Contouring has never been a very high priority step in my makeup routine, but some days I feel like being a little “extra” and adding that step to give my face subtle definition. Since contouring isn’t part of my daily routine, it’s also not something I’ve practiced very much. On the rare occasions that I contour, I want to use products that are forgiving and easy to use. When I saw that Kiko, one of my favorite makeup brands, offers a contour stick, I just had to pick it up! This product is called Kiko Milano Sculpting Touch Creamy Stick Contour.
Some new favorites in my makeup collection are the Kiko Milano Fruit Explosion Juicy Blush and Kiko Milano Mood Boost Matte Bronzer. Since these are both cheek products, I knew there was a good chance I’d enjoy the Kiko Milano Sculpting Touch Creamy Stick Contour, too. I have definitely been enjoying it, though there are both pros and cons which is true of most products. Please continue reading for my full review which will include information on this contour stick’s inclusivity, packaging, ease of application, how well it works with other products, staying power, and price.
Kiko Milano Sculpting Touch Creamy Stick Contour product claims directly from KikoCosmetics.com
Contouring stick with a matte finish. The formula is enriched with African walnut oil and soothing pistachio extract. The soft and creamy texture ensures great coverage and excellent blendability. It is pleasing to the touch; application is easy and precise. The product enables you to sculpt the face, creating plays of light and shadow. The contemporary packaging stands out with its black shiny finish with the KK logo embossed on the top.
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Other product details
- Price: $14.99
- Net weight: 0.35 oz. | 10 g
- Made in Italy
- Cruelty-free
- Shelf life: 18 months
- Available in two shades
- Where to buy: KikoCosmetics.com
- Kiko Milano ships internationally, but there are unique websites for each country. When you visit KikoCosmetics.com, make sure the correct country is listed next to “My Country” at the bottom of the page. If it’s incorrect, click on the country name and it will bring up the full list of countries for you to select the correct option.
- Overall rating: 7.8/10
- Inclusivity: 5/10
- Packaging/ease of application: 7/10
- Team player: 8/10
- Staying power: 10/10
- Price: 9/10
Please note that I am not a makeup artist. The opinions expressed in this review are my own, as a regular person that loves makeup.
Inclusivity
Let’s get through this rough section so we can move on to more pleasant parts of the review! Kiko Milano is one of my favorite brands, but it always frustrates me when I see them offering very few shade options. Kiko Milano Sculpting Touch Creamy Stick Contour is only available in two shades (Kiko didn’t provide shade descriptions, so these are the descriptions I would give each shade):
- 200 Hazelnut is a light warm brown
- 201 Chocolate is a medium neutral brown
When I purchased this product, I think it was only available in the lighter shade at that time. I’m glad that the Chocolate shade has been added or restocked since then. Hazelnut is definitely ideal for my fair skin and may work for light skin as well. I would suggest the Chocolate shade to those with medium and tan skin tones, but I don’t feel that it would work for deep skin tones.
My biggest complaint about this product’s inclusivity is that there should be at least one darker shade, but it doesn’t stop there. In the photos online, the Hazelnut shade looks quite neutral to me, but as you can see in this arm swatch photo, it’s actually warm toned. Contouring products ideally should be cool toned to create the look of shadows on the skin.
While the Hazelnut shade is light enough for my fair skin, I’d prefer it to be cooler in tone to create more believable contours. I recognize that some people may enjoy the warm tone of this shade, but I think Kiko should’ve provided a cooler shade option for people with fair to light skin. The Chocolate shade appears to be more appropriate for contouring, but I might change my mind if I saw it in person.
Since my Hazelnut shade is on the warmer side, I’ve been using it as a 2-in-in contour and bronzer. I wouldn’t say the contour is believable on my skin, but I do like how it warms up my complexion. Especially in the summer, my skin needs that color!
Packaging/ease of application
Kiko Milano Sculpting Touch Creamy Stick Contour is packaged as the name suggests, in stick form. It comes in a plastic twist-up tube that’s similar to the packaging for e.l.f. Jelly Pop Glow Stick that I reviewed recently. Unfortunately, I have to say that e.l.f. did it much better. Kiko Milano usually makes beautiful sturdy packaging, but in this product’s case it looks very bland and feels cheap.
