If you haven’t heard of contouring by now, then where exactly have you been living for these past few years? While makeup artists and those in the know have been relying on the technique to create chiselled cheekbones and sculpted features for an age already,it’s a relatively new concept to most everyday makeup wearers – but not so new, we would imagine, that you haven’t spent the past couple of years wading your way through contour kit after contour kit in search of the holy grail.
The thing about contouring is, it’s a bit of a minefield. There’s a lot to consider when choosing your weapon of choice, from shade to formula to lasting power. Pick the wrong colour for your skin-tone, and you run the very real risk of looking as if you’ve smeared yourself in mud. The wrong means of application, and you’re left with a cakey, stripey or just plain unnatural look.
If you’re anything like me, you’re probably still searching for that perfect contouring companion. But I’m relieved to say that I am ever closer to finding it – and the latest contender comes in the form of the Anastasia Beverly Hills Pro Series Contour Kit, in the shade Fair.
The Polar opposite of my current squeeze – Charlotte Tilbury’s Filmstar Bronze & Glow, this exciting new discovery boasts six different shades, all in cream formula. Between them, you’ve got everything contains everything needed to create the illusion of higher cheekbones, a smaller forehead, a softer jawline or a slimmer nose, with high performance, velvety-smooth formulas that claim to blend seamlessly into the skin, imparting a subtle dewy shine as they go about their business. There are three lighter shades that work well for blending and highlighting, and three shades of brown volunteering to take on the gruelling task of chiselling those cheekbones to within an inch of their lives.
The texture is creamy and blendable – not at all heavy on the skin. But nonetheless, all shades are reasonably thick and can be built up to achieve a more dramatic effect as desired, adhering well to the skin and lasting well with a dusting of setting powder to finish.
There really is no need to be afraid of cream formulas, as although powders might be the ‘norm’, creamy colours are blendable and can be easier to work with, ensuring precise application that can be re-worked as required. The Real Techniques Setting Brush works like a dream.
The concealer colours provide a bit of extra coverage for any blemishes or areas of redness – which is great, because flawless skin really is the order of the day when it comes to contouring. They can also be used to clean up any areas affected by an over-zealous application of the darker shades – which is easily done when you’re first getting to grips with the palette.
One of the lighter shades offers up a definite dose of sheen, making it my go-to choice when it comes to highlighting. I tend to blend a bit down the centre of my nose, under my brows and atop cheekbones and temples.
Choosing your contour shade is very much a personal choice, as even those of us with fair skin-tones will vary wildly within that category. But for me, it’s the bottom left shade, Fawn, that really steals the show.contour shade – if you’ve ever tried the Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder in the shade Medium, then consider this its long lost, cream-formula twin. Perfection!
Of course, the downside to this palette is that there will invariably be shades you do not use, which can be a little bit wasteful in the purse department. But having said that, Anastasia is definitely onto a winner with this little gem, and I will be continuing to indulge in it until something convinces me otherwise.
The Anastasia Beverly Hills Pro Series Contour Kit in Fair is available at £39 from Cult Beauty.
