Make Up For Ever Artist Palette (Volume 2) Review & Swatches!!

Make Up For Ever Artist Palette (Volume 2) - Packaging

First and foremost a disclaimer that I have not tried any of the individual Make Up For Ever (MUFE) Artist Eyeshadows before this review so it will also include my first impressions on the overall formula. 

This new palette from MUFE immediately caught my attention because of the bold colors inside and the beautiful artistic packaging. I have to add that even though the palette itself is made of a very finely constructed cardboard - it feels even more substantial than new Z-Palettes I purchased a few days ago. The price is $42, which is a steal considering each palette is 9 eyeshadows which are each 0.06g and the singles retail for $22 each for 0.08g of product (only a quarter of the quantity more per color). You can essentially buy this palette for less than the price of 2 Artist Shadow singles. 

This palette is Limited Edition and Sephora-exclusive so get it while you can if you're interested! It is available both online and in stores.

Make Up For Ever Artist Palette (Volume 2) - Colors

The texture of the eyeshadows is described as a gel-powder formula blended with ultrafine pigments. The eyeshadows in general are all extremely smooth and creamy. 

They feel a little bit like the L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadows when they are pressed and packed really tightly in their container but they do not crumble the same way. The powder is very finely milled and each finish 

The shadows do not pop out of the palette since I know this is a feature MUFE has included in past, bulkier palettes - this palette fits in my hand.

Make Up For Ever Artist Palette (Volume 2) - Color Names & Close-Up

I made a quick chart to show you which color each name corresponds to. Each name is indicative of a specific finish since these shadows have a wide variety of finishes in the complete line:

I = Iridescent
M = Matte - there are no Matte shades in the palette
ME = Metal
S = Satin
D = Diamond

This palette even includes a little look book which orders the shades in columns from left to right, with the looks called "Playful", "Bold" and "Sultry" respectively with step-by-step instructions to achieve the look.

Playful Look: I-872 Pearly Pink, ME-910 Electric Magenta, S-924 Purple
Bold Look: D-552 Crystalline Gray Beige, ME-232 Turquoise Blue, ME-302 Peacock
Sultry Look: ME-512 Golden Beige, ME-700 Amber, ME-930 Black Purple

Make Up For Ever Artist Palette (Volume 2) - Trio Swatches

My swatches revealed that the pigments travel quite far - which means that the shadows are strongly pigmented. The shadows are smooth and creamy, after wearing them I find that you can achieve better color pick-up using a more dense, coarse brush than a soft and fluffy one or alternatively the best way I found was to use my fingers and swipe the color where desired.

I also had some trouble when I was wiping off the pink and purple shades, it took quite a bit of scrubbing to get the staining off - an important note is that these two shades are considered "blush" and not designated eyeshadows. Obviously you can use these shades at your own discretion but they may be harder to remove on the sensitive skin of your eyes and usually red pigments are not approved for the eye area by the FDA. To avoid any problems I suggest just wearing them in the crease or as a blush and avoiding the lash line or eyelid area.

All of the colors are impressively pigmented, with the best performers being I-872 (Pearly Pink), D-552 (Crystalline Gray Beige), ME-302 (Peacock), ME-700 (Amber) and ME-930 (Black Purple). I was least impressed with ME-910 (Electric Magenta) and S-924 (Purple) as they were chalkier and even skipped on the skin a little at the bottom of my swatch (this could be remedied by blending though).

Make Up For Ever Artist Palette (Volume 2) - From Left to Right Highlight Comparison: I-872, D-552, ME-512 

For a close-up look at the highlight shades (or the lightest color in each trio) I swatched I-872 (Pearly Pink), D-552 (Crystalline Gray Beige), and ME-512 (Golden Beige).

I-872 on the left is an icy pink tone, followed by D-552 which is a cool-toned beige and then ME-512 is a light warm golden tone.

As soon as I get a chance, I will create some looks with this palette and post them for reference!

Have a great Memorial Day weekend, everybody! Let me know what your thoughts on this palette are.

Product Review: MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Perfect Topping

MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Perfect Topping

I want to share with you all the absolute breathtaking beauty of this highlighter from MAC, in the shade Perfect Topping. It's part of their permanent collection and retails for $32. I don't purchase a lot of MAC products in particular because I'm a lover of all brands so I really don't stick to just one in particular. However, I was instantly drawn to this pattern and color combination.

MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Perfect Topping

Looking at it in the compact really doesn't even do justice to the shade even though the marbled leafing texture is very appealing. It is described as shimmery off-white with light pink/blue/yellow marble.

MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Perfect Topping

I find that it gives a very natural highlight on my skin, even though I tend to have more of a yellowish complexion. The warmth of Perfect Topping really makes my skin look alive and shimmery without appearing too shiny or greasy. The powdery is finely milled and blends into my skin quite seamlessly without looking like it's just sitting atop of my blush on my face. 

This color is absolutely phenomenal for everyday wear. My only reservation about using this product every day is that I don't want to run out of it since it is a higher end product at the $32 price point.

If you're looking for a drugstore dupe for this product, the closest I have found is Wet 'n Wild Fergie To Reflect Shimmer Palette in Rose Champagne Glow (part of their permanent line-up) which retails for just about $5.79 at Walgreens.

You can click on the photo to the right to be taken to an Amazon link to the Wet 'n Wild dupe.

Swatch of Mineralize Skinfinish in Perfect Topping

If you're in the market for a highlighter but you think a shade like Lightscapade is too bright for you or Soft & Gentle is a little too dull/dark for you, then give Perfect Topping a try.

NYX Wonder Stick - Review & Swatches (New Product Alert)

If you haven't checked out the new NYX displays at your local CVS, Beauty Supply Store or ULTA Beauty, you'll be surprised to find the vast array of new Spring 2015 items from the line. There are many additions to the permanent line-up of products and one of those is their 2-in-1 Contouring Stick aptly named the NYX Wonder Stick.  

Since contouring is all the rage in the beauty community right now and I have begun incorporating it into my daily makeup routine for the past few months, I figured this would be a fun product to try out and review for you all.

My NYX Wonder Stick is in the shade Light and you can tell straight out of the tube that the highlight is very light and the contour shade is a rather warm reddish brown shade.

The product is extremely creamy and I have found that they perform better when they are set with a powder, especially if you're going to be somewhere warm. I also do not suspect that this would be a great product for oily or combo skinned girls, but I have dry skin so it worked out quite well. If you live in a warm climate, I would be hesitant to order this because it might melt on you, as with most cream-stick products (stick to potted creams if you want them to stay in place!).

The highlight shade leans yellow and not pink, which is perfect for me because I have a neutral to yellow undertone to my skin, but I have heard complaints from others that this appears "shimmery" on them. I have not experienced any excess shine from this product.

The contour shade swatches much more taupe-leaning than I was expecting so I was pleasantly surprised that it didn't appear reddish or orange on my skin, it looks like a very natural shadow.

If you want to create the illusion of a stronger jawline, more chiseled cheeks or even a slimmer nose, or just to add depth and dimension to facial features, read more below for some contouring basics (as well as photos included with this product for a demonstration).

 The basic rules are the same for all skin tones but you can change up where you apply the shadows or highlights depending on what you want to recede (push back) or make more prominent (bring out), respectively.

Colors lighter than skin tone will bring out a feature closer to the fore-front of your face.

Colors darker than skin tone will push back a feature to the back plane of your face.

After applying your foundation and concealer, use the highlight side of the stick on your cheekbones, the middle of your forehead, down the center of your nose, your cupid's beau (between the middle of your upper lip and under the tip of your nose) and slightly above the jawline.

Use the contour side of the stick along your hairline to frame the face, under the cheekbones and down both sides of your nose (for a slimming effect, if desired) and under the jawline and chin.

The NYX Wonder Stick comes in 4 shades, including one Universal shade which the company claims is suitable for all skin tones (I can't verify this claim since I did not purchase this shade).

Verdict

I think this is a very useful tool if you are new to contouring or you're in a hurry to do your makeup quickly since it's a no-brainer. The staying power of the product is decent but can be improved to last all day if it is set with a similarly colored powder. I found that the lighter shade can accentuate pores, specifically because it is a slightly greasy formula so using a banana-colored powder or mattifying powder to set it is ideal.

The NYX Wonder Stick is $12 (which is on the higher-end for NYX Cosmetics) and depending on daily usage, could probably be used up rather quickly. If I used this product exclusively for my highlighting/contouring routine, I could use it up in a month. I would prefer if this was priced at $9, but you can always get it on sale at ULTA Beauty.