I don’t put too much weight on packaging normally since the product on the inside is what’s most important. However, packaging can sometimes be a big deal! When I twist up this contour stick, it works well enough, but sometimes I have trouble getting it to go back down into the tube. In fact, there have been times when it wouldn’t twist down at all and I had to bang the bottom of the tube on the counter to get it to fall back down into the tube.
This isn’t a new type of packaging design, so I’m not sure why it doesn’t work better. I expect this type of packaging to twist the product up and down smoothly as needed. This isn’t a deal breaker for me, but it can certainly be annoying at times.
As far as application goes, this product actually is very easy to use! The formula is very creamy and glides over the skin effortlessly. I like that I’m able to apply it exactly where I want it on my skin without needing to dip into a pot. I usually put some along the hairline on my forehead and also on my cheekbones and jawline.
When I first started using Kiko Milano Sculpting Touch Creamy Stick Contour, I blended it with my fluffy bronzer brush. I noticed that with that brush, it was moving the product around too much and almost blending it away. I’ve had much better luck using my e.l.f. Small Stipple Brush since it provides more control over where I’m blending. This is not a highly pigmented formula, so it’s important not to overblend.
Team player
With cream products like this one, I’m always concerned that they’ll cause the foundation underneath to move around. It’s a common problem I’ve had with creams and it’s very frustrating! Kiko Milano Sculpting Touch Creamy Stick Contour somehow doesn’t do that. My foundation stays in place nicely and the contour/bronzer goes where I want it to go as I blend it.
The reason I deducted two points here is because I’ve noticed that this product can sometimes cause my skin to look textured. My skin is actually pretty smooth and I can’t come up with any explanation for the texture I see when using this contour stick, except for the product itself. I mainly see this texture problem on my forehead and it’s not terribly obvious. I doubt that anyone else notices, but of course I do!
Other than the minor texture issue, Kiko Milano Sculpting Touch Creamy Stick Contour is a great team player. I appreciate that this is a rare cream product that I can trust not to mess up my foundation! 🙂
Staying power
As I mentioned previously, Kiko Milano Sculpting Touch Creamy Stick Contour isn’t a very pigmented product. That’s great for my fair skin because even though the shade Hazelnut is much darker than my skin tone, it blends out to look very natural. I’m
bringing this up here because honestly, due to the natural look of this product on my skin, it’s a bit hard for me to tell if any wears off throughout the day.
With that being said, I really think the staying power of this cream contour is good. I still have a warmth to my face at the end of the day that wouldn’t be there if this product wasn’t still hanging on. I’ve also noticed that even though the texture of this contour stick is very creamy, it doesn’t stay that way on the skin once it’s blended. It’s almost a cream to powder formula, and I think that helps it to last much longer than it would if it stayed very emollient all day.
Price
Most of the contour sticks I’ve seen are from prestige brands. Contour sticks aren’t a common product offered by drugstore beauty brands, so I was really excited to find this one. Kiko Milano Sculpting Touch Creamy Stick Contour is $14.99. That might seem a bit pricey, but it’s really not bad! I found a couple of very inexpensive options from Wet N’ Wild, but sadly WNW is no longer cruelty-free (their products are sold in China). On the other end of the spectrum, most high-end contour sticks are $30.00+!
The biggest question here is “is it worth $14.99?” I think that’s very subjective! I rated this product well for price because comparatively, it is a good value. However, I personally feel that it is a bit overpriced since it isn’t everything I had hoped it would be. If they improved the packaging and shade range, I think $14.99 would be a perfectly reasonable price.
As I’m sure you’ve gathered from reading my review, I have very mixed feelings about Kiko Milano Sculpting Touch Creamy Stick Contour. It’s definitely not one of my favorite products from the brand, but I don’t regret trying it, either. It’s fun and easy to use, there are just some things that need improvement: primarily shade range and packaging. Otherwise, it’s not a bad product.
