Battle of the contour: ABH vs. KVD

So if you didn’t know, Sephora will be having weekly specials, every Thursday they will have certain products up to 50% off of the retail price for a week in store and online while supplies last. I think this is amazing because they are kind of like Ulta with their specials and daily deals. This is the first week of the deals and they have Stila eyeshadow palettes, Anastasia Powder and Cream Contour Kits and Tarte Rainforest of the Sea highlighter palettes for half off! When I saw Trendmood1’s Instagram post I immediately went to the Sephora App and low and behold the Anastasia Contour Kits were on sale for $20 USD! That is such a great value because the Sephora Collection Contour palette is $28 so they are equal competitors. I fell back asleep and all of the contour kits ended up selling out online but I was going to the mall anyway so I ended up purchasing the Light to Medium kit because the Medium to Tan had too dark of shades for my face. I was so stoked to get this because with my employee discount this palette was $16!!! Thats the same price if I were to buy an ABH liquid lipstick!

I decided to pass on the cream contour kit because I actually already had the Light Cream Contour Kit but I ended up giving it to my best friend because she was so excited that the palettes were half off and I didn’t really use my cream contour kit anymore. The only other palette that I have to compare my powder ABH contour kit is the Kat Von D Shade and Light Palette.

 

Pros:

Kat Von D (old packaging):

• Has a large, high quality mirror
• Generous pan sizes: .16 oz contour shades, and .08 oz in highlight shades
• Very Sturdy cardboard
• Magnetic closure
• A little goes a long way
• All matte
• Comes in a box
• I can only use 2 highlight shades and 2 contour shades
• Comes with instructions on how to contour and highlight

 

Anastasia:

• Retails for $40 USD
• Has 3 different shades for their palettes
• Refillable pans
• Magnetic closure
• Has a shimmer highlight shade
• Comes in a sleeve
• Thick sturdy cardboard
• Has warm, bronzey and an ashy contour shade which I can use all
• Writing engraved into palette
• Easy to use, buildable and super blendable
• Smooth and not chalky
• Compact and travel friendly

 

Cons:

Kat Von D (old packaging):

• Pans are not refillable
• Retails for $49 USD
• Print on cardboard rubs off easily, the whole front has been rubbed off
• Sometimes this product is so pigmented that you have to sit and blend for awhile
• Only comes one standard shade
• Highlight pans are less than contour shades
• Goes on a bit more powdery and chalky
• Large and a bit bulky

 

Anastasia:

• No mirror
• Each pan contains .11 oz of product

 

 

As you can see in the swatches, I have the Anastasia Palette on top and the Kat Von D on the bottom. In my opinion the ABH swatched a bit nicer there wasn’t even powder fall out and went on nice and creamy. The contour shades in that palette are very wearable and a bit warm which I love and the shimmer highlight is gorgeous. As for the KVD there is a nice range of contour, one ideal for each skin tone but that can potentially be wasteful because not all shades are tailored for you skin tone like the ABH one.

Honestly I have been opting out contouring for bronzing but I feel that I will be getting so much use out of the ABH palette because I can chuck it in my bag and get ready I can contour and bronze all in one.

 

Did you pick up the ABH palette during the Sephora Weekly Special? Have you tried any of these palettes? What’s your favorite palette to contour with?

 

xo