I give this product a 7.5/10 since it is very easy to use, the colors are rather nice and easy to use but given the caveat that you set them with a powder for longer wear-time. It's worth your buy if you don't already have cream contouring products.

First Look at Ulta Contour Kit - Review & Swatches

ULTA Contour Kit, Retail Price: $18 USD

Ulta has a new Contour Kit which retails for just $18. This is an affordable dupe of the It Cosmetics My Sculpted Face Palette (it looks almost identical in layout to it) and Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit . This would make a wonderful Stocking Stuffer or holiday gift to one of your friends/nieces/sisters or just any all-around makeup lover.

Sometimes when I'm using my Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit I have pangs of guilt in my heart because using it on a daily basis means my favorite shades will run out that much quicker (the pan sizes are smaller)! The ULTA Contour Kit, with its lower price tag, and overall good quality is quickly becoming my go-to daily face palette!

ULTA Contour Kit, Retail Price: $18 USD

Overview & Packaging

When you open the palette up, the powders are covered with a sanitary overlay which is meticulously taped down to the top and bottom of the palette (the great news is that there is no sticky residue when you remove this tape). This palette has a clear window, which is ideal for seeing the colors through the packaging - this is especially important for a makeup hoarder like me that rummages through so much makeup each morning. There's even a super useful guide on the clear front which shows you where to place bronzer, shadows and highlights for contouring.

The one downside to the clear window of the palette is that it makes this palette less than ideal for traveling since the window is rather soft and your powders can get gouged. If you must travel with this palette, I suggest using some cardboard in between the window and the powders before closing it shut to secure your products.

ULTA Contour Kit, Retail Price: $18 USD

What's Inside: Shade Breakdown

You receive two highlighters, one of which is pink-based (Radiance Highlighter) and the other which is yellow-based (Lustre Highlighter). For my complexion, I regularly use yellow-based highlighters because they cancel out the blue undertones in my under-eye circles and even camouflage rosacea (redness). Both of the highlights have a shimmer finish.

The Kit comes with a whopping four matte bronzers, yowza, one to match every skin-tone! There's a light golden bronze (Warmth Bronzer), a medium bronzer (Golden Bronzer), an orange-based bronzer (Bombshell Bronzer), and a cooler, taupe-leaning deep dark bronzer (Goddess Bronzer). I love that they are all matte bronzers and the you can choose the right color for your current complexion, no matter how light or dark you may be.

Swatches of ULTA Contour Kit

Swatch Quality

The matte shades all swatch very evenly, though I do have to admit that there was some powderiness to all of these shades, with some chalkiness being apparent in the Goddess Bronzer.

The shimmer shades feel the same to the touch but swatch more unevenly, the shimmer bits almost seem to separate from the rest of the base color when they are spread out. This isn't necessarily unusual for shimmery shades, but it is more apparent in this palette than in higher-end brands. I'm a little bit disappointed that the shimmer seems to disappear if you blend out the highlighter and doesn't remain as prominent on the face.

Dupes

This palette has a Goddess Bronzer which is darker than any found in the Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit, and also has Lustre Highlighter which is a shimmery version of Banana from Anastasia's palette. The Radiance Highlighter is very similar to Sand from the Anastasia palette because it is a shimmery light pink illuminating shade.

The palette even contains one double-sided Get The Look card, explaining how to use the contouring shades and even suggesting ones to use for light and medium skin tones. I'm a little disappointed they only included these 2 skin-tones since there are olive and dark complexions as well. Of course, I always deviate from cards and suggest everyone just choose which shades appeal to them most!

Overall

ULTA got a lot of things right in this palette, it's light-weight and functional, shows the names of the products clearly and has them laid out in a logical manner. The shade curation was masterful and there's something everyone can love about this palette. The only critiques I have are about the durability of product packaging during travel and the way the shimmer disappears when the highlight shades are blended. Overall, I really think this is a great buy, especially if you can use any one of the promotional codes that ULTA sends out.

If you'd like to see more comparisons of this palette against others, leave me a message below and I'd be happy to work on those for you! I hope this review helps out because when I was purchasing this online I didn't see any reviews of it anywhere and it was really scary being the guinea pig, but I'm so glad I took the plunge!

Essence Long Lasting Lipsticks (Review & Swatches)

The Essence Long Lasting Lipsticks are something I initially tried out this past summer and now every time I see a display, I know I've got to pick up a new color. I am featuring the shades Dare To Be Nude, Natural Beauty and Wear Berries (pictured bottom to top on the photo above).

These lipsticks are comfortable to wear, moisturizing in a pinch, and easy to apply for a very flattering look no matter which color you choose. It's not a stretch for me to say that these are my most-used and most-loved lipsticks especially since they're kind of a no-brainer to apply (you don't need to use a balm or exfoliate your lips before, or even wear a liner). I find that the darker colors even have staining properties and fade off very nicely throughout the day if I don't re-touch.

The best part is that these lipsticks are very affordable, retailing for only $2.99 each.

Essence Long Lasting Lipstick in Dare To Be Nude

The Dare to Be Nude shade is a neutral nude shade which doesn't lean cool or warm. I really like the creamy smooth application of this lipstick as I've had other nudes which apply much more patchy and I just can't seem to convince myself to wear them. After having worn this lipstick on multiple occasions, this is my go-to nude and this is coming from a girl that really tends to be scared of them.

I've inserted a photo of a lip swatch from the other day so you can see what Dare To Be Nude looks like on my lips. I found it to be very creamy and comfortable to wear and it lasted 6 hours through eating and drinking.

Essence Long Lasting Lipstick in Natural Beauty

 The first shade I picked up from this range is Natural Beauty and I think this is the perfect every day shade, especially for more fair-skinned girls, it gives me a "my lips but better" appearance. It's a medium blue-toned peachy red. I am really a huge fan of this shade, and if you don't pick any other color up from this product line, I highly recommend that you get this one. The consistency is buttery, the lasting power is great and I'm highly addicted to this shade, so much so that it is always in my purse!

Essence Long Lasting Lipstick in Wear Berries

The shade Wear Berries is a little more bold and perfect for the fall - I always lean more towards mauves/plums/berries and terracotta shades for the fall. Wear Berries is a light fuchsia violet shade, equally as comfortable to wear as the previous colors. 

Here's a lip swatch of me wearing Wear Berries recently and you can see how beautifully it reflects light and applies smoothly, looking almost like a second-skin rather than a layer of makeup. 

Swatches of Essence Long Lasting Lipsticks

Here are swatches of all of the shades in Natural and Ambient Light, the coverage is fully opaque with just one swipe and becomes even more intense in color with further swipes.

Colors of Essence Long Lasting Lipsticks

Here are all of the colors offered by Essence in the Long Lasting Lipstick product line. In Canada, you can purchase these at Shoppers Drug Mart in the dedicated Essence display. In the US, you can purchase these from ULTA.

Review & Comparison: Jordana Liquid Eyeliner Pencil (Aqua Stone)

I have been on an obvious Jordana kick lately and it has been fun discovering and trying out various products from the uber affordable line. The quality of their products has really knocked my socks off in the past few weeks and I'm happy to report that their 12 HR Made to Last Liquid Eyeliner Pencil in Aqua Stone is no exception.

I was instantly drawn to the greyish metallic blue shade because it jumped out at me in the display, it seemed so unique and pigmented just from the packaging alone. Thankfully, the swatch turned out just as amazing as the packaging! It glides on so smoothly, applies easily and stays on for at least 10 hours (I know the claims are 12 but I took my makeup off before the 12HR mark). There was no budging during the wear time, even though I had rubbed my eyes and my eyes watered some.

Here's what the Jordana 12 HR Made to Last Liquid Eyeliner Pencil in Aqua Stone looked like after 2 hours of wear. Not too shabby, right? It has far exceeded my expectations and partially the opacity might come from the metallic and blue based nature of the shade (I have noticed blue eyeshadows and eye products in general last longer than other colors). Overall, this makes me want to pick up a few more shades from this line! 

The only negative point is that you have to sharpen the pencil yourself since it isn't mechanical (that's not a deal breaker in my opinion). 

I pulled out other blue eyeliners from my collection to compare the quality of them for you. Obviously this isn't so much a shade comparison as it is one of quality, wear and application.