Time to review Kiko’s product claims! First, they say it has a matte finish, creamy texture, and great blendability. I agree with all of those claims! Next, “application is easy and precise.” Yes, absolutely! That’s one of my favorite things about this product.
They say the product enables the user to sculpt the face, which isn’t entirely true in my opinion. As I said before, the Hazelnut shade is pretty warm toned and better suited for bronzing the face (the Chocolate shade, on the other hand, may be a very good contour shade) which is not the same as contouring. The last product claim is just about the packaging “contemporary packaging stands out with its black shiny finish with the KK logo embossed on the top.” I think this is misleading, making it sound much better quality than it is in reality.
I wouldn’t recommend Kiko Milano Sculpting Touch Creamy Stick Contour to everyone, but I think a lot of people would like it. In fact, it has a 4.5 star rating on KikoCosmetics.com! If it sounds like a product you would enjoy, and one of the shades would work for your skin tone, then I’d say go for it!
Have you tried any contour sticks? How do you think they would compare with this one? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
Lauren
Pacifica has been one of my favorite brands for years. I’ve mainly used their skincare products, but I’ve also purchased some of their makeup, body care, and hair care products. One of my very few gripes with Pacifica products is that most of them are fragranced. A lot of people can’t tolerate fragrance in their skincare and makeup products because skin on the face is more likely to be sensitive than skin on the body. While I prefer unfragranced skincare and makeup products, I do enjoy a good scent experience from my body care products! Pacifica makes some really lovely fragrances, including the fragrance used in the Pacifica Strawberry Peach Body Lotion.
Pacifica Strawberry Peach Body Lotion is packaged in an adorable ombre pink squeeze tube. It’s made out of 50% recycled plastic that can be recycled again! I appreciate that Pacifica offers a free recycling program (they even give loyalty points to those that use it) to make it even easier to recycle their products.
This is an interesting mix of ingredients, including several that are great for the skin! When I research ingredients, I classify them as “good,” “neutral,” or “bad.” Good ingredients provide specific benefits to the skin, neutral ingredients neither benefit or harm the skin, and bad ingredients have the 
I’ve noticed lately that some of Pacifica’s products are quite expensive considering it’s a drugstore brand. Fortunately, Pacifica Strawberry Peach Body Lotion is reasonably priced at $10.00 for five ounces (147 ml) of lotion. There are plenty of alternative body lotions in the drugstore price range that can be purchased for less than $10.00, but I’ve found that most are not cruelty-free or vegan.
I’m so glad I discovered the Pacifica Strawberry Peach collection this year! The scent is great year-round, but especially in the summer. I really enjoy the Pacifica Strawberry Peach Body Lotion since its scent lingers on the skin for a while after it’s applied. I don’t feel the need to put on any perfume when I’m wearing this lotion because it makes me smell sweet as a peach!
I’ve reviewed a few mascaras here on IntegriBeauty, and honestly I’ve loved them all. Most recently, I reviewed the 
I’ve said it before, but I have to say it again: Pacifica makes some of the most beautiful packaging! Pacifica Vegan Collagen Fluffy Lash Mascara comes in a glass bottle that’s soft pink and purple to look like cotton candy or a sunset that turns the sky those gorgeous pastel colors. In addition to being beautiful, it feels very luxe. 
I always curl my eyelashes before applying mascara because my lashes are naturally almost straight. After I apply this mascara, unfortunately the curl drops slightly. I think it’s because the formula is wet and a bit heavy, weighing down my lashes. This is a common problem I have with a lot of mascaras, so it’s not a big surprise. If your eyelashes naturally have a bit of a curl, you may not have this problem.
Compared to other drugstore brands, Pacifica’s makeup can be pretty expensive. Pacifica Vegan Collagen Fluffy Lash Mascara is $16.00 for an average amount of product (the Pacifica Stellar Gaze mascara is $14.00). Mascara is one of those products that varies greatly in price from brand to brand. Looking at drugstore brands, there are some mascaras priced as low as $3.00! However, on the other end of the spectrum, prestige brand mascaras are sometimes $30.00 or more. 
