first impression + review - australis contour & highlight kit

Hey guys!

Who else was super excited when they saw Australis announce that they were bringing out their own contour and highlight kit? Especially when it looked so super similar to a high end version not readily available here in Australia (cough, anastasiabeverlyhills cough)? This was FINALLY released on Australis' website last week, retailing for $16.95. It was due to permanently be in Priceline stores from Thursday, so if you're wondering why you haven't been able to find it in store or on their website, I'd definitely check back now.

As soon as I saw this on Australis website, I brought it - no questions asked. Funnily enough, I'd also brought the ABH version (which is currently in transit to be home with its mum) a couple of days before, but I couldn't wait. It arrived to me Monday night, and the first thing I did on Tuesday morning was swatch it and photograph it for this post. PS Thats why the photos are a little off - couldn't contain the excitment! 

Apart from the swatches, I have already used this once, and I'll include how it performed at the end of the post.

Read on for a quick overview and swatches of the kit!

Ok, so let me start by saying that this is A LOT smaller than what I imagined. The kit is roughly the size of my hand (see above) and the shades themselves are about the same size as a 50c coin. I mean, in terms of size and what you are getting for your money, it's worth the $16.95. It is just a heck of a lot smaller than what I pictured it to be in my head.

These are the shades themselves. The kit includes two matte highlight shades, one shimmer highlight and three matte contour shades. I would assume with the two matte highlight shades are more for setting areas of your face and that the shimmer for a typical highlight. As one highlight shade is more pink and the other yellow (hello banana dupe), both with fit lighter skin tones and brighten up your look. With the contour shades, two are more on the cool side and the last is quite warm. Like with the hightlight shades, I would say the two cooler shades are meant for actual contouring and creating shadows, and the warmer for blending them out and 'bronzing' in a way.

Australis also includes this handy guide at the back of the palette so that, if you are a beginner or just in general unsure of how to actually contour and highlight using the palette, you could easily follow this guide and achieve the look you want.

Shades swatched: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6

You can see in the photo above that they have amazing pigmentation for a palette that cost $16.95. This was the first time actually swatching the palette myself, and each swipe is one layer. Deadset, I am super impressed with the pigmentation of all of these shades!

Onto my first impression of actually using the palette - I used shades 1 and 2 mixed together to set my highlighted areas and shade 4 to contour. I have to say, the top shades are incredible. They go on so well, like butter, and they highlight so subtle-ly and set my concealer at the same time. However, I wasn't that impressed with my contour. It was a little grey and hard to blend out. This may be because I don't contour on a regular basis (just bronze), but I usually contour with a matte bronzer as well. I don't know.. I'll keep playing with it. But, the top three shades are definitely stand outs in this palette! If you're unsure about purchasing it, I would purchase it for those three shades alone. Despite my opinion on the contour shade, I still think this is incredible value for $16.95 and is very much worth purchasing.

You can find the palette here on the Australis website, or in Priceline stores (not currently online) for $16.95AU. Unfortunately, this is an Australian brand and is currently only available for international purchase on All Cosmetic Wholesale - this palette isn't on there yet though. Sorry!

If you've purchased this kit, let me know your thoughts below! Do you have any tips or tricks to using it? Also, if you'd like to see a comparison with the Anastasia Beverly Hills Palette, defintely let me know in the comments!

Until next time...

xxxx

in between blogging, you can find me here!

instagram: http://instagram.com/beautybybek

twitter: https://twitter.com/bekaaturner

first impression: maybelline fit me shine free foundation stick

Hey lovelies!

 

Today, I have another review for you! This is another product that was talked about heaps on Youtube and in the blogsphere, but as usual, Australia was the last to know. Finally, in the last couple of weeks this was released into local stores.

 

The Maybelline Fit Me Shine Free Foundation Stick!

