The Hollywood Contour Duo

6 Reviews

1. 

   pitifulLocust1

   Reply

   I’m reviewing the beauty light wand.
   First, the shine. Depending on how much you apply, it can be used for both everyday and special occasion, though only a tiny amount is needed for that serious glow. Squeeze once, and I can use 4 days until the next squeeze.
   This is a highlight-y highlighter. Even though you can tone it down, it definitely looks like highlighter. I guess it best suits those who love a very visible glow.
   Next, the colour. It is quite transparent after being blended out. And because it doesn’t have a strong base colour, it’s great to achieve that dewy look. But before being blended, it has a slight pinky peachy tint to that silver base against my yellow-toned skin.
   Then, the packaging. It is very travel friendly. But I’m not sure how hygienic it is. Oh, when you squeeze the tube and can see the product oozing out from the applicator, it is already too much for one use, at least for me.
   I do have two criticism though. First, it looks beautiful over makeup. But if you are going to use it on bare face, the glitters are going to be very visible even under indoor lighting (And i only use a tiny amount). Second, it disturbs the makeup underneath just a little bit.
   I don’t think I would repurchase. I prefer a more subtle glow that can be worn with or without makeup.

2. 

   finickySwift9

   Reply

   The top is a bit hard to use, but I love love love the contour. It blends so nicely with liquid foundation. It’s my favorite contour. The highlight is not as good for me but it works well.

3. 

   goofyChough3

   Reply

   For years I had heard and read excellent reviews of the contour powder in Charlotte Tilbury’s Sculpt & Glow. However, I prefer the finish of liquid/creme products on my dry skin. As such, I was so eager to try Tilbury’s Contour Wand that I purchased this set as soon as it was released, rather than holding out for the reviews of beauty bloggers and MakeupAlley users. Big mistake!

   CONS

   – First of all, this wand has been completely mismarketed as a contouring product when it is clearly a bronzer. A matte finish alone does not a contour make!

   – I purchased the light wand, and found it both too dark and too warm-toned for my complexion. If I wasn’t using a self-tanner, it would have been completely unusable on my naturally NW10 skin. This shade would be most suited to someone with medium to tan coloring and warm undertones.

   – What frustrated me most about the product was how difficult it was to blend!!! When you first squeeze it out, the formula is similar in consistency to liquid foundation, but it dries down very quickly to an almost powdery texture, making it extremely difficult to blend out seamlessly, let alone to layer. I had to stop ‘drawing’ on the contour in lines and start simply dotting it on instead, otherwise there was always a hint of a line left over. As Youtube reviewers have noted, it also has the tendency to lift off your foundation underneath. The end result is a patchy appearance.

   – Although I didn’t buy the set for the highlighter, I find it to be too extreme and frosty, though this comes down to personal preference.

   – The wands only contain 0.41 fl oz of product each.

   – I don’t find it convenient having the product in stick form. To me, it would be just as simple (and more hygienic) to have the product in palette form and use a brush to apply. I suppose the stick is more portable, but creme contour is not really something you touch up during the day, after having already set your face with powder?

   PROS

   – I do appreciate that you ‘unlock’ the tube and squeeze out product gradually, so that the remainder doesn’t dry out or oxidise.

   – It’s scentless.

   – It has a matte, lightweight feel and finish.

4. 

   peacefulSardines5

   Reply

   I am so in love with this highlighter and contour stick. The highlighter stick gets me so many compliments from even strangers! Its the right amount of shine for daily & occasion wear. The contour is super easy to blend! I also love wearing it when I go bare face! It’s not too harsh which I love! I am a big big big fan!! But to be honest I would repurchase the highlighter in a heartbeat! I am just not a big fan of the contour stick since i like to go overboard with the contour.

5. 

   boastfulCaribou1

   Reply

   While Charlotte Tilbury’s contour wand is available in a ‘Hollywood Contour Duo’ set, the set would be more aptly named the ‘Hollywood Contour & Highlight Duo’ as the other tube in this set is simply a highlighter. Unlike the previous reviewer, I only bought the Hollywood Contour Wand, not the ‘Duo’, so this review will focus solely on that. The product claims quoted below are ALL from the official Hollywood Contour Wand product page; there are no references alluding to the highlighter.

