THE BUDGET CONTOUR COMBO

Up until this point I'd been using the Sleek Contour Kit for any chiseling of the cheekbones. It's not bad. It's matte, it blends well and it comes with a highlighter. However, the colour is too warm for me. I like a true cool toned shade for contouring. It looks much more believably like a shadow that way. So I went on the hunt.

I would have loved to have given the Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder a try, but there's no way I'm spending over $50 on a powder that I won't use that often. Likewise, I didn't feel the need for one of the huge contour palettes from Anastasia or Kat Von D. What I ended up settling on was a beauty blogger favourite, the NYX HD Blush in Taupe. It's got that cool undertone that, when used with a light hand, looks very realistic. It's completely matte and I like that it comes in a tiny, portable compact. For under a tenner, it's impressive.

L-R: Sleek Contour Kit in Light, NYX HD Blush in Taupe

Now to find the right brush. I looked through my stash and what I gravitated towards was the Real Techniques Setting Brush. It's that little bit more pointed and petite than the Real Techniques Contour Brush so it's easier to place the product exactly where you want it. Big fluffy brushes work great if you're just trying to bring some colour into your face with a warm bronzer, but contouring is all about the placement and a small brush gives you more control over that placement.

I'd like to give the Zoeva 105 Luxe Highlight Brush a try at some point. The shape and the combination of synthetic and natural hair seem perfect. But with the cost of shipping it's not in the cards at the moment. So any other suggestions for the perfect contour? Any powders or brushes that blow your mind?