 

 

 

I won't lie. There are so many products on my wishlist right now, I almost completely forgot about this. But, when I first watched reviews and swatches of it on Youtube, I was really intrigued. The main reason for me being so curious is that I have never ever used a cream product to contour before, and this product seemed so perfect to be used as one. Plus, it was super affordable. Maybelline is typically well-priced in my local stores. I waited and waited and waited for this stick to hit our stores, and then promptly forgot about it when there was a million and one other newer and more exciting products released.

 

I walked in my local Priceline last week, and lo and behold, in a $4 bin next to the Maybelline section, there was the fit me sticks for $13.55. Not sure why a seemingly brand new product was in a $4 bin, but I'm not judging. I got the shade 330, as it was the darkest shade I could find, and I knew that I wouldn't be using this as a foundation, but as a cream contour, so I needed a colour darker than my skin tone. I also picked up one of the new Bold Matte lipsticks in MAT7 (the nude), also in the same bin.

 

So... Did this product meet my expectations?

 

Honestly, never having used anything like it to contour before, I wasn't sure what to expect. But for $13.55, I wasn't expecting a lot. I never got on with the original Fit Me Foundation (no shades ever matched, pale or self-tanned), or the Fit Me Powders (too much sparkle), so honestly I really thought that this wouldn't work for me. And I was wrong.

 

 

First of all, I did my foundation. When doing my make up normally, I always put a foundation that matches my neck and chest (I fake tan my body, but not my face) so that it evens out my complexion. I naturally have quite rosy cheeks that I am self conscious about, and I always put foundation or a bb cream on before any other product to even out my skin tone and to hide imperfections.

Then using the stick, I drew it on my face just like a crayon. I focused on the areas I would normally contour with powder, like the hollows of my cheeks (especially necessary, as I do not have prominent cheekbones), my temples, under my bottom lip, my jawline, chin, eye crease and nose. Can you tell I got a little cray with my nose? This product is so creamy and glides on so effortlessly, that it sort of got away from me there..

 

I then added my concealer to highlight. I focused this on the areas where I didn't put the contour, like my chin, under my eyes, bridge of my nose and forehead.

 

And then blended it out with my beauty blender!

 

I was amazed, honestly. Never have I had a contour that has turned out as natural as this. I was so impressed with this product, especially as it exceeded my expectations!

 

Here's the before and after right next to each other so you can see what a difference this product makes...

 

 

 Once I finished taking these photos, I set the contour with a darker powder, and my highlight with a lighter one. This is mainly because cream products tend to slip around on the face and I figured setting it with a powder would hold it at bay.

 

As if I wasn't already impressed enough, check out the typical selfies I took after I had finished my make up:

 

 

I was even more impressed. It made my contour look so effortless and natural. I think this is such a perfect product and it definitely makes me question why I never used a cream product to contour before. I also wore this the next night at a birthday, and it held up for 8 hours! I mean, it was set with a powder, but the fact that it stayed throughout the whole night without budging convinced me even more that I needed this product. How did I go without it for so long? I seriously do not know.

 

Of course I recommend everyone and their mother pick this up. I did manage to get it on sale, but it normally retails for around $15.95AU. If you can't find it in your normal Maybelline section, look in the dollar bins and you might get lucky. This product is so underrated, and so cheap I can't even stand it.

 

Hope you enjoyed the review! Keep your eyes peeled for more upcoming product reviews :)

 

Other products used:

L'Oreal Lumi Magique Pure Light Primer

NARS Sheer Glow Foundation - Punjab

Maybelline Fit Me Shine Free Foundation Stick - 330

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Concealer - Fair

MAC Mineralize Skin Finish - Light

MAC Mineralize Skin Finish - Medium Deep

Milani Baked Blush - Luminoso

NYX Eyebrow Cake Powder - Brunette

Rimmel Soft Kohl Kajal Eye Liner - Black

Australis Eye Pencil - Star Bright

Maybelline Full n' Soft Mascara - Black

Hourglass Femme Nude Lip Stylo #3

 

*all products mentioned in this post were purchased by myself and all opinions and photos are my own*