Sunday, January 25, 2015

Review! | Anastasia Beverly Hills Build Your Own Contour Palette


I know, I know.  I'm so late to the contour party.  Contouring is even being tossed about as one of the biggest 2014 makeup trends to leave behind!  Before we all discard it in favor of The Next Big Thing, I'd like to make a case for the Anastasia Beverly Hills Build Your Own Contour Palette, $40.00 USD.  I was 100% one of those "I never highlight-and-contour" people, but this palette has changed my daily routine.
I follow founder Anastasia Soare's daughter Claudia a/k/a Norvina on Instagram (seriously, if you're not following her already, GO!  Hit the button!  You're missing out on amazing makeup inspiration, her fun personality, and new ABH products still in the research and development stage!) and knew a few months ago that they were working on a build your own version of their mega popular Contour Palette.  Instead of buying the pre-made option, you can now customize a 6 pan palette that best suits your skin tone.  Individual refill pans are $14.00 each, but once you add 6 to your cart, the price drops to $40.00 and an empty 6-pan palette is added to your order.  It's a great deal and the site narrows the shades by skin tone and undertone to help you choose shades that will be flattering.
I'd always used a matte bronzer on the odd day or two when I'd contour.  I stumbled across a YouTube video from Jordan Liberty called "Why You SHOULDN'T Contour with Bronzer" and the proof was in the split screen (2:23 mark)!


After seeing the difference it made to contour with Fawn, an ashy taupe powder, I've been converted!  It really makes my cheekbones look more defined, as well as my jawline.  Fawn looks more like the color of shadow versus a brown or orange-toned bronzer.  I also love setting my under eye area with Banana; the yellow really counteracts dark circles and makes me look awake.  The bronzer shades I choose are all beautiful, and I love using Terracotta as a blush.

My only suggestion for the brand would be to release a 2 or 3 pan palette version.  I know a lot of people are hesitant to even try a Contour Kit because they feel a 6 pan set up is better suited for a makeup artist's stash and not for a regular user.  I also think a sleek, 3 pan option would be a blessing for those who travel frequently and only want to take the 2-3 powders they consider necessities.
Top Row (L to R): Banana, Fawn, Camel
Bottom Row (L to R): Macchiato, Nude, Terracotta
Indoor Lighting
Indirect Sunlight
If contouring powders or bronzers aren't your thing, you can pick shades close to your skin tone to act as setting powders, or choose from a variety of illuminating powders if you tend to go for the glow.

Since I'm not huge on illuminating on the daily (oily skinned people, I know you feel me!), I didn't choose any highlighters; only powders that I will definitely, 100% use.  Bronzer?  I use that daily.  Setting powder?  Yes!  The customizable palette really allows you the freedom to choose exactly what you want out of this kit.
Need to see more photos and swatches of the refills before making your selections?  
Here are a few blogs I found helpful:
Do I leave the house every day with chiseled cheekbones that could cut glass and perfect pie-shaped isosceles triangles of white light beneath each eye?  Ummm...no.  But after sweeping Fawn into the hollows of my cheeks and along my jawbone, setting my concealer with Banana, and sweeping on one of the gorgeous matte bronzers in this kit, I do feel like I've upped my makeup ante with minimal time and effort.  A win-win situation for sure that I will definitely not be leaving behind in 2014.

Do you own either the original Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit or the Build Your Own version?  What's your favorite contouring product?

36 comments :

  1. WHAT WHAT.... custom??? HOLY YES. Gonna see if this is an option up here!

    ReplyDelete
  2. OH!! This is amazing! I had heard of this but never really believed! Now this is what is called amazing! :-) Definitely getting my hands on this when I can! Do you think this would be available in stores?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Brilliant!!! I seriously want to try this out now. I left this page and checked out Nordstrom online but it sucks i think they don't allow custom palette? hmmm. I saved this entry on bloglovin for future reference. Thanks, K!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Interesting! I don't usually contour and even if I do, it's probably only for those once in a blue moon special occasion. I guess it does make a difference, but you know, LAZY. LOL!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hey Kristen, I actually don't contour that much at all! I've never ever done that to my nose. I do a "3" shape on the sides of my face with a bronzer sometimes just to add a little warmth, but I guess my cheekbones are pronounced enough so I don't feel the need to contour the hell out of my face :p

