It's no secret that I'm not one for liquid foundation, much preferring powder on my oily skin, so imagine my delight when I was treated to a full size pressed powder Sculpting Kit by +MAKE UP FOR EVER OFFICIAL. This duo, along with highlighting brush #150 and a fabulous clear poly tote, was the gift at +Westfield Valley Fair's Makeup Mastery Instagram party. I added brush #408 to complete the set, giving me a specific brush for contouring, too. These brushes pick up and deposit sculpting powders with precisely where you intended for them to go. Plus they are incredibly soft, they feel very similar to my TooFaced Teddy Bear brushes.
I feel like highlighting and contouring became more mainstream after pictures of +Kim Kardashian and her MUA sculpting her features surfaced on her Instagram page. Suddenly it wasn't so foreign, everyone was purchasing Ben Nye's Banana Powder and tutorials were popping up all over youtube on how to achieve her look. While I am not here to teach you how to apply sculpting products, I am going to tell you that it is so easy I have incorporated it into my everyday makeup look. It's no different than adding blush. This one little palette makes everything else look better because of the implied presence of depth in my facial features.
I start with 1 pump of +100% Pure Luminous Facial Primer and complete my eye makeup while it is drying down. Then I bring in the Sculpting Kit 2 by using brush #408 to add contour powder under my cheek bones, across my hairline and then down the sides and tip of my nose. Now I add my powder foundation taking time to blend, not cover or smoke-out, my contouring powder. The impact of contouring powder does dissipate so I add more, retracing my strokes with the pigment remaining on the brush. I finish with brush #150, adding highlighting powder in an inverted triangle under my eyes, up the center of my nose flowering out onto my forehead and a final smidgen on my chin. I pull the look together with the addition of +Purely Cosmetics Diamond Finish Powder in the remaining areas, bright pink blush and glossy lips. If I were using liquid foundation, I would start with cream sculpting bases and use this pressed powdered Kit under my finishing powder.
You can't deny the results, they speak for themselves. Are you using sculpting techniques when you apply your facial makeup? What product(s) are you currently using and why are they your go-to? xoxo •Nancy-Lee
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I feel like highlighting and contouring became more mainstream after pictures of +Kim Kardashian and her MUA sculpting her features surfaced on her Instagram page. Suddenly it wasn't so foreign, everyone was purchasing Ben Nye's Banana Powder and tutorials were popping up all over youtube on how to achieve her look. While I am not here to teach you how to apply sculpting products, I am going to tell you that it is so easy I have incorporated it into my everyday makeup look. It's no different than adding blush. This one little palette makes everything else look better because of the implied presence of depth in my facial features.
Sculpting is all about placement and blending but just as important are the tools you are using. As an example, if your brush isn't firm enough, you could have contour powder spread to places you are trying to highlight. Perhaps you're thinking about using an 'extra' blush brush for your highlight powder; the wide bristle surface could interferes with product placement under your eyes or around the small curves of your nose.
You can't deny the results, they speak for themselves. Are you using sculpting techniques when you apply your facial makeup? What product(s) are you currently using and why are they your go-to? xoxo •Nancy-Lee