Between the product photos and before/after photos shared when Pacifica Vegan Collagen Fluffy Lash Mascara launched, I truly couldn’t resist picking it up! Both the packaging and the formula are beautiful. The only things that would make this mascara better, in my eyes, would be a slightly smaller wand and if the formula was a bit lighter to hold curl more effectively.
Sunscreen is a vital part of any skincare routine. In fact, applying sunscreen is the best thing you can do to prevent premature aging and skin cancer. Did you know that it’s important to reapply sunscreen, even if you’re wearing makeup? The big question is, how do you apply sunscreen 
The packaging for Derma E Sun Protection Mineral Powder SPF 30 is very similar to that of other sunscreen powders I’ve seen, but I still think it’s so innovative! The powder is contained on one end of the product, and the other end is a brush. There’s a plastic piece that comes up over the brush to protect its bristles when the cap is being taken on and off. 
The most important part of every sunscreen, of course, is the level of sun protection provided. First, sunscreen should be labeled as “broad spectrum,” which means that the product will protect you from both UVA and UVB rays. Sunscreens that do not offer broad spectrum protection will not protect you from UVA rays. UVA rays were not always fully understood like they are today, but we need to be protected from them since UVA rays, like UVB, damage the skin’s DNA and can lead to skin cancer. UVA rays also penetrate the skin deeply to cause premature signs of aging. Fortunately, this sunscreen does provide broad spectrum protection!
Since this is the first sunscreen 
Since Derma E Sun Protection Mineral Powder SPF 30 is applied over everything else, including makeup, it’s a little easier for it to be a good team player compared to most leave-on skincare products. What do I mean by “team player?” I’m simply reviewing how well this powder interacts with other products on the skin.
For the longest time, I applied sunscreen in the morning, applied makeup over it, and crossed my fingers hoping I’d be protected from the sun all day long. Thank goodness I finally have a product I enjoy that allows me to reapply sunscreen no matter how much makeup I’m wearing. I’ll definitely be taking Derma E Sun Protection Mineral Powder SPF 30 with me on my upcoming vacation to make sure I can look good and also feel good about my sun protection! Tinted lip balm and sunglasses are a must, too!
Kiko Milano launched a fruit-themed collection for summer this year, and as expected, it’s adorable! The collection includes a wide variety of products for the face, cheeks, eyes, lips, and even a brush set and makeup bag. I believe this collection will only be available for a limited time. I try not to purchase too many products that are limited edition, but I couldn’t resist the liquid blush. It’s the Kiko Milano Fruit Explosion Juicy Blush, and I am loving it!
Even though I have fair skin, I went for the shade that appears to be the boldest, which is Brisk Pink. I had a feeling that this blush would sheer out as it’s blended, and I was right. In this photo, I swatched it on my arm two ways: directly from the applicator, and blended out. The blended swatch actually looks more intense here than it appears on my cheeks, as I don’t use that much product on my cheeks.
I didn’t have very high expectations for the staying power of Kiko Milano Fruit Explosion Juicy Blush. I figured that since it’s such a lightweight somewhat sheer liquid blush, it would wear away at least a little bit throughout the day. Also, Kiko doesn’t make a single claim about its wear-time.
Kiko Milano is considered to be a “drugstore” brand, but some of its products’ prices fall somewhere between drugstore and high-end pricing. At $12.00, Kiko Milano Fruit Explosion Juicy Blush is one of those, in my opinion. There aren’t many liquid blushes at the drugstore, but it looks like most of them range in price from $7-$10. 
So how does my review stack up against Kiko’s product claims? The first claim is about the product’s texture, that it’s ultra-light to provide a delicate touch of color with a super luminous finish. I agree that it’s very lightweight and “delicate touch of color” is accurate since this isn’t a highly pigmented product. As far as its luminosity, I would say that this blush does have some luminosity, but it’s not “super luminous.” 
