CONTOURING WITH ILLAMASQUA HOLLOW
A few months ago I was convinced that I'd reached contour product nirvana - confident I had found solace in the arms of Charlotte Tilbury's much-hyped Bronze & Glow palette I called off the supposedly eternal such for the pale gal's perfect contour, and sat back, smug in the knowledge that my contour-hunting days were a thing of the past.
Little did I know, my ideal contour product was still yet to wing its way into my life, and it would come in cream form. In hindsight, how I hadn't considered this sooner is beyond me - I'm all about the fresh, dewy look so I adore cream based products.
Enter : Illamasqua Cream Pigment in Hollow. Okay okay, I know I'm about three years late to the party on this one. I remember it doing the rounds way back when I first started reading beauty blogs and had neither clue nor desire as to the idea of contouring.
It has just enough pigment to show up on camera, but even at close inspection [which is usually where the illusion dies] looks like a natural shadow. In terms of ease of application it's without a doubt the most effortless and foolproof contouring product I have ever used - it would be a seriously good place to start for makeup newbies. The shade is ideal for anyone who finds themselves within the first 1-3 shades of any brand's foundation; it's cool without being ashy, and nude without being warm. As any fellow pale girls will be aware, most contouring products require precision application and an incredibly light hand, however this is the kind of product you can apply almost without thinking. It's almost impossible to go overboard, and in the case of any overzealous blending is easily remedied.
When it comes to application, I [rather appropriately] keep it old-school and use the Real Techniques Contour Brush to apply [across my cheekbones right up to my ears, through my hairline, beneath my jawline, a little on the temples, and any excess down the sides of my nose], before blending out with the RT Buffing Brush. Both can be found here.
Ideal if you seek a fresh, dewy base, a natural finish, and especially if you're averse to the trend for brown badger stripes. This is contouring at its most subtle; think sculpting as opposed to warpaint.
Have you used Hollow as a contour?
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