Master Your Contour

Contouring and highlighting the face is big right now and for good reason!  It’s amazing what a little shadow and light can do for creating cheekbones and really lighting up all the angles of the face.  When I first started with makeup, I was always a bit intimidated with contouring my face for fear of looking muddy or dirty, but since then I’ve discovered different techniques and products that make the application nearly foolproof and the results are fabulous!

Recently, I stumbled across a few new products from Maybelline and have loved the results it’s given me for not only creating that perfect contour and highlight, but also for creating a flawless canvas with their latest Dream Velvet foundation line.  

In the winter time, I prefer to go for foundations with a matte finish and noticed the Maybelline Dream Velvet Foundation immediately!  I have naturally dry skin so finding a matte foundation that’s also hydrating has always been a challenge.  I have naturally yellow undertones in my Asian skin (my skin tone is around an NC20-25) and found the 40 Nude shade to be a pretty close match (it did run a bit dark initially but lightened after a few minutes of wear).  The foundation is a unique gel-whipped formula, and I paired it with the Maybelline Dream Velvet Blender sponge as it was recommended for best results (and seriously, it’s just too cute!).  

Upon first application, I immediately noticed the mousse-like consistency of the foundation.  It’s soft, creamy, and spreads evenly across the skin while still having a bit of wetness that really packs in the hydration!  I applied the foundation with a wet Dream Velvet Blender brush and was surprised at the firmness and density of the sponge when compared to previous blender sponges that I have used.  While it didn’t have as much “bounce” as I expected, it was great at spreading the foundation evenly and absolutely wonderful for really getting into the edges of my nose and the corners of my eyes!  

And lastly, the coverage of the Dream Velvet Foundation is incredible!  I have quite a few freckles around my nose and cheek area and found that with a single application they were almost completely unnoticeable!  My skin felt moisturized and the foundation left a velvety matte finish that was simply flawless.  

With a flawless canvas prepped, I couldn’t wait to try out the Maybelline Master Contour Palette.  This palette comes in two different shades, Light to Medium and Medium to Dark.  Inside each palette are three colors — contour, blush, and highlight.  While I do have rather fair skin, I found that the contour shade in the Light to Medium ended up being too orange on me while the contour shade in the Medium to Dark palette was the perfect medium brown shade for creating a shadow!  I applied it right below my cheekbone starting from the ear and worked my way in just to where my eyes ended (I find that keeping the color focused on the outside of the cheek results in a more natural look!).  Meanwhile, the blush in the Medium to Dark palette was a beautiful pink / golden shade and gave the most perfect natural flush!  I went super light on the highlight in this case as the one in the Medium to Dark palette did run a bit dark for me, but I did love the glow that it gave!  

The colors all blended beautifully and I loved how pigmented the colors were — I definitely recommend using a light hand at first!

I just love this little “dream team” of face products from Maybelline!  The foundation and blender are perfect for creating that flawless skin and I just love how easy the contour palette is for adding dimension to my face!  This simple combination easily helps me create a put-together look and is definitely a look that I’m loving right now!