I’d own a contour kit—much less use one at all. And truth is, for a (literal) no-makeup-makeup kind of girl, I love a good contour: there’s nothing like chiseling out the cheekbones. Even a light swipe of greige in the hollows does wonders for the face, especially if you have softer features like mine. The proof is in the pictures: simply comparing old photos and performance videos pre-contour and peri-contour has made a world of a difference.

My first foray into contouring was the MAC Pro Sculpting Powder in “Sculpt” ($17). I don’t know why the beauty community doesn’t talk more—if it does at all—about this product. It’s great in all aspects especially if you’re someone who really likes to pack on the definition. (This is my standard go-to for performances still.)

And while I tend to have a if-it’s-not-broke-don’t-‘fix’-it philosophy when it comes to anything materialistic, I make leeway for it in the beauty department. I’ll actually have similar versions of a shade or formula I love because (1) I know it works, (2) I’ll use it for sure, and (3) if I lose one for whatever reason (travel, night out, or just crack a product), I have a standby. This is hedonistic minimalism at its finest, you guys. I’m probably the most practical aesthete in the world. I’m rambling.)

I wanted to expand my repertoire so I picked up this baby…

I’m in love with the Contour Kit by Anastasia Beverly Hills ($40) for many reasons, the first of which is the packaging. The size is ideal; the overall look is sleek (as to be expected with all Anastasia Beverly Hills products); it’s customizable (a feature I love!); and best of all, the palette itself is reusable. Less waste, people: this Earth is our only home.

It’s the texture and longevity that sold me, though. Plenty of reviews knock it for it’s drier texture—though it’s not dry by any means. Compared to the Kat Von D ‘Shade and Light’ palette, which most people tend to rave about, it’s certainly not as creamy or butter to the touch.

It’s definitely a good thing.

With super soft powders like the Kat von D, they’re lovely to feel. They also apply pretty pigmented too, but here’s my issue with them: they don’t last. (And they leave the palette a powdery mess; a major turn-off.) The Anastasia Beverly Hills palette, however, enables you control—it’s just as easy to achieve a natural contour as it is to build it up for a more striking look), and boasts the ability to remain intact for at least 7-8 hours of the day or through intensive dancing, mind you. They don’t break down as the skin produces oil naturally over time—and they never appear powder-y on the skin.

The colors are fantastic too. Popular powders (again, the Kat Von D ‘Shade’ colors, the Kevyn Aucoin contour powder, the MAC I mentioned above) tend to veer on the grey side of brown. Which is great, unless you’ve got golden/olive undertones like me. Even with a light hand, those powders can make the face appear a little dirty or just dull—whereas the warmer tones of the Anastasia Kit truly give a more natural contour for skin tones similar to mine. And while I’m typically not a fan of palettes (there’s usually a handful of duds), Anastasia perfected them all. The beauty is that you have a range of browns to work with, which enables you to contour, bronze up, or just deepen your complexion as you please.

I love the highlight shades as well; you have two matte powders (one peachy-pink and the other yellow-toned) and one with shimmer. All three are super natural on the skin, for starters, and the banana powder truly brightens the under-eyes. (Note: The banana powder is pretty yellow; those with pink undertones or have fair to light skin may not like this powder as much as I do!)

The best part about this palette? It’s multipurpose. All the colors found in this one happen to be perfect for creating a natural day or night eye look, so really, it’s a two-in-one. I’ve found my perfect face and matte eye palette.

I told ya—I’m as practical as they come.

.   .   .

Shop the Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit (link!)

xx

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