Contouring. It’s a scary one, isn’t it? But it looks like, far from being a 2014 fad, it’s here to stay so we better get cracking with mastering it. Luckily, with the right products, it doesn’t need to be scary. The Smashbox Step-by-step Contour Kit* is a cover all bases palette designed to work with most skin tones. Being on the pasty side of pale I was keen to put it to the test. The shade on the left is the contour, bronzer in the middle and a highlighter on the left. The kit also comes with a small, angled brush which is ideal for getting into the contours of your face. Finally, there is a guide to what to put where. They really do help you out as much as possible!
I went in with a light (nervous!) hand and I think it ended up looking alright. This kit definitely works for paler complexions. The contour shade creates a natural looking shadow while the bronzer is warm without being orange. The highlighter is a nice tone and has no shimmer in it so it’s great if you want a natural look. I like that they went down this route as most people will already have a super shimmery highlighter in their kit but mattes tend to be harder to come by.
The key to contouring if you’re pale like me is to start off lightly and build it up little by little until you get your desired look. Also, contouring doesn’t have to be accompanied by a heavy, full-face look, a pared back look works just as well.
I also used: Smashbox Pore Minimizing Photo Finish Primer*; Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation in Light Porcelain; Faint from the Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette for my brows; Revlon Brow Fantasy Gel in Dark Brown; Maybelline Color Tattoo 24-hr Eyeshadow in On and On Bronze; Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara; Smashbox Always Sharp Lip Liner in Rosebud*; Smashbox Be Legendary Long-Wear Lip Lacquer in Calypso*.
Do you have any foolproof contouring tips for me?
**Insert gratuitous, glowing shot**
I start by covering my entire lid with Burnout, a colour that’s properly nude on my pink skin tone but with a nice shimmer. I add a dab of Dust in the inner corners for sparkle and blend Buzz from the outer corners in across the lid towards the middle.
I then use Factory in the crease and outer corner and below my bottom lashes. I then apply Urban Decay’s 24/7 Glide on eye pencil in Bourbon to my waterline and add a slick of mascara – currently CoverGirl Lash Blast Clump Crusher.
Continuing the Naked love, I use Faint from the Urban Decay Naked Basics palette to lightly fill in and define my eyebrows. I find that it is a perfect match for my brows.
I don’t wear foundation everyday. Recently I’ve been using Benefit’s That Gal primer to smooth things out and Collection’s Lasting Perfection Concealer in Light to cover any redness and under my eyes. I’m also currently loving The Natural Collection Blush in Peach Melba and a slick of Maybellines’s Pop Stick in Crystal Pink
On first glance, the Naked palettes can look a little heavy on the sparkle factor, but as you can see, they are easy to work for the daytime. Naked 3 is my favourite of the bunch. I think that the pink golds suit my complexion and, as is expected from Urban Decay, the quality is exceptional. Sure, the colours within the palette are kinda similar to each other, but they are all wearable and that doesn’t happen often. I’ve heard people saying that they can’t believe they’ve made another but it is entirely different to Naked and Naked 2. Personally, if I could only have one, I’d plump for Naked 3.