You can tell from the swatches that the sparkle in the Jordana 12 HR Liquid Eyeliner Pencil was similar to that of the Makeon Waterproof Gel Pencil Liner in Aqua Deep Blue. I thought that the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils (in both Flipside and Mainline) applied much more patchy and broken up when layered compares to the Jordana pencil eyeliner. The MAC Softsparkle Eye Pencil (in Peacocked, this shade was Limited Edition) was much harder and less gel-like, making it more difficult to apply - the sparkle is also not recommended for waterline usage.

This Jordana 12 HR Liquid Eyeliner Pencil in Aqua Stone is going to become my go-to bright blue shade as it is the perfect bright medium metallic blue, with a consistency that is gel-like and very long lasting power (comparable to the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencils).

Have you tried this or similar products out? Let me know your recommendations in the comments below!

Product Review: L'Oreal Silkissime Eyeliner (in Highlighter)

L'Oreal Silkissime Waterproof Eyeliner (Shade: Highlighter)

Recently, I picked up a L'Oreal Paris Silkissime Waterproof Eyeliner in Highlighter from my local Walgreens since I have seen so many rave reviews for this product. I am happy to get to put this to the test myself, and after using it for a couple of days I have formulated my final thoughts on this. Now, this review cannot be for all of the different shades, as I have not tried them, but it will be for the shade Highlighter. I think the name is fitting because as I was purchasing this, I specifically wanted to use it to give my eyes a more "awaken" and refreshed look.

The shade is a neutral pink when swatched, you can see the opacity of the shade with just one swipe and above that, what it looks like when it is layered. These are not the type of liners to use for smudging because they set quickly. The formula of these eyeliners doesn't claim to be creamy, and I find that they are fairly middle-of-the-road in terms of how easily they apply. There doesn't seem to be much tugging when laying the color down, but it doesn't feel overly smooth or soft, either (this might be because the formula is waterproof).

This eyeliner is not a twist-up pencil, it is a traditional pencil and will require conventional sharpening (a sharpener is not included).

When applied, I had to layer the shade on about 5-6x in order to get a good amount of pigmentation on my lower lash line, and even though the formula is waterproof, it is not completely smudge-proof. If your eyes water, the liner may not have a chance to set in your waterline after application if it does not "cure" while your eyes are dry - this is what happened to me. I did apply the liner in the waterline AND lashline, and you can see here after about 30 minutes of wear, it had entirely disappeared from my waterline, but was holding up well on my lower lashline.

Overall, I don't think that this eyeliner is far superior to the Rimmel Scandaleyes in Nude, specifically in the shade Highlighter, but I do recommend it if you like the color. I have tried gel-formula eyeliners by Makeon which are much more long-wearing in a similar rose color (shade name is Falling in Love), if you want a gentle, softer-applying formula. I would wait to pick up the L'Oreal Silkissime eyeliners on sale, as I do think that the retail price can be a little steep for the quality (regularly $8.99).

Product Review: L'Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara (Waterproof)

I, for one, did not buy into the initial hype of the L'Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara, just because I have several mascaras that I'm using and they all do a decent job of adding volume and length so I didn't need another one in my life. That is, until I found this to be on clearance for a measly $3 at Walgreens - then I just had to try it.

I'm surprised by the packaging, it feels very well-made in my hand and I dig how sleek and reflective it looks, it even *clicks* closed. I didn't make a conscious decision to pick the Waterproof edition but it was the only one they had, so against my own reservations I decided to take the plunge.

The shape of the mascara wand is... odd. It's unlike any other wand I've ever used and it's clearly made of synthetic fibers, which sometimes I am a fan of because I find that they separate my lashes well and don't cause much clumping. I found the formula to be neither too thin nor too thick, but definitely steering closer to the thin side, so you can easily layer this mascara with others or using multiple passes of itself. I find it akin to the Rimmel Lash Accelerator Mascara, except I think the Butterfly wand makes it much easier to apply the mascara precisely and all the way to the ends of your lashes.

Photo of eyes with 1 pass of L'Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara (Waterproof)

I only quickly applied one coat of the mascara to my lashes at 7AM in the morning and then I took this photo at 11PM (after 16 hours of wear!!). You can see there has been no transfer, no flaking, and my lashes looked just as good as they did in the morning despite the fact that I spent about 30 minutes walking through a pretty bad downpour of rain. I apologize for the jankiness of the photos but I was pretty tired and lazy so I just used my phone to snap a eye-selfie (an eye-fie?). While I wouldn't say it added a drastic amount of volume to my lashes, it definitely lengthened them well, even curled them upwards and was very comfortable to wear (non-irritating to my eyes which can sometimes be sensitive to new mascaras).

