The E.L.F. Contour Palette, $6, includes four powdered shades to help you put your best face forward. Contouring requires a dark shade to create definition, and highlighting complements this by adding a touch of shine to catch the light. Ahead, learn whether the ELF Contour Palette will meet your contouring needs.





What's Inside
The ELF Contour Palette's sleek, black tray holds four color pans. Each shade in the tray serves a different purpose for highlighting and contouring your face.

One pan holds a highlighting powder that delivers just a bit of sheen. The next is a yellowish shade, better known as banana powder. This one is used to set concealer, and it's also the best shade for applying under your eyes. The last two colors are browns. There's a lighter one for bronzing and a darker one for contouring. Other than the highlighting powder, each shade in the contour palette is a matte powder.

The contour tray features a large mirror built into the lid. This is just the right size for touching up your makeup on the go.



How to Apply
The highlighting and contouring colors blend and apply easily with your fingers. Cleaner and easier, though, is applying the shades with a contouring brush. With a brush, you'll get a lighter application, but the color builds, so you can add layers until you achieve the exact coverage you desire.

Simply swipe the E.L.F. Contour Brush, $6, over a shade; then, transfer the color onto your face. You may want to use the highlighting powder below your eyes and apply the contouring colors around your cheekbones and jawline. Of course, you don't have to use the shades exactly as is. The ELF Contour Brush is handy for blending colors before applying.

Brush Features
With short, synthetic hairs, the ELF Contour Brush gives you control over where the makeup goes. The wide spread of bristles allows you to achieve ample coverage, but they meet at a narrow tip that's just right for precise application where needed.

The ELF Contour Brush has closely packed bristles that hold up well over time. It washes easily, so you can use this brush for both light and dark contouring colors.

Pros and Cons
The colors of the ELF Contour Palette blend easily, so you can achieve your perfect shades. Use the ELF Contour Brush to mix them to your heart's content.

The makeup contains nourishing vitamin E, so it's kind to your skin while also providing light coverage. One reviewer described the shades as "lighter pigmented," but buildability means that you can always darken the application.

One drawback is that the powdery formula may fall from the brush getting to your face. One user was worried that "so much falls out" during application.

Overall, though, this palette is a good starter set for those who want to try their hand at contouring for the first time.