Contouring with Anastasia Beverly Hills

I'm a massive fan of Anastasia Beverly Hills however I have only ever tried their brow products so when my girl came to me asking how to contour using the ABH contour kit, I was more than willing to help her out. As an artist who prefers to use creams and liquid to contour, picking up a powder palette definitely brought me back to the days I learned contouring for the first time. Refreshing as it was, I understand why it's confusing for non-MUA's to look at the whole concept of contouring and highlighting and be easily confused. Here's the step by step breakdown I did on Steph but you can apply the same to your own makeup routine...

1. Base - Before contouring and highlighting I like to make sure the face is prepped, primed and based with your preferred foundation. As always, don't do it too thick as the cream contouring and highlighting will add another layer(s). Steph did her own base and used MAC Studio Fix Fluid in NC42. You can choose to spot conceal any blemishes or dis-colouration on your face, although I find that after contouring and highlighting you don't need to conceal as it is covered during the process. 
2. Cream highlighters first - I used a salmon cream concealer because her under eye tones were more on the darker brown/purple side. I used MAC P&P "bright forecast" mixed with Arbonne sheer glow and dabbed under her eyes using my fingers to blend. I love MAC P&P for this because it's nice and creamy and the consistency is not too thick or thin for covering under eye bags. I set her under eye concealer using the lighter salmon powder highlighter in the ABH palette.
3. Highlight & contour the nose - Same process on nose except I didn't set with ABH, instead I used a sheen loose powder to set the liquid highlighter. Use the tiniest amount because you don't want shimmer galore. To contour, use the medium colour on the AHB palette and apply with a fluffy brush (MAC brush #217) and build it up softly making sure you blend.I began from the tip of the nose where it meets the eyebrows and drew it down to the side tips of her nose (don't contour on the nostrils)
4. Contour - I used the darkest contour colour on the ABH palette. Start at the top of the ear and work down diagonally just under the cheekbone. Avoid a heavy hand because it's harder to remove than to add colour. The aim is to create a shadow, so blending is crucial. Do the same along the jawline
5. Blush - Depending on your face shape, apply your blush. One tip I like to stick with is to wear blush in a way that it lifts your face, not drag it down. My secret is not to smile when you apply it. I like to apply it at the very tip of apples of cheeks. I added a highlighting powder on the tips of the apples of her cheeks just under the bottom corner of her eyes so when she turns toward the light, the sheen peeks through. 
6. Brows - I used MAC brow pencil in "deep dark brunette" to fill in any gaps then a disposable mascara wand to brush brow hairs upwards and outwards. Then to neaten and highlight, I used my Makeup Forever concealer pencil to line right under brows and blend using my finger tips. Keep away from shimmer on the brown bone, it's so dated and can tend to make someone look older than what they are.

Because I'm more of a bridal makeup artist, I like to keep my contour and highlight very natural. Here's a pic of Steph before (only foundation) and after natural contouring and highlighting.

If you want more of a Kim K contour look, add more cream contour underneath before going over with powders, as you can see below I've done that on myself.

Images taken on my Samsung Galaxy S5