Nars Laguna Bronzer

Today I bring you an extremely long overdue post. I've had this saved in my drafts, unwritten, for weeks now and thought it was about time I shared my thoughts on what has quickly become my new favourite bronzer.

Now Nars Laguna Bronzer isn't a new product; you've probably all heard of it/used it before but I hadn't really joined in the hype until recently after rediscovering it in my makeup stash, unused and unloved. I bought this early last year with the hopes of becoming a bronzed goddess (one can dream eh?) but after trying it once and deeming it a fail, I stored it away and didn't use it again until December. Yes, a whole year later!

Having used it solidly for just over a month now though, I've found it has quickly become a staple in my everyday makeup routine as a way of warming up my face during the paler winter months. It's the perfect cool-toned bronzer that doesn't leave that unsightly muddy look to your face, but instead, a natural glow and shadow. I do find you need quite a light hand when applying this bronzer as a little goes a long way, especially if you are using it for contouring. Don't make the same mistake I did on first use!

On first glance at this product, there is some very minimal shimmer running through it but once applied to the face, this becomes invisible and it looks pretty much matte. I like to use this in a 'C' shape around my forehead and cheeks to bring back some warmth that my foundation often takes away. I can see that this will definitely be a favourite product for some time now, I just can't believe it took me this long to try it!

Have you tried Nars Laguna Bronzer? I'd love to hear your thoughts on it.

Contour 2 by Contour Cosmetics | Beauty

I've been wanting to try countering for such a long time now but finding the right products has been a real struggle. I've had my eye on the Anastasia Beverley Hills Contour Kit for some time now but it's not the easiest to get hold of so I thought I'd look a little closer home and find a UK brand. 

Contour Cosmetics wasn't a brand I'd really heard of before but I came across their Instagram and Twitter pages and sawdust how popular their contour kits were so I wanted to try one for myself. I opted for Contour 2 as the shades, though slightly darker, are much cooler than Contour 1 and I definitely prefer that over a more orange, warmer look. 

Now my initial impression of the palette was the there seemed to be a wide range of shades, definitely one to suit most skin tones and that the formula upon first use was far creamier than I had expected, making blending so easy and seamless. As mentioned, there is a varied range of shades in this palette and for me, I've been trying out the top row and the first, lighter shade from the bottom. The other two darker shades are definitely scary looking for me personally, but I'm sure on darker skin, or those who use fake tan, they'd be perfect. 

I'm still far from an expert at contouring but this palette just makes it so easy to learn; I use it with a flat top Spectrum brush and a Beauty Blender sponge and it's the perfect combination. If you'd like to me do a tutorial on my Youtube channel then leave a comment and I'll try to film that so you can see just how well this palette works. I'm definitely a contour convert now.