   MY SKIN TONE & OTHER PRODUCTS I USE

   For reference, I am a shade or so paler than N15 in MAC terminology with undertones that lean cool. I purchased the Hollywood Contour Wand in the shade ‘Light’ – in the photos on the official website, I was pleased to see that the product appeared to be a cool grey taupe with ashy undertones. As contour products are meant to create the illusion of shadows, anything warm-toned defeats the purpose. That isn’t to say that a good contour needs to be downright grey – I use Kevyn Aucoin’s Sculpting Powders in both Light and Medium as well as Surratt Beauty’s excellent contour powder in Grisaille. Both are powder products that create the illusion of a naturally sculpted face. I’m afraid that I cannot say the same is true for this product. My in-depth thoughts below:

   CLAIMS

   According to the official website, this ‘lightweight’ formula takes ‘years off your appearance’. Now I’m only 25 and not quite in the market for youth-enhancing products, but I can’t help but raise an eyebrow at this dubious claim. In general, a youthful appearance is associated with fuller cheeks (hence the use of fillers), not hollowed out ones. Moving on to the other claims, I will address them individually.

   – “Get gorgeous sculpted mega-watt cheekbones instantly”: There isn’t much to say here other than the rather novel use of ‘mega-watt’ to describe cheekbones. ‘Mega-watt’, of course, is a term derived from the use of ‘watt’ as an indicator of the strength of power in light bulbs and other light emitting devices. In other words, Charlotte Tilbury is promising that her contour wand will somehow both sculpt and illuminate cheekbones, an oxymoron if ever there was one. I think this claim can be dismissed as classic ad hyperbole.

   – “Easy, brand-new-to-market cushion applicator to dispense product evenly, with blendable formula”:

   I was drawn to the idea of a liquid contour product with an applicator that I could use on the go. However, it is not true that Charlotte Tilbury’s wand is “brand new to market”. Both Kevyn Aucoin and Rouge Bunny Rouge make cushion applicator contour wands that come in genuinely cool-toned shades and have a much more elegantly designed applicator.

   The applicator here has a lock mechanism which allows you to buff after squeezing out the product. In practice, I found this very difficult as the applicator simply dispensed too much liquid. I had to wipe it down in order to use it to ‘buff’ the liquid in and even then the finish I achieved was streaky and patchy. The cushion is made of a cheap sort of foam and is unsuited to buffing. Overall, I found my fingers were more helpful albeit not ideal for a liquidy formula like this one. Blending was far from easy – a box of tissue nearby was a necessity.

   – “Treated pigments with good adherence & colour uniformity create shadows & define features for a natural finish”

   I’m not sure how the pigments here were ‘treated’ but I can say that they did not adhere well to my normal to dry cheek. The product faded quickly and was gone by midday. As mentioned above, I found this product far too warm to ‘create shadows’. Light is almost an ochre tan colour, with a touch of orange in it to boot. I looked like someone whose first attempt at DIY facial fake tanner had gone even more wrong than usual. I almost resembled an Oompa Loompa.

   – “Siloxanes create lightweight & dry feel upon application for easy blending”

   I did find this product to be lightweight but it had a distinctly tacky finish that took a while to dry and and made it a real chore to apply blush afterwards (a 10 minute weight was necessary). I tried using the applicator, my finger and various brushes with this product to no avail. Blending was almost impossible. It didn’t help that the formula was streaky rather than smooth, and tended to collect in the drier patches of my face.

