Product Review-Makeup: Kat Von D Shade + Light Contour Palette

As a makeup artist, I have been contouring my clients for years. But since Kim K. hit the scene with her perfectly chiseled cheeks, everyone is on the contour bandwagon. And it’s all good. The key is using shadow and highlight like a pro, so that you don’t look like you have skid marks on your face. Now, I’m all for a good contour, but I’m just not that girl who is going to do all that on the daily. But, when I want to do a great contour, Kat Von D Shade + Light Contour Palette to the rescue. Yes, I love this palette.

Here are the details about Kat Von D Shade + Light Contour Palette $46:

What it is:
An exclusive contour palette featuring three shades for contouring and three shades for highlighting, designed to shape and define facial features to create a look of authentic dimensionality.

What it does:
An expert sketch artist, Kat Von D uses shadow and light to create depth and dimension in her captivating portraits, infusing them with lifelike authenticity. Take artistry shading into your own hands with this Shade + Light Contour Palette. Effortlessly sculpt, chisel, shape, and slenderize your features for enhanced definition. Unlike traditional bronzing powders, the Shade + Light Contour Palette is loaded with a unique selection of matte shades that capture the true hues of shadow and light. The three contour shades create realistic shadows to recede facial features, while the three highlight shades impart a soft luminosity to amplify dimension. A true artist’s palette specially designed to be used with the Shade + Light Contour Brush, these silky, buildable powders blend effortlessly into the skin for a flawless, fade-proof finish that flatters every skin tone or face shape. This set is exclusively available at Sephora.

This set contains:
– 3 x 0.16 oz Shade powder in Sombre (true taupe), Shadowplay (soft brown), Subconscious (deep brown)
– 3 x 0.08 oz Light powder in Lucid (pinkish nude), Lyric (yellow beige), Levitation (soft peach)
-Step-by step guide

And here are the details about the Kat Von D Shade + Light Contour Brush $36:

What it is:
An exclusive dual-ended brush that is ergonomically designed with an angled end for contouring and a tapered dome end for highlighting—all encased within a sleek protective case.

What it does:
Experience the transformative power of contouring with this advanced multipurpose brush. Specially designed by Kat Von D to be paired with the Shade & Light Contour Palette, this brush’s powerful two-in-one design combines density of a contouring brush with the tapered accuracy of a highlighting brush to deliver ultimate precision and versatility. Glide the angled end along the hollows of your cheeks and temples for effortless sculpting; guide the tapered dome end along desired areas to enhance and illuminate features. Artfully constructed with super soft, white-tipped synthetic bristles on both ends, its gradient brush hairs expertly pick up and diffuse high-pigment powders for seamless blending. This ultimate contouring tool comes encased within a beautiful coffin-shaped case to keep it protected on the go. Exclusively available at Sephora.

My results:

Kat Von D Shade + Light Contour Palette and brush are a breeze to use. With three sets of colors that work even for deeper tones, I found that contouring was extremely easy and so did my daughter who is darker than I am. I used the deepest colors in the palett the first time around, and later used the mid range. I found that the powders are so fine and easy to blend that the “shade” part of the contouring isn’t harsh and obvious. I also love that the highlight color for the deeper toned skin is peachy — it blends so well, and isn’t as glaringly stark as a white or beige highlight on brown skin. I have also used this palette on my clients — from light to dark — and found  that it works not only for sculpting the face, but for eyes too.  The browns don’t turn muddy on brown skin and the lighter tones blend out perfectly.

When you get this palette, you have to invest in the brush a well. It’s so well-made and lays the product down in just the right places. You don’t have to worry if you are getting the product in the right place, because the brush just sort of does it for you.

Bling Factor:

Pro: Blendable powders, selection of light and dark for all skin tones, instructions. Brush — Perfect shape for highlighting and contouring

Con: None

Price: Palette $46, Brush $36

Buy Again: Yes

Packaging: 5 Bling

Overall: 5 Blings

Hero Ingredient: N/A

Natural/organic/vegan: No

Cruelty Free: Yes

Shop:

 

 

Below are some pics of the stages of using the palette. A few are overexposed so the light powder looks white, but it is actually a light peach color. I exaggerated the placement for the photos.

Before:

Adding Shade:

Adding Light:

Blending: