Review | W7 Cream Contour Kit.

I've been really into bargain beauty finds lately, particularly after finding a Benefit's They're Real Mascara dupe for €2.50 (link is here if you're interested!). Another W7 product that I had been trying to track down was this baby; their cream contour duo. (Cream) contour kits are being produced like they're going out of style (I'm actually surprised my granny doesn't own one at this stage) but W7 is one of the only budget brands I know of that have really caught on. This is supposedly a dupe for the Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate. Having only swatched that product at a counter and gazed lovingly at it from afar, I can't really call this a "Save or Splurge" post because I don't own the higher-end counterpart. That being said, they seem to look and apply very similar when on the skin/back of the hand in Tom Ford's case. I have heard Siobhan from LetzMakeup say that they are very very close dupes - so there you go, something to keep in mind!

Before I get into the product, it comes with a small flat synthetic brush which I would actually use for cream eye shadows or merely placing the contour, but I wouldn't depend on it for blending. A nice addition to the product, though.

The contour shade itself is slightly more pigmented than the highlight, but it is still quite sheer. It is definitely pretty buildable (which I've done in the swatch below), though. It is a bit warmer than I would personally like in a contour (I seem to have that issue across all drugstore "contour" products) but because it is sheer, it isn't as noticeably warm or orange as a powder contour would be. Did that even make sense?! Basically, it's warm, but nothing NW15 girls or boys couldn't get away with. If you're curious about my cream contour application, I've been loving the Nima brushes synthetic kabuki brush to chisel out my cheekbones but blend as I go along. I would definitely recommend using a synthetic brush with all cream products like these!

Onto the highlight. This seems to really mirror the Tom Ford one purely because it is SO sheer. The contour is definitely more pigmented, and although there seems to be shimmer in the pan of the highlight, it really only gives a subtle "gloss" on top of the cheek. It is very, very natural which is something you'll either love or hate if you're using this on its own. 

W7 Cream Contour Kit

L-R: W7 Contour & Highlight (swatch)

I personally like a strong contour and highlight, so I layer/set these products with powders to make them last all night. Even if you're not into sheer or natural contour products, the W7 kit could be worth checking out solely for the purpose of layering! If you are using this alone, I think both oily and dry skins could use this to be honest. It's a drier formula of cream which means it isn't greasy or sticky on the skin which my oily skin is so thankful for. All in all, a pretty decent product for less than €8! Even if you only used the contour shade (which is my favourite out of the two) I still think it would be worth checking out. The highlight isn't anything to scream "YAAAAAAAS HUNTY!" over, but is nice to act as base underneath a powder - or, if you're into the very natural highlight then it could be exactly what you're looking for! 

Are you a powder or cream contour kinda gal? Let me know below and be sure to tweet me @GraceyOConnell if you've tried this product or even have any further questions!