Kevyn Aucoin The Sculpting Powder – Medium

I love contouring, I really do. It did have to grow on me though, after I realised it doesn't have to look unnatural as certain media portrays female face should look like these days (if you like that look, good for you but it's not my cup of tea). I really don't like seeing stripes of color down my face and anything that can shape my facial features in a subtle but effective way, certainly is what I aim for.

I used to own NYX Taupe blush but the texture was too stiff and the shade was too grey/mauve for my skin tone. I have contemplated purchasing a contour palette but those do not seem to be what I'm looking for. The NYX palette is too dry, too pigmented, too plain (chalky white, warm teracotta etc.) and the fallout is horrific whilst the ABH palette is pretty but too warm, even for me – I tend to contour mostly during the colder months and during summer I pile on bronzer, not contour powder. I needed something easy to use on an everyday basis, of a cool – truly cool (but not mauve-y) undertone and great staying powder. I just love the look of  bold cheekbones with fresh dewy skin paired with a winged liner or a bold lip! 

Kevyn Aucoin makeup intrigued me for years and it was only when I started to dig and dig about the makeup artist himself that pushed me over the edge to purchase contouring products with his name on it. I honestly cannot recommend enough watching this wonderfully made fan/tribute YT video about him – I dare you not to fall in love with Kevyn and feel deep, deep appreciation and respect towards this wonderful and insanely talented human being.

• Volim konturisanje lica, zaista volim. Doduse, trebalo je vremena da mi priraste srcu sto se desilo nakon sto sam shvatila da konturisanje ne mora nuzno izgledati napadno i neprirodno, sto danas mediji vole da nam namecu kao ideal zenskog lica. Naravno, ako vi to volite onda nosite sto vam je volja, tako i treba biti – samo zelim reci da jaka sminka jednostavno nije moj djir. Pokusavam izbjeci ratnicke linije pigmenta niz obraze a sve sto mi moze omoguciti suptilno a efektno isticanje crta lica je upravo ono sto zelim.
• Ranije sam za konturisanje koristila NYX Taupe rumenilo ali mi se tekstura nije dopala (previse je kruto pod kistom) a nijansa je bila previse sivkasta/mauve u kontrastu sa mojim tenom. Razmisljala sam o kupovini paleta za konturisanje ali nikako mi ne djeluju kao ono sto meni treba. NYX paleta je previse suha, prejakog i previse jednostavnog pigmenta (cisto bijela, topla terakota i sl.) a da ne govorimo o rasipanju koje je strasno. Sa druge strane, ABH paleta je lijepa ali pretopla za moj ukus – konturisanju najcesce pribjegavam tokom hladnijih mjeseci a tokom ljeta ga ne koristim vec odabirem bronzer. Potrebno mi je nesto jednostavno za koristenje, hladnog (istinski hladnog a ne ruzticasto/mauve) podtona i zahtijevam dobru trajnost. Jako volim svjezu, dewy kozu u kombinaciji sa istaknutim jagodicama te mackastim tusem ili lijepim ruzem za usne.
• Kevyn Aucoin kozmetika me vec godinama intrigira a tek nakon sto sam pocela da se raspitujem o samom makeup umjetniku po kojem nosi ime sam se odlucila da se okusam sa tim komadima kozmetike. Najtoplije preporucujem da pogledate krasno uradjeni tribute YT video o zivotu Kevyn Aucoina – mislim da nema ko se nece zaljubiti u njegov lik i djelo. Barem licno osjecam duboko postovanje spram ovog divnog ljudskog bica koje je ujedno posjedovalo i nestvaran talenat.

I have two Kevyn Aucoin contouring products in my stash but today we're talking Kevyn Aucoin The Sculpting Powder – Medium (3.1g cost €36.30). Now, I've seen people stating that 3.1g is a con here and that you get an average eyeshadow worth of product – totally untrue. It's not the biggest pan in the world but it's definitely bigger than a mono eyeshadow and slightly smaller than a regular blush. The texture and pigmentation make me think I'll use this thing for years – it's that good.

Packaging is to die for – absolute luxury, from the friggin’ box in pale gold to the lavish blackened oxblood compact with gold detailing. Compact isn't made of metal but the quality of build is good nevertheless. It also comes in a plush black velvet pouch, so that your precious compact is safe from scratches. The opening mechanism is swish – you press the gold bar at the front and the top lifts up (magic!). There's also a little mirror inside the lid. You don't get an applicator in this newer packaging (the older one had more product, a useless applicator and was more bulky). That isn't a con in my eyes because you have to have your own brush for contouring, anyway (I use my Real Techniques Duo Fiber one)

