Read ALL about my review process including how I take swatches, photos, and more here.
Contour Kits are currently trending in beauty! Yes, people have been contouring for ages using things like foundation, matte eyeshadows, powders, and even pencils but now that highlighting and contouring is Instagram-famous, brands are trying to make our lives easier (and their bottom lines thicker…lol) by coming out with contour kits. Many of them don’t come deep enough to work as contours on darker skin tones like mine (see also: Contouring for Very Deep Dark Skin), but when they do (like the Cover FX Contour Kit), I’m all on it. Like the new Anastasia Beverly Hills Cream Contour Kit.
These were SO not easy for me to buy…lol. I haven’t received any press releases and samples on it like I normally do with Anastasia products (I’m guessing because they were flying off shelves) and it was crashing the Anastasia site when it first launched. Currently it’s only available as a Macy’s exclusive beyond the Anastasia site and I had the Dark kit in my cart and went to look at coats for like 5 minutes and my kit was gone by the time I went to check out :/ I finally got the Dark when the Anastasia site restocked (it got here pretty quickly, too) so here we are. It’ll be in Macy’s stores later this month from what I hear. No word yet on when/if they’ll be in Sephora and Ulta.
Medium
There’s 6 shades altogether. You most likely won’t need to use all six shades. If you fall in this range you can use the shades as concealer, base (foundation though you would likely need to thin it out using a small amount with a damp beautyblender), corrector (by mixing in some of the Warm Coral shade), and then two degrees of contouring. You can customize a lot with this kit especially when you tan in the summer. Even still I don’t think you’ll use all 6 of the shades. Undertones range from neutral to warm.
Three shades from Medium overlap into the Deep: Nude, Cinnamon, and Chocolate.
Deep
Again, 6 shades and I don’t think you’ll use all six especially if you’re close to my skin tone. The coral shade is cool because you can use it to correct dark spots (put that color on first and then put your regular foundation shade over it. I used Nude to highlight and Carob to contour. The Chocolate shade was pretty close to my skin tone except it’s a bit darker and more warm in undertone—which might be a better match for me if I tan. Carob wasn’t as deep as I like my contour shades to get but once I set it with my BECCA Cacao Mineral Powder, it worked out. I wouldn’t have a use for 3-4 of the shades but something like this kit (and the Medium) would be perfect in a makeup artist’s kit or someone who is in between shades who can benefit from mixing colors together.
The undertones on these run on the warmer side.
Performance
The texture on these creams feels dry but it’s still very easy to blend and manipulate. Quality is really great, too and while I had to touch-up more when I wore it out than I normally do (it was about 45 degrees yesterday and I have oily skin), there was no creasing and the formula stayed on and looked great all day.
Compared to the Cover FX Contour Kit
Other than obviously this has 6 shades and the Cover FX kits have 4, there are other differences between the two brands. For one Cover FX kits are based on undertone and come in 9 shade options while Anastasia has just 3 options and they all seem to run more neutral to warm. Also for me I prefer the Cover FX Contour Kit because the Cover FX Total Cover Cream Foundation (which are what’s in the Contour Kits) work better with my skin type than the Anastasia kit. Also I much prefer the N120 shade in the Cover FX Contour Kit because it’s deeper than the Carob shade in the Anastasia Cream Contour Kit in Deep. Carob did more to “warm” my skin like a bronzer would than to get a deep contour.
Anastasia Cream Contour Kit in Medium vs Cover FX Contour Kit in G Medium-Deep
The Anastasia Cream Contour Kit to me seems like they were created more with makeup artists in mind with the extra shades. I think most people no matter your shade will have colors in your kit you won’t use often but if you have lighter skin and vary in color throughout the year, you have more mixing options. I’ve also read comments from people with lighter skin that the undertones in the Anastasia kit were too warm for them which would make the Cover FX Contour Kit more appealing since it comes in Pink, Golden, and Neutral undertones.
Anastasia Cream Contour Kit in Deep vs Cover FX Contour Kit in N-Deep
(See what other makeup I’m wearing in this pic on my Instagram—and while you’re there, follow me!)
Bottom line: The Anastasia Cream Contour performs well and offers many options to custom create your own shades. But if the undertones aren’t varied enough for you (they seem to run more on the warmer side) then check out the options available with Cover FX.
Find your shade in Cover FX here
UPDATE: My love of highlighting and contouring since this review has made me realize I do better with a separate product for highlight and I now contour with powder (see my updated routine here) than a contour kit because I go through contour kits SO fast. But my stance still is the same about what I said about this kit back when I initially reviewed it.
Price and where to buy: $40 at Anastasia. Also available as a Macy’s exclusive—currently sold out at Macys.com but keep checking for restock and should be in Macy’s stores this month so check with your local store for dates.
I am an NC45,NC50, at MAC, Macao shade in Nars luminous foundation, would I need medium or Deep for Anastasia beverly hills contour kit, and what Cover FX contour kit should I get
Author
Hey Darcel!
Get the Anastasia in Deep and for Cover FX, you can use their shade finder here: http://tsabd.com/1o3r1k3
Hi Danielle,
Great review!! I love your blog :) I am Mac NW 58 what would be your recommendation for a contour palette?I was leaning towards the Anastasia Beverly but now I am not so sure.
Author
Hi Milika!
Thanks!
I’m not familiar with MAC’s shade extensions but I’m obviously assuming that NW58 is deeper than NW55 (right? lol) and in that case the Anastasia kit might work more for highlighting than contouring on you. Check out these posts which should help you decide if the Cover FX one is right for you: https://www.thestyleandbeautydoctor.com/2012/11/need-a-shade-deeper-than-nw5055-look-here/ (N120 is the contour shade in the CFX kit) and https://www.thestyleandbeautydoctor.com/2010/10/ask-danielle-how-to-contour-very-deep-dark-skin/
Thanks a lot Danielle! I will definitely check it out.