    ReplyDelete
  6. Interesting! But I don't do much contouring or highlighting or sculpting, ya know, so I don't know if I'd get much use out of this.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I don't have the Anastasia kit, though I've been wanting it. I just haven't been able to get myself to pay that much for it, since I only take the time to contour once a week (if even that much). Instead I got the Ulta contour kit, $18, and it has 6 shades that I like to use. I think the Anastasia one is a better option, and it looks like the textures of it would be a heck of a lot nicer as well. I'd also heard that 2015 we are leaving the contour behind, and I'm kinda excited about that, haha! Because I'm lazy, really.

    xx

    Jenny // Mish Mosh Makeup

    ReplyDelete
  8. I didn't honestly know or realize you can pick your own shades to create your contouring palette. I didn't buy their pre-set palette because I thought some of the shades looked too dark and I wouldn't get any use of it. But, contouring with a taupe shade is brilliant and I have been using Mac's blush in Taupe for that purpose and it looks great. And with that shade I hardly ever leave the house without contouring my cheeks now.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I hope it is, Tracy! The custom kit is amazing and really allows you to tailor it to what you actually need and what best matches your skin!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thanks, Divya! :) I didn't believe either. I never thought I'd use a contour powder instead of a bronzer, but now after sweeping Fawn into the hollow of my cheeks, I feel "done"! I don't know if the build-your-own option is available in stores yet, but hopefully soon!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thanks, Laarni! I hope you do get to try this out! I think right now the only place to buy the custom palette is through the Anastasia site, but hopefully it will be released to other retailers soon! It has really changed my routine!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I was the exact same way - rarely to never contoured. But after I got this kit and saw how simple it was, it's become a part of my daily routine. The first time I used it on a work day, 2 people asked me if I'd lost weight (!!!) and one person told me I looked refreshed, like I'd been on a vacation! I knew I was onto something, lol!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I was the same way, Sunny! I think that's why I was so excited to share this palette with you guys, because I too wasn't a contouring person! I still don't do any heavy duty contouring with it, but the shadow colored shade Fawn in the hollows of the cheeks really looks so much more natural and flattering than my previously used bronzer. When 2 people at work asked me if I'd lost weight, I knew I'd stumbled upon something great, lol!

    ReplyDelete
  14. That was EXACTLY how I felt, Melissa! But using the palette makes my face look so alive versus my old bronzing routine. I'm a convert, lol!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Ha ha, Jenny! I too never contoured much before this kit, that's why it took me so long to finally try it. Substituting Fawn in the cheekbone hollows and setting my under eyes with Banana has actually streamlined my routine instead of add to it because I can skip setting powder and bronzer! I went in thinking I may not get much use out of it but it has completely changed my daily routine!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Yay! Another contouring convert! I agree, after discovering the difference it makes to use a taupe powder in the hollows of the cheeks versus bronzer, I can't go back! It really defines the face without looking ruddy. Like you only better! I've never heard anything but positive praise for MAC's Taupe blush for this purpose! I'm glad you found something you love that works so well for this purpose!

    ReplyDelete
  17. LOL that's some excellent contouring work, Kristen!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Right?! I wanted to do a touchdown celebration dance but felt it might be too strange for my coworkers. :D

    ReplyDelete
  19. What an excellent price! This is something I need to look into! Totally following her on Insta! (:
    www.accordingtokiki123.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  20. Yeah, this seems to be just available on the Anastasia site? (Most US makeup sites don't deliver to Canada.) I was going to pull my own "highlight & contour" palette by using a 2-shade pan and matte shadows from Make Up For Ever. Six is a lot but the price is more than fair!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Thanks for the link love, Kristen! I'm so glad we can finally customize the palette! I wish they had this feature from the beginning as some of the colors in the preset palette I bought didn't work out too great for me. Brands usually charge an arm and a leg for contouring powders (for some reason) so it's nice to see this one being priced reasonably. I don't do a whole lot of contouring myself but I still like to have it just in case!

    ReplyDelete
  22. I did not know this was an option!?!? Making your own palette is like my favorite business in the world. I've loved the look of Fawn for like, evah! (Well, not forever but since I saw it! lol)
    I will be watching that video of why no-bronzers after this! I've watched Jordan before, but for whatever reason I've never seen this vid!?
    My struggle as a pale-female was always how orange the undertones of bronzers were. I then set off to find a taupe eyeshadow/powder ANYTHANG. Couldn't find it. Looked for Kevin Aucoin sculpting powder because I talked up another MUA like months ago and she swore by it. Macys? NOPE. SEPHORA, NOPE? ONLINE ONLY POOP FART. and then stumbled upon MAC Prism and Harmony to match my undertones. It was a desperate move but I have actually found them to be working well. LOL and now you know the unimportant!! Aren't you lucky.
    Not sure if my skin level can benefit from the other contour colors because anything with a slight orangey undertone looks uber exaggerated on my skin. (BUT I LOVE FAWN THOUGH OH OUI OUI MADAM). I'd be interested in trying this custom thang out.


