Having traveled a LOT recently, I ended up trimming my makeup bag down to the bare minimum. I normally don’t use a ton of makeup anyway, but due to being in Vegas and New York within 7 days of each other, I really just needed essentials. So, I challenged myself to only use one palette for my whole face on both trips – the new LORAC Pro Contour palette. And holy cow!!! The mastermind Carol Shaw has hit another one out of the park with this palette. It has the exact right balance of highlighting and contouring shades, not to mention the best matte powders that blend seamlessly. 

 

For anyone who survived the 80’s will know that #1 contouring is not a new concept, and #2 bronzer shades used to resemble the gross hue of an Oompa Loompa. For me, memories of Annie Lennox’s severe contouring, or the red-lipped all female band for Robert Palmer’s music videos put contouring smack dab into the pop culture scene. Not to mention the old “Color Me Beautiful” books that my mom had around the house, explaining how a Winter should always apply her blush to achieve a perfectly contoured cheek. Contouring is actually a really old stage makeup technique, but thanks to a certain Armenian reality TV family, it is now a permanently acceptable and recognized means of doing your “everyday” makeup. Knowing that Carol Shaw would never lead me astray in the makeup world, I decided to give her new palette a whirl, but also really put it to the test on how versatile it could be. 
 

 
I first used the matte yellow and beige powders around my eyes, upper cheekbones, center of the forehead, and down my nose to help set my foundation and concealer. They acted as awesome alternatives to regular powder, and I was able to achieve my highlighting at the same time. I then used the shimmer powder under my brow bone and down the lid like a regular eye shadow. I love that it has a nice sheen, but not a glittery effect. Then I went back in with the medium contour into my cheek area and sides of my forehead to contour. Lastly, I used the light and deep contour powders as eyeshadow – and amazing! Add a bit of my favorite black liner, brow pencil, mascara, and lip gloss, and I had a glowy, neutral-yet-defined look. Plus? The weather in Las Vegas was 98 degrees all four days we were there, and my makeup held true. Fast forward to New York City and high humidity, and the colors stayed put. Matte powders can be a challenge to work with, and they can intimidate a lot of people. But these are very pigmented yet silky at the same time, and I’m impressed with how well they blend into your skin.

If you are new to the contour scene, you’ll love the fact that the palette also comes with a handy booklet that will guide you along. Plus, the brush that comes with the palette really rocks – I’m super picky about my brushes, and this one works perfectly for achieving the looks. I love my other eye shadow palettes when it comes to certain looks. But this palette has a permanent spot in my makeup drawer, and most definitely has become a versatile favorite. 

© 28daysbeauty 2015