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Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Smashbox Step By Step Contour Kit (Now On Sale) Review & Swatches

I was looking at ULTA's website (as usual) and noticed Smashbox's Step by Step Contour Kit was on sale (regularly $45 / now $22.50). I was like whaaaa! I have that palette! I purchased it when it when it first came out and never opened it :P Let me review it for my blog buddies readers and see if it's worth it! Contouring really intimidated & scared me when it first became popular several years ago, but I've really warmed up to it. Once I saw how it slimmed down my nose & forehead, chiseled my cheeks & chin I was all for it. It's all about shading some areas & brightening others! This palette (which is small and fits into the palm of your hand) gives you a contour shade, bronzer & highlighter. Smashbox also gives you a brush! There's a mirror inside the palette and a guide that shows you how to shade based on the shape of your face. This palette comes in light/medium (which I have) and medium/dark. When I swatched the shades (these are powder), I was like ok ... I don't know how these will work with my skin-tone. The highlight looked kind of powdery & dry on my hand. But when I started applying it and blending everything in I was impressed.

Sweet-Bittersweet-NotSweet
supersweet(run & buy it) sweet(really good,buy it) bittersweet(ok, issues)not sweet(not good,don't buy this stuff) 
  Smashbox Step by Step Contour Kit is Sweet


Contouring Step-by-Step
Step One: I applied my primer, foundation, concealer and lipstick (I don't apply lipstick until the end, but for the sake of pictures LOL)

Step Two: I applied the contour shade around the perimeter of my face, down both sides of my nose UP TO MY EYEBROWS and underneath the tip of my nose, chiseled my cheek bones and applied underneath my chin/face). The bronzer worked better as a blush for me. So I applied it to the apples of my cheeks.

Step Three: I blended the contour into my skin using the same beauty blender I applied my foundation with. I applied the highlighter to my nose, to the center of my forehead, over my eyebrows, underneath my eyebrows, underneath my eyes and to my chin.

Step Four: Using my used beauty blender I kept blending! See the difference from photo one & four?


















Final Thoughts: I must say this is a solid contour palette! I really like how it made me look! If you want it, get it ON SALE. I can see, it will last me forever! Everything is super pigmented and you don't need much product. If your nose is sleek and you already have chiseled cheeks, then contouring might not be for you. But if you want to narrow your nose (without cosmetic surgery) and really define your face TRY contouring. Play around with it in your spare time (nobody can see you LOL). I did and it's helped me. Here are some of my other contour blog posts: here, here, here, here
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20 comments

  1. The in between pictures of contouring how tos always make me laugh. I only contour for filming, rarely everyday, but my nose is fine and now that I lost my baby weight my cheeks are okay as well.

    Linda, Libra, Loca: Beauty, Baby and Backpacking

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  2. Kim, your contouring is masterful! I am so impressed with how you do it. I have a similar contouring palette from Make-Up Revolution that I love and use daily, but I really stick to only contouring my cheek bones because I'm not comfortable with experimenting on the rest of my face. But you've inspired me - after seeing how amazing your results are, I just have to get better at it!!
    xox,
    Cee

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  3. Wow!!! You have the technique girl!

    NEW POST: https://lotofdots.wordpress.com/2017/03/28/fishnet-madness/

    Have a great day,
    xx

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  4. Ki, you did such a fab job! Love your final look...everything just looks so natural. Love your lippie too:)

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  5. This palette looks beautiful on you Kim!

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  6. I'll definitely have to check this palette out because I've tried a few palettes that didn't work at all for me. I hope the bronzer will work with my skin tone, some can be too muddy or redish, making it so hard to find a perfect shade in a palette instead of purchasing everything separately. You look absolutely gorgeous both before and after, but you can really see your amazing features come forward in the last shot after contouring. Thanks so much for sharing, beauty, and I hope you're having a great day so far!

    XO,

    Jalisa
    www.thestylecontour.com

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  7. Playing with contour whilst alone at home is such a great idea, I'm also a little bit intimidated by it! Lovely review :)

    http://fannyanddailybeauty.com

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  8. Although I love highlighting for looks that 'glow', I really don't know very much about contouring! And so this post was a great insight into how the beauty bloggers do it; you look lovely Kim!

    aglassofice.com
    x

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  9. I really love the shades, the greyer toned contour shade looks perfect for my skin, I need this palette!

    Rosy | Sparkles of Light Blog
    My Instagram | Instagram

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  10. This is a great deal! Especially with the brush included! I used to contour alot back a couple years ago but I've gotten so lazy!

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  11. Kim, I 'm so clueless when it comes to contouring but I do appreciate how it can make a visible difference if one knows what they're doing and you know what you're doing :) It's subtle and natural and I can definitely see how your cheekbones and nose look more defined. Maybe I should try to give myself a nose bridge LOL

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  12. I dont think I told you but I made an attempt at contouring and gave up half way ! I was going to a wedding and for a moment feared I'd look overdone or just terrible and went my usual way. Glad to see this Smashbox kit delivers... in my case I tried it with products I had at home.

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  13. I love how clear your step by step is, Kim and I appreciate that you showed your readers clearly how to use the palette. I don't usually contour because well, frankly I am just lazy. I do it on special occasions though and this looks like a good little trio to add into my stash.

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  14. The palette looks great but I don't look good in cool tone contours and usually use just benefit hoolah or thebalm bahama mamma to contour and bronze as it looks best on my skin tone. That's why I avoid any contour palettes, because I'd only use one or two shades! Although I do wish KVD also made the cotour kits divided by skintone.... then I would buy it!

    http://asequinloveaffair.com

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  15. I am not fan of contouring but this looks like a good palette!
    xx

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  16. This palette looks great, and sounds like it's worth to give it a try.

    Nina's Style Blog

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  17. I've almost picked up one of these Smashbox palettes so many times! I've had my eye on it for forever. I love the step by step pictures Kim! These powders look beautiful on you!

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  18. This palette seems absolutely gorgeous. It is great to know that it is super pigmented...I love all of these looks on you. Good to know that this palette can last for a while.

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  19. You look beautiful before and after contour Kim ;-) I love how subtle contour defines the features of the face. This product gives a really natural finish. I would definitely buy this. xoxo

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  20. I love contouring, and I think this palette would work for me because it's compact and you don't have to play with too many shades. You did a great contouring job Kim! Love, Valeria

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