April 28, 2015

Kat Von D Shade + Light Contour Brush Review

This was provided to me by a brand for review and I receive a small commission if you shop using the links in this post but all opinions are my own.

Kat Von D Shade + Light Contour Brush10

The Kat Von D Shade + Light Contour Brush ($36) recently launched at Sephora to accompany the Kat Von D Shade + Light Contour Palette.

Damn shame the two aren’t packaged together right?

Kat Von D Shade Light Contour Brush

The Kat Von D Shade + Light Contour Brush is a dual ended brush that was designed with an angled end for contouring and a taped dome end for highlighting. I don’t typically like dual ended brushes but this comes in its own protective case (That kinda looks like a coffin! How morbid am I?). So this kinda sorta makes me a little happy as the main reason I hate double ended brushes is because they get ruined during storage.

If you’re a contour junkie it is pretty handy to have one brush to do the job. These bristles are very soft without shedding issues. So far I’ve washed it three different times and the bristles retain their shape, it dries fast, and I experienced no issues with shedding.

The brush is quite well made and in theory the idea behind it is great. It provides two ends for perfect contouring work. However, I find it isn’t quite the best blending brush in the world for contour work. I’m not a contouring expert but I think a denser bristled brush does do a better job of blending out darker contouring shades. The bristles are just a little too soft and a little too floppy for seamless blending.

Kat Von D Shade + Light Contour Brush

Kat Von D Shade + Light Contour Brush5

Kat Von D Shade + Light Contour Brush12

I find the bristles pick up more of a light dusting of color. I also feel like the brush shape isn’t quite ideal for the sharper contours of the face. Combine these two elements and I feel like I’m applying a light dusting of bronzer versus actually contouring my face.

There’s nothing wrong with the brush in the least. It’s well made, no shedding issues, etc…it’s just not the most ideal brush around for contouring work and that makes it sadly disappointing!

If you are interested the Kat Von D Shade + Light Contour Brush is available exclusively at Sephora and Sephora.com.

Tried it?

Do share your thoughts on the brush!

This was provided to me by a brand for review and I receive a small commission if you shop using the links in this post but all opinions are my own.

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  • Cosmetics Aficionado

    I would have tried it if it wasn’t double ended. For some reason I just really don’t like those types of brushes.

    • Isabella Muse

      yeah me either although the storage cases makes me slightly less skeptical 🙂

    • Jeanine McAuliffe

      I’m with you on the dbl ended brushes, they suck for storage but since it has a case I am sold on it and I gotta admit I love it and the kit!!!

  • Nike

    I with the contouring side was flat and shorter like the NARS kabuki ita brush. Whenever I use an angled slightly fluffy brush like this to contour, it creates a less sharp looking contour. I don’t really understand why some people contour with a brush like this…it’s less precise and causes the contour shade to cover more skin than needed.

    For contouring I definitely prefer the Kabuki ita, a brush from one of Benefits blush boxes, and the highlight brush from the SOHO little mermaid collection.

  • Fancie

    I’m not a fan of double ended brushes either but I do like the concept. It’s a great idea though it could have been executed better. I almost want it for the coffin case. Idk why but I think it looks pretty cool lol

  • amy

    I keep telling myself I don’t *need* this, but I know I’ll eventually pick it up… I have more than enough brushes, and even some similarly shaped/sized, but none have a cute coffin case!

    I have a hard, rectangular clutch that came with a Sonia Kashuk brush set years ago, and I find it’s perfect for storing double-ended brushes, and when I travel, I grab it to go along with the brushes I pack just in case I forget something and/or need more, as it’s a random medley of brushes.

  • barbara

    I did not pick up the brush either, although I really wanted to. The price was too high in my opinion. The case was cute, but just not practical. Its to hard to store a double ended brush, and I just didn’t have room for the case in my drawer. I think maybe if it would have been half the price or came with the palette that would have been nice. not 36 bucks worth.

  • Sylvia

    I have owned this brush for at least 3 years and always wanted a back-up one, but never got around to it. I agree that I don’t like double ended brushes for cleaning and storage, but I’ve tried other brushes, but this was is the best! While at Sephora, I’ve recently learned that this brush is discontinued and I lost my chance to buy backup ones through Kat Von D’s website because I was hoping it would be further reduced since I live in Canada and dealing with shipping and exchange rate. 🙁 I believe the same brush heads are sold separately, but it costs more and this is the only brush I like flipping over and using both ends (great for travel too).

    Please share, if anyone knows of a comparable one with same size bristol heads! Sephora has a similar in-house one except the shade head is much smaller (I don’t like them smaller and Kat Von D’s is the perfect size for me).