As-Salam-oAlykum...Glam'yees...
Nowadays, everyone are coming out with a contour kit. if you walk into Sephora, every company has one. It is pretty overwhelming when you go into the store to find out. It’s like where would you start? Today Im reviewing...one of my favorites...the Smash Box Step by Step Contour Kit.
WHAT IT CLAIMS
An exclusive contouring kit that teaches you how to sculpt, shape, and define your features with three shades for defining, bronzing, and highlighting any complexion.
Master basic contouring or advance your skills with this advanced sculpting kit designed for your face shape. Three blendable, buildable shades contour, bronze, and highlight the face for foolproof contouring, and the specially designed angled brush assists with even application.
WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT:
Define your cheekbones, perfect your nose and sculpt your jawline with this palette of blend-able powders in universal shades to match your skin tone.
PACKAGING
This Smashbox contour kit retails for 250 sar and it also comes with an angled contour brush. The palette size is bigger than the ABH palette but it only comes with 3 products. This palette comes with mirror installed and with 3 powder pans,1 contour color, a bronzer and a highlighter,every thing you need to create the right sculpted look. I was somewhat underwhelmed with this palette. Also comes with instructions, which are clear and concise and has different sets for all the face shapes. The good thing about Smashbox is if you go to the counter they’ll always give you a tutorial on how to use the products and encourage you to have a go so you know how to use it yourself. The kit is perfect to travel with, its compact its secure.I also like the contour brush because of its size,its small so you can really hit the detail areas,and such size brushes are difficult to find to buy separately so,its a plus.
SCENT & TEXTURE
The powders carry no fragrance,so if you scent sensitive this is a safe option for you. The texture of the powders is buttery smooth,no calkiness.The powders are super pigmented and very blend able. My.My first try i just tapped the contour pan once and the product that came up was enough to do the job. I was able to get the depth that I want from my contour shade. I found the same thing to be true of the highlight shade and the bronze shade
SWATCHES
I've been trying several different contouring kits and so far this is my favorite. The reason why is that the contour shade is a cool toned taupey brown. Many people don't realize that the contour shade is an ACTUAL CONTOUR shade that is made to create shadows on the face (hence the gray tone in it). This is NOT the color you place all over your face, you WILL look strange. That is what the bronze color is for! Highlight is another favorite of mine it being the perfect yellow hue, which is universally flattering.For me, this palette is great b/c I have been searching high and low for a true 'contour' shade that had enough gray in it to create the proper shadow needed to contour and highlight the CORRECT way.
DOES IT WORK?
A one-stop shop for all your contouring needs! Smashbox's offering includes three powders; a contouring shade with grey undertones, a bronzing shade with warm undertones and a cream highlighter. The contour powder is perfect for adding dimension to your face as the cool hue helps mimic a natural shadow. Also love the highlighter as it's totally matte, so it's great for achieving a lifted, brightened effect. What's more, the kit comes with an angled brush - good for nestling under cheekbones - and a little guide explaining where to apply each shade
.
I tentatively picked up the contour brush (included in the kit) and dabbed it onto the contour powder.and I drew a line under my cheek bones… and i can see the color yet i don't see any muddy streak , this is the exact magic contour shades carry., so no need to panic too much about the dark pigment! I got there eventually, managing to get roughly the right shadows onto my face in roughly the right places – under my cheekbones and either side of my nose. To finish the contouring process, we used the bronze shade to blend the shadow out and the highlighting powder across the top of the cheekbones, on the chin and on the forehead, on bridge of nose, sometimes eyes, brow bone, cupids bow, for evenings I've even subbed it to set and brighten under eye (topped with setting spray or it would be very powdery).
Application is really easy, they are super easy to blend.So,even if you are new to contouring you don't have to fear of overdoing the contours or having muddy color blotches.
Shade Range
One of the reasons I love this palette that its universal flattering, either you are pink undertone or yellow undertone,it will work for you. The contour shade works perfect from pale to deepest skin tones, you can simple build up the color. The bronzer is the perfect warm brown shade to add in color to the skin , and thankfully it doesn't carries any orange hues in it.The highlighter shade is the perfect shade with the right amount of yellow hue to it,which works for both pink and yellow undertones.For pink undertones it cancels out the redness and for yellow undertones it adds in to brightening up the skin more. So, you get only the products you need without the stress of wasting few pans as they don't match with your skin tone!
Lasting Power
Another Impressive point.I have tried it over bare skin,over just primers and over foundations from matte to dewy. The powders lasts over the skin around 6plus hours over me.Me being an oily skin, over which contours fade off just after 3 hrs this is surely a plus.
BEST IF YOU WANT TO
If you are a beginner to creating contours and sculpted face. And if you want a powder contour kit, that's long wearing, pigmented,matte, travel friendly.Pros:
- Doesn’t wear off
- Full Coverage of acne and scars
- For me the color match was spot on
- Very long lasting with no need to touch up ever!
- Reasonably priced
Cons:
- Glass bottle equals the fear of smashing!
- May Feel heavy on your skin if not worn right
- May clog pores good afterward cleansing is a must
- Clings on Dry patches
FAQ's
Size: 3 pans
Cost:240 SAR
Available at :Sephora across middle east
OVERALL THOUGHTS
I was really pleased with my contouring efforts and I love this kit – it’s definitely made contouring more accessible for me. I also love the fact that all 3 products you need are included in one sleek compact, and the brush is really lovely and soft. . This product is universal easy way to teach yourself, you just kinda find your faces a natural shadows. I fell like it blends very well into my neutral skintone
Until Next time,
Stay Gorgeous,
Ma'As Salama...