    Thank you for sharing, Sending Tiddly Winks and Lady Birds your way!
    Much LOVE!!

    ReplyDelete
  23. I totally agree with you, I think they need to come out with a 3 pan option! I would buy a 3 pan palette, because I am not big on contouring...I am not good at it! LOL!

    ReplyDelete
  24. You'll love Norvina's Instagram - she seems like such a fun person, plus it's cool to know about ABH products long before they are released! And I agree, $40 for a contour palette is pretty solid! :)

    ReplyDelete
  25. That's pretty smart about the MUFE powders. It's been really fun to hear what other options people use for contouring! And yes, $40 is a great price!

    ReplyDelete
  26. I know! I was bummed you missed out on the build-your-own aspect! $40 is a great price for 6 pans and an empty palette, and the powders are really silky and nice. I was very happy since I was buying blind (online)! Oh and girl, you're welcome for the shout out! You're awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Ha ha! Oh Stephanie, your comments are epic! Making my own palette is the stuff dreams are made of, right?! Fawn would work so great on your skin. I hope you liked the video - it really blew my mind when he showed someone contoured with a taupe powder versus a bronzer!
    Yea, I buy bling online all the time so I'm kind of used to crossing my fingers and hoping for the best, but my skin tone is pretty easy in comparison to the struggles of the super pale! Prism and Harmony were the 2 shades I was looking at before I decided to plunge on into this contour palette. I know they are well-loved by tons of people!
    Tiddly winks and lady birds to the moon and back!!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Yes, Lily! Give us a 3-pan option! I bet it would sell like hotcakes! :D I'm surprised you say you're not good at contouring because your makeup always looks so flawless and beautiful! You clearly don't need to work on contouring; ya look FABU!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Agree on the 3 or even 4 pan option. I really don't need 4 bronzer shades. Fawn is gorgeous though! I think it's a very universal contour shade. :)

    ReplyDelete
  30. EPIC COMMENT TIME should be out slogan. Hahah at the crossing fingers and hoping for the best. I'm just always so dang nervous to do that! Props for your chance-abilities. I do trust online more when someone I trust recommends it first. I'm much more likely to purchase Fawn now because of this post. NO LIE. No lieeeee.


    And YES the video killed it. I agree that bronzers <<<<< taupe shadowing. Hence Kevin Aucoin! Awwww yea. Thank you for sharing the video!


    SEA SALT.

    ReplyDelete
  31. HOLY MOLY GIRL, you cost me so much money with these wonderful palette suggestions!!! I want this contour palette stat!!! Currently I am using and loving the bronzing and highlight Charlotte Tilbury duo and I don't think the bronzer is too brown to be contouring with but you have me doubting myself!! I want that banana color STAT. Great review and loved the video you included.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Nice idea to be able to pick your own shades/products for a palette this size! I bought a palette to contour and highlight from BHCOsmetics which also has a couple of blushes and have been loving it! I still use Bahama Mama most of the time to contour -because its a matte taupe it works beautifully for me! But I do love the idea of having a palette with different shades/powders because a girls gotta have options yknow :)) Thats a great price too on the paeltte ( not s great as BHCosmetics ofcourse lol but good for ABH!)

    ReplyDelete
  33. LOL, Jennifer! I know you'd love this contour kit and get a ton of use out of it! The Banana under the eyes coupled with Fawn in the hollows? Oh my gosh, it looks so good and natural! And yes, that Jordan Liberty video blew my mind! I love a good comparison split screen! :)

    ReplyDelete
  34. I know a lo of people love Bahama Mama for contouring, and the BH Cosmetics kits sounds pretty fabulous! And yes, a girls' definitely got to have options! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  35. I agree about Fawn being a great universal shadow color, and yes to 3 or 4 pan options! Anastasia, hear our cries! LOL!

    ReplyDelete
  36. This is really great, I would love to spend more money because of this palette suggestions. Thanks for sharing!

    xx

    Cherry // Cheap Datpiff Supplier

    ReplyDelete

I love your comments! Thank you for leaving me a little note!