I decided to grab myself the makeup by Mario contour stick as I don’t own much if any actually contours. It doesn’t come to any surprise to me since I hardly use contours, only on special occasions which currently I don’t know where they’re at!
Anyways besides not owning any contour, what specifically made me go for makeup by Mario is the curiosity since I haven’t tried any of their products so let this be the first product!
Let’s get rolling!
Description
The soft sculpt shaping stick by Mario is described as an ‘all-in-one’ by the brand. It is said to be easy to use, with the motion required to only swipe on and blend to help you ‘instantly shape’ as well as add warmth to the face.
It possesses a creamy formula which further enhances its ease of blending and even allowing you to build on all skin types according to makeup by Mario. Sounds splendid especially since my skin type is a mixture of combo along with some sensitivity.
The overall aim of the makeup by Mario contour stick is to create a ‘soft, natural-looking definition’!
Shades
Moving swiftly onto the shade range which I am pretty impressed by! Reason being, I don’t expect contour products to offer such a variety, you are usually stuck between 3-4 shades however not with makeup by Mario. This brand allows you to pick between 6 shades ranging in tones.
The brands lightest shade is literally named ‘light’ and is suitable for fair to light skin tones, this is then followed by ‘light medium’ for light to light medium tones. You then have ‘medium’ created for light medium as well as ‘medium dark’ for medium to medium dark. There is ‘dark’ suitable for medium dark to dark skin tones and last but not least ‘dark deep’ which is ideal for dark deep skin hues. By the way all the contours have a natural matte finish!
So with this many choices which shade closely matched mines? Well I decided to jump for the light medium, which is said to be fitting for light to light medium tones. So did it fit perfectly? I’d say a close 8/10, yes! I didn’t want it overly powering so I guess this shade was a great match, requiring some but not a lot of blending to look natural.
Application
One of the main things I like about the makeup by Mario contour stick is it’s convenient design! It has a well-thought-out angled buffing brush which means you are ready to apply anywhere easily. Plus the ability to remove it allows you to clean it comfortably without no hassle!
So was applying as effortless as the design? Well I can say it did an overall great job, nothing special despite its unique design featuring 5 nubs built in within the head of the brush which according to the brand should provide a better product pick up. I mean it did manage to grab a good amount of formula but I wouldn’t say its any different to my usual brushes. As for blending I actually prefer using this applicator, I feel like it does better blending then its actual design to apply.
Lastage
The brand doesn’t specifically mention how long the contour should last so I weren’t expecting much plus contour or highlights aren’t usually designed to last as long as other makeup products like foundations, eyeshadows and similar formulas.
So to ensure I got the most out of this contour, I prepped well beforehand. I used a primer, a good foundation base, and lastly setted it use setting powder. Want to know how long the soft sculpting shaping sculpt put through? Approximately 4 hours till I had to retouch to keep the definition going. The contour stick gradually faded at the 4/5 hour mark on my cheekbones which are a dry area for me.
However on the oily areas such as my forehead the lastage was a little reduced. The oily area became somewhat patchy requiring me to blot and then reapply and blend despite me priming as well as setting. This does make me wonder how the performance would be had I not prepped.
I really liked the pigmentation, it allowed me to create a defined look without having to go over again. The colour wasn’t too rich which is great because it made blending easier for a soft effect, guessing that’s were it got its name from.
Overall
So overall I give the makeup by Mario contour stick a rating of 7/10! I really like the design as well as the practicability. The shade range is an advantage as is its creamy formula which allows for an easy application and blend. I would say the sculpting stick is buildable too.
This leads me onto the downsides of this product. I feel like the twist up design didn’t resonate with me since it quite easily can get jammed. The lastage too wasn’t as I was hoping for. Setting these issues aside I would say the contour stick is great for those looking for a travel friendly easily blendable definer for a natural soft result who wouldn’t be deterred with the issue mentioned.
That’s it for now peeps!
But if you don’t want to leave then I suggest you tap here to check out more awesome contour sticks!
Have a great day!