• Posjedujem dva Kevyn Aucoin proizvoda za konturisanje a danas ce biti rijeci o Kevyn Aucoin The Sculpting Powder – Medium (3.1g kosta cca 70KM). Citala sam primjedbe da 3.1g proizvoda predstavlja manu i da je rijec o proizvodu velicine prosjecne mono sjene za oci, sto je potpuna neistina. Okej, nije najvece pakovanje na svijetu ali je definitivno vece od mono sjene i blago manje od prosjecnog rumenila. Da ne spominjemo kako je formulacija toliko kvalitetna da sam sigurna kako ce mi ovaj puder potrajati godinama – toliko je dobar.
• Pakovanje je fantasticno – cisti luksuz, od najobicnije kutijice blijede boje zlata pa do ekstravagantnog ombre kucista u tonovima crne i boje vina, uz zlatne detalje. Kuciste nije izradjeno od metala ali je toliko kvalitetno i cvrsto da to mogu oprostiti. Kuciste dolazi umotano u kosuljicu od mekanog barsuna crne boje, sto stiti mezimca od ogrebotina. Mehanizam za otvaranje je super – pritiskom na zlatnu polugicu sa prednje strane se podize poklopac (magija!) ispod kojeg se krije omanje ogledalce. Uz puder ne dolazi aplikator za nanosenje (staro pakovanje je bilo vece, glomaznije, sa beskorisnom spuzvicom ali i kolicinski vise proizvoda). U mojim ocima ovo nije nuzno nedostatak posto bih u svakom slucaju koristila vlastiti kist (Real Techniques Duo Fiber kist za konturisanje).

There's only one shade available (Medium) which will suit fair/light and medium skin tones – only the darkest of skin would not benefit from this product (I'd recommend using a liquid foundation a shade darker in that case). I just love the color! This is how contour products should look like – it's a mix of brown, red and grey pigments which together create the perfect shadow. It looks a bit pale in tha pan but on the skin is, ah! Words cannot even describe! 

Pigmentation is fab – it's medium strong but sheer and very layer-friendly so, depending on your brush and technique, you can apply it as subtle or as strong as you wish. You could definitely do a very dark, very strong contour with it but where it really shines is when you use it subtly. I'm not a makeup pro but I've gotten so used to it that I apply it within a minute on natural makeup days. It's so natural looking that when applied lightly it just looks like a slight, believable shadow under your cheekbones rather than actual product.

Texture of the powder is so finely milled, no other contouring powder which I have tried has such fine, luxurious texture. Fallout is minimal and longevity is more than good – over 8h on my skin. The way Hourglass blush perfects the skin – the exact same way does The Sculpting Powder slim the face and refines the texture of the skin. This is it! This is what I wanted and expected – my expectations were definitely met and I cannot recommend this little wonder enough.

• Dostupna je samo jedna nijansa (Medium) koja ce odgovarati od najsvjetlijih pa do srednje tamnih tonova koze. Samo izuzetno taman ten nece moci koristiti ovaj puder za konturiranje (u tu svrhu bih tako tamnom tenu svakako radije preporucila nijansu tamniju tecnu podlogu). Licno mislim da je nijansa ovog pudera pun pogodak! Bas je onakva kako bi svaki proizvod ove vrste trebao da izgleda – sadrzi mjesavinu smedjeg, crvenog i sivog pigmenta koja kreira savrsenu sjenu. U pakovanju nijansa mozda djeluje blijedo ali je na kozi, ah! Ni rijecima ne mogu opisati. 
• Pigmentacija je sjajna – srednje intenzivna ali teksturom tako zahvalna za nanosenje u slojevima. I tacno se vidi da sloj po sloj, intenzitet sa lakocom bude pojacan. Bez problema rezultat moze varirati od njeznog i suptilnog do ekstra jake, upadne konture. Ipak, performanse ovog pudera najsjajnije blistaju kada ga suptilno koristite. Nisam neki ekspert za sminkanje ali sam se toliko ispraksala sa njim da ga za minutu nanosim u sklopu svakodnevne sminke. Izgleda tako prirodno i uvjerljivo – ma rijetko ko bi uopste skuzio da to nisu vase jagodice nego se gospodin Aucoin umijesao!
• Tekstura pudera je tako fina i kvalitetna, daleko superiornija od ostalih pudera za konturisanje koje sam isprobala. Rasipanje je minimalno a trajnost vise nego zadovoljavajuca – na mojoj kozi sigurnih 8h. Onako kako Hourglass Ambient Lighting rumenilo rafinise teksturu koze, tako The Sculpting Powder slicno djeluje. Lice djeluje suzeno, detalji i tancine suptilno naglasene a koza izgleda bas prefinjeno. Ovo je sve sto sam zeljela i ocekivala – itekako mogu reci da su mi ovog puta ocekivanja ispunjena. Najtoplije preporuke!