![Image of NYX HD Blush in Taupe via Temptalia](http://theotherpress.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/LS_NYXBlush_preview.jpeg)
Taupe is a perfect cool contour colour
By Lauren Kelly, Graphics Manager
Wandering through the NYX store at Metrotown or the NYX aisle at London Drugs, you may be overwhelmed by the brand’s many contour options. They have the cream-based 3 Steps to Sculpt palettes, eight-shade Highlight & Contour Pro Palette, two-ended highlight and contour Wonder Stick, and many, many more options. But, if you’re looking for something simple, portable, and pigmented, I’d suggest digging through their HD Blush selection for the colour Taupe.
The main reason I went looking for Taupe is that many of the contour colours I have as part of a palette are very warm in tone, and I’ve read many places that I should look for a cool-tone that would more successfully mimic a shadow. For this, Taupe has worked out perfectly, and I believe it’s given me a much more realistic and subtle contour. It is incredibly pigmented, so I’ve had to be careful about the amount of product on my brush, but that’s far from a bad problem to have. It lasts long and blends out well, so if you go a little heavy-handed it can be easily fixed.
Although I haven’t used the line’s other shades, the 24 available are incredibly varied. The line is, of course, called HD Blush, but in addition to Taupe there are a few shimmery bronzes and one matte to add extra warmth to your face. The majority of the line is made up of neutral peaches and pinks, as well as a few deep bright shades. There’s also Pastel Chic, which is incredibly light and could be used as a highlight shade, although it has no shimmer.
The HD Blushes are sold as singles in flat, square packaging that leave very little extra space around the product, making them the perfect size for throwing in your makeup bag or purse. Instead of paying for a large, pre-made palette with colours that may not best suit you, you can buy an individual blush and bronzer to customize your contour. The blushes cost $8 at the NYX store and $8.99 at London Drugs, so they’re much more budget-friendly than a palette. Happy contouring!