Overall, I'm highly impressed by this mascara and although I am not a fan of waterproof mascaras, this mascara is a definite must-buy if you're looking for something to last you all day, not flake, or transfer. I can't comment as to the efficacy of the non-waterproof formula but the waterproof formula gets two very eager thumbs up!

Product Review & Comparison: Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit vs. City Color Contour Effects

Today, I bring you a comparison post between the Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit and 

City Color Contour Effects. I have seen loads of hype about these products and I really wanted to see if they were worth the hype.

Right away you can tell that the pan sizes of the City Color Contour Effects is larger than those in the Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit, but you are receiving 3 additional shades in the latter. The City Color Contour Effects only comes with one shade of highlighter whereas the Anastasia Contour Kit comes with three. The Anastasia Contour Kit has shades which can be popped in and out of the palette by the little finger-dip zone to the bottom right of each color. This is so handy since Anastasia Beverly Hills now sells refills and you can build your own palette if you want.

You can tell from my photo that I have gotten quite a lot of use out of this palette in just a few weeks of owning it. I have also made a concerted effort to use drugstore-quality contours and bronzers since this is a high-end option I don't want to have to repurchase refills for in merely a few months.

I mix Vanilla and Banana for the perfect lighting for my face (I do have to point out that my skin is more yellow than pink-toned, so this may be a contributing factor as to why this works so well for me). I use Sand as a pop of shimmer above my cheeks and on my cupid's bow as it does reflect the light beautifully. 

Fawn is the perfect contour transition shade. This works the same way on your face as a transition shade would above your eye crease - it blurs out and essentially makes your face look Photoshop-flawless as opposed to giving you a harsh bronzer or contour line. I use Java to warm up my skin-tone as a bronzer and as the contour shade on days I'm looking for less definition. If I want more distinct definition, I usually use Havana specifically for under my jawline and to lift my cheekbones.

You can see in the swatches that all of these shades are very pigmented and it really doesn't take a lot of layering to get the desired tone. The colors are also not so highly saturated with pigment that they are hard to work with - in my opinion, they are the perfect fine-milled face powders. It is very easy to achieve a "blown out" look with all of the shades and Fawn is an absolute holy grail since it is taupe-leaning and cool contour shades are rather difficult to come across.

The City Color Contour Effects palette consists of 3 shades: Contour, Bronze and Highlight, as well as a guide instructing how to use the shades. Each person's face is slightly different and may need definition in places another person's may not, so always use these guides at your discretion. Remember, you know your face best and makeup is all about having fun with creativity :)!

The texture of the powders is harder in this palette than in the Anastasia Contour Kit, but the shades are highly pigmented. They are so pigmented in fact that you have to be careful not to pick up too much of any shade on your brush. You can see that the Highlight is a stark white shade, Bronze is an orange-leaning bronzing shade, and Contour is a medium-dark brown.

When I apply these colors to my face, I have to use a light hand because it can get out of hand and I can start to look like an awful Kim Kardashian wannabe very quickly. Contour is too dark for my fair skin-tone, this may work better if you are of medium to dark complexion. I can only use this shade lightly underneath my jawbone (since that's probably the place least seen). I am more likely to use the Bronze in this kit as my contour, but since this orange-leaning, it is a little Oompa Loompa for my taste. Also, I applied the Highlight shade to highlight my nose, forehead and cheeks, when I went out during the daylight, even though I had blended the powder, it was a very bright white on my face. So again, this isn't a subtle palette, not for those who like natural contouring and highlight nor those who use their brushes more aggressively in powder.

Here is a comparison swatch line-up so you can see all of the colors side-by-side. You can see that Highlight is much lighter than Vanilla, Banana, and Sand (Vanilla and Sand are much more beige). You can also tell quite easily that Contour is the darkest shade in both palettes by at least 2-3 shades. Bronze is a more orange-toned version of Java. 

All things considered, I really do think you are better off purchasing the Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit, specifically if you are of a fair or light complexion. I really only see the City Color Contour Effects

working for medium to dark warm-toned complexions. Seeing as I have already purchased this, I will try to give it a whirl when I'm more tan.

Do you own either of these? What do you think?