   – “Ideal if you want to create a buildable, natural contour”

   I think my thoughts on this claim should be clear by now. This is perhaps the worst contour product I’ve ever used and I’ve used a variety of cream contour products as well as powders. The recently released Fenty Matte Stix in Amber is far more affordable, is one of the coolest contour shades I’ve encountered and blends seamlessly and intuitively into the skin with a cream to powder natural finish. Fingers work beautifully with it. I also enjoy the RMS Contour Bronze, which is again, cooler and greyer rather than ochre. The RMS contains a bit of sheen but in a natural rather than shimmery looking way, like Charlotte Tilbury’s wand. Having swatched the Kevyn Aucoin wand in store, I can say it was far superior in terms of formula and shade range. My go-to however, will always be powders because they are so easy to us, so difficult to mess up and so buildable. They aren’t messy either like this product.

   FINAL THOUGHTS: As a fan of Charlotte Tilbury products, I truly wanted to love the Contour Wand but it was a real disappointment in every respect. Even the smell was quite odd, like a fake tanning lotion that had gone rancid. I believe in being upfront when brands I love fall short and this, like the liquid lipsticks, is a major dud for me. I don’t recommend it and many cheaper options are available anyway.

   Grade: C-/D+

6. 

   unhappyMussel0

   Reply

   This set includes one Hollywood Beauty Light Wand and a Hollywood Contour Wand. I bought the $67 duo because you save $9. (Each tube is $38 individually.)

   I chose not to buy the $40 Hollywood Complexion Brush because I already own a large arsenal of tools, but I’ve seen it at Nordstrom and it is a very nice synthetic double-ended brush. One side looks like the Sigma F80 and the other side is a smaller, angled brush head for blending along smaller areas of the face such as the nose.

   The Hollywood Contour Wand comes in two shades: Fair/Medium and Medium/Dark. I ordered Fair/Medium for my skin tone (NC20). The highlighter, Hollywood Beauty Light Wand, comes in only one rose-gold shade. I had high hopes for the liquid highlighter because I’ve been using Becca’s Liquid Shimmering Skin Perfector for years. But instead of a bottle with a pump, Charlotte’s packaging is a tube with a cushion applicator. You twist the neck to release product through the sponge and then twist back to lock it in place when you’re done to prevent overflow. Squeeze very gently because you don’t need much for the entire face. The tubes are small but I use very little per application. Each tube contains 12 ml of product.

   It’s easy to apply. There is a tutorial on charlottetilbury.com in case you haven’t contoured before. I apply the Hollywood Contour Wand to the hollows of the cheeks, jawline, the sides of the nose and forehead. The creamy liquid gives you a little time to blend with your brush before drying down. However, you don’t have nearly as much time to play as you would with Graftobian’s HD Creme Palette. I like the effect I get from the contour wand and it’s not too obvious for real life.

   The Hollywood Beauty Light Wand can be used wherever you like, such as the bridge of the nose, Cupid’s Bow, atop cheekbones, to highlight brows, the center of the forehead or even the chin. The highlighter is easy to blend with fingers or you can use a small brush. It makes the skin glisten but it’s remarkably natural-looking, not glittery.

   These products last well on my normal-to-combination skin. I don’t have to touch up during the day. However, if you have oily skin you might want to go over the liquid with a contour powder to make it last longer. On hot, humid days I’ve been known to apply Charlotte’s Bronze & Glow over the liquids to ensure that I don’t perspire it all away.

   I love everything about these wands except the price. Buying the set at a discount helps.

   INGREDIENTS:

   HOLLYWOOD CONTOUR WAND: Aqua/Water/Eau, Cyclopentasiloxane, Isododecane, Mica, Cetyl Peg/Ppg-10/1 Dimethicone, Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate, Triethylhexanoin, Phenylisopropyl Dimethicone, Glycerin, Silica, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Chloride, Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Lindera Strychnifolia Root Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, [May Contain/Peut Contenir (+/-): Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491, Ci 77492, Ci 77499).

   HOLLYWOOD BEAUTY LIGHT WAND: Aqua/Water/Eau, Hydrogenated Didecene, Isododecane, Mica, Glycerin, Propanediol, Cetyl Peg/Ppg-10/1 Dimethicone, Silica, Sodium Chloride, Hydrogenated Styrene/Isoprene Copolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Lindera Strychnifolia Root Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491).