Kevyn Aucoin : The Sculpting Powder in Medium : Swatches and Review

This is one of the original contouring powders- it's a classic.

I am not into contour kits- I have never seen the appeal of the Anastasia Beverly Hills contour kit because I simply don't need 6 shades and I know at least 3 shades won't suit me.

I do have the Smashbox contour pencils (review here) and that is as far as I go with the contour thing- I feel at tops you only need 3 shades- the ashy contour for definition, the bronzer for warmth and a highlighter to lift your features.

I am not an everyday contour sort of girl and to be honest I am so bored of those excessive contouring videos where people slather themselves in bright yellow or warm brown. I don't think it looks natural, but if that's your thing- please carry on.

However, if your like me and enjoy every now and then adding a bit of extra definition, let me introduce you to one my favorite contours of all time; the Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder in Medium.

This is a very ashy shade so it is perfect for creating that shadow under the cheek bone.

In photos this looks fantastic, but for everyday wear you need to take your time blending otherwise it can look muddy on the skin.

I have found the best way to use this is to first powder the section of you face where you want to contour with any matte translucent powder to make sure there are no excess oils on your face for this powder to cling to, as if it does cling it is a right bugger to blend out.

You can see from these swatches that this is a taupe brown- perfect for a shadow!

This is very pigmented, so powdering before hand and blending is absolute key.

I like to use my Mac 168 brush to carve the cheek bones out and blend, but if I need extra help blending I will go in with my Charlotte Tilbury Powder and Sculpt Brush.

Bottom Line : Kevyn Aucoin just hits all the marks for me...I have his highlighter in Starlight (reviewed here) and that is a peachy shimmery dream and I have swatched so many of his eye shadows and they are so creamy and pigmented I am dying to get my hands on a few.

I know KA is a high end expensive brand, but I do feel like it is worth it- you get what you pay for. 

This is a fantastic, matte ashy contour that really does give the cheek bones an extra boost.

This is in my top 2 favorite contours- the other being the Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow - I am more than happy to do a review if anyone is interested!