I think I’m going to go with the Cover FX palette now. Seems like I would get more use out of it. Both palettes look great on you though!
Hi!! I am first time visiting your blog and thoroughly enjoying reading it !!! I am also torn between weather to buy a contour kit or not !
Author
Hey!
How do you normally do your makeup? Do you already contour?
Danielle, I just want you to know that your blog is absolutely amazing and you should be very proud of yourself. I recently just ran across your blog (while doing my daily research on makeup products) about a month ago and I have to say… This is by far the most detailed, enthused, exciting, honest blog yet. You offer so much to your audience! It’s much more than just a product review, but you take the time to swatch every product, with different lighting, link the items to where you wore them and provide the links to the previous blog posts on the that are related to the current post. Whew! Girl I don’t see how you do it. It is obvious this blog is your baby, and you hunny are a great mother!! LOL When I come to your blog I ended up with about 10 pages open because I get so excited about the post and I click on the links provided which provides more excitement!! Its like Christmas :) but you have caused me to purchase a lot so it’s taking a toll on my pockets Lol. I just wanted to send you my gratitude for taking the time to really provide a hip, honest and detailed blog to your followers. I want you to stay motivated and never give up on what you want to do. It is obvious you are awesome in all things! I hope this finds you well. Forever a follower :) Stay Blessed
Author
OK, see, Ashley. YOU are the real MVP. This was like the best comment ever. Thanks SO much for taking the time to write it. You don’t know how excited and happy it made me to hear that you get excited about my blog posts the way you described. Like I seriously could do cartwheels..lol. I LOVE that you’re so enthused about my enthusiasm…lol. And I’m so happy what I feel like I’m putting out in my reviews is what is getting received. SO happy. My day is made. Next time I’m outside fighting with daylight to get pics or freezing my behind off, I’ll think of this comment…lol.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING!!! Hope you’re well, too! And many MANY blessings your way :)
You are SO very welcome. And I have been spreading the Style and Beauty Doctor blog site and news to every girl I come across! You rock..
What will be the look if a medium color tone skin used a dark kit of anestasiabivery hills cream contour kit ? Was it going to work?
Author
Hi Nour!
Can you explain more what you mean by medium? I’m assuming you mean something in the tan range (like a MAC NC40-ish color) and if so, then the dark kit wouldn’t be a bad option—you’ll have way more deeper contour options but some of the shades in the dark kit repeat from the medium kit. You may also have less options in the highlight if you do the dark kit though. Depends on what look you’re going for with your contour.
Hi, I was just wondering that if I used light as I like using lighter shades with my foundation will it make me look like a ghost?
Author
Hi Sam!
I have no clue as I have no idea what shade you are. You can try the kit at Macy’s and see how it looks on you. Take a photo test in day light to make sure it doesn’t look off.
Great blog. Glad I found it. :). A question for you. I am a NW40 in mac. I am unsure, if I should get the medium or deep ABH contour kit? Will really appreciate your advice on this.
Author
Hey Sam!
Happy you found my blog, too :)
I’d say the Medium would work pretty well for you—but do you have a Sephora or Macy’s near you where you can try it on in-store first?
Thank you for quick reply.
Im from London. UK. No macys or sephora :(
Hello I am a Mac nw50 would I use medium or deep for the Anastasia Beverly Hills cream contour kit?
Author
Definitely not the medium for NW50—I’d go for the deep BUT test it in store first because the contours might not be deep enough. You might be better off getting a separate highlight shade and a separate contour shade from brands like BECCA, Fashion Fair, black UP, or Cover FX who has some really deep new shades coming out because you might not use all the shades from this Anastasia kit.
Hi, I am an be 45 in the winter and nw45&nw48 in the summer would the ABH MEDIUM work ok for me. Got it at ultra and they only had the medium shade thank you!!!!
Love your blog. Quick question thou, I am NC45 in mac. Would i use medium or deep in ABH contour kit? And which do you think is best the cream or powder?
Author
Thanks! I think you can do the medium but you might even be better off just getting a concealer or foundation stick or cream foundation about two shades lighter than your skin tone to highlight and use a similarly colored powder to set it and then a powder about two shades darker than your skin tone to contour (or you can do the concealer or foundation product two shades darker and similarly colored powder to set it).
Thing is with the ABH contour kit is you may not use all the shades in the kit—might make more sense for you to get shades you know you’ll use all the time UNLESS you can actually see yourself realistically using all the shades in the contour kit (like if you can use the other shades when you tan).
One isn’t better than the other re: cream and powder—that’s a matter of preference and desired look. Some folks use both because you need to set the cream with a powder. I personally can’t get much use out of the powder kit because the shades are too light for me—and then even if they were my shades, I personally can’t highlight with powder alone—I need some sort of cream product underneath and then powder.
HTH!
The palettes look pretty amazing and you are so cute :)
Hi Danielle,
I am an NC 40 at MAC! I was thinking I would go with the Medium Anastasia Kit, is that a good choice? Or should I go darker?
Author
Hey Danielle!
The medium should work out well for you, BUT make sure you’d actually need all six shades in the kit. It may make more sense to just get a separate highlight and separate contour shade. The kit will come in handy if you like to vary the intensity of your highlight and contour or if you get very tan in the summer and need new shades.
Hi,
Im also NC 40 at Mac do you think the “light” cream kit is too light for me?
Author
Hey!
I don’t have the light kit, but I would think the medium might be more your speed. You can google NC 40 and Anastasia Contour Kit to see if someone your shade uses the kit and which shade.