Most of us want to take good care of our skin, but let’s face it, skincare products can be really expensive! That’s why I’m so happy to see e.l.f. continue to expand its skincare collections. E.l.f. has always been a very affordable makeup brand, and that’s carried through to their skincare products as well! One of e.l.f.’s most popular skincare collections is the Holy Hydration Collection. I believe this collection started with only one or two products, but as it’s grown in popularity, it’s also grown in size. Several new products have been added to this collection since its inception over a year ago. One of the most recent launches in this collection is the e.l.f. Holy Hydration Hydro-Gel Moisturizer.
One thing I always enjoy about gel or gel-cream moisturizers is the lightweight texture. I would classify this one as a gel-cream moisturizer and it applies similarly to others I’ve tried in the past, like the 
You might’ve noticed that I took a couple of points away in this category. But what do I even mean by “team player?” This is where I rate how well a product layers with other products. E.l.f. Holy Hydration Hydro-Gel Moisturizer layers extremely well over my other morning skincare products which usually include a toner, serum, and eye cream.
It comes as no surprise at all that e.l.f. Holy Hydration Hydro-Gel Moisturizer is very affordable! It’s priced at $12.00 for 1.76 oz., so it’s only $6.82/ounce! That’s extremely reasonable, even for a drugstore brand. 
The primary claims for e.l.f. Holy Hydration Hydro-Gel Moisturizer are that it will plump up and moisturize skin with lightweight hydration that lasts all day. I agree with those claims! E.l.f. also claims that it’s ideal for daily wear on all skin types. That one, I disagree with since I’ve read multiple reviews from people with dry skin stating this product is not hydrating enough. It’s unfortunate that it doesn’t work better for those with dry skin, but it’s rare for individual skincare products to work for all skin types. I would recommend this moisturizer to anyone, except those with dry skin or fragrance sensitivity.
Summer is in full swing and the coveted “dewy look” or “glass skin effect” is more popular than ever. I have usually avoided products that are meant to look very dewy since I have combination skin and my t-zone can get quite oily. However, e.l.f. launched a “dewy skin” product this year that caught my eye like nothing else. The e.l.f. Jelly Pop Glow Stick is a stick highlighter that provides a beautiful natural looking dewiness. I like it for my skin because I can concentrate it on areas of my skin that don’t get oily!
Unfortunately, I was unable to get a very good photo of this product swatched on my fair skin. It definitely looks better in person or in videos and to be completely honest, I’m not sure how to insert video clips into my blog posts. In this photo, I applied a good amount of the glow stick to my arm. If you look closely, I think you can see it! If you don’t, please don’t be discouraged. This product works best with movement and light.
E.l.f.’s instructions for applying the Jelly Pop Glow Stick are as follows: Dab lightly onto high points of the face including the cheekbones, nose bridge, and brow bone. Blend gently with fingers or brush. 
that could be the problem. Or maybe it’s simply user error!
I wasn’t sure how similar products are priced since I don’t often buy highlighters, so I did some digging. It turns out, the humble e.l.f. Jelly Pop Glow Stick looks very similar to the $45.00 (and not cruelty-free) Chanel Baume Essentiel Multi-Use Glow Stick! I couldn’t imagine spending that much money on this type of product. I’m so glad that e.l.f. made this much more affordable alternative!
While I am a bit limited in my use of this product since I don’t wear it with foundation, I am really happy to have the e.l.f. Jelly Pop Glow Stick in my collection! I don’t own anything even remotely similar to this product, so it’s been very fun to test out. I think it just gives my skin the prettiest glowy sheen, especially in sunlight. In this photo, all of the dewiness on my cheekbone and forehead is from the Glow Stick. 🙂
I am not normally a “luxury beauty” consumer, both because I’m on a budget and also because I know affordable products usually work just as well as luxury. There are occasionally exceptions when certain products really catch my eye. Last year, I discovered Alpyn Beauty and everything about the brand and its products stood out to me. The product that intrigued me most, due to its bold claims, was Alpyn Beauty PlantGenius Line-Filling Eye Balm. 
Like many eye creams, Alpyn Beauty PlantGenius Line-Filling Eye Balm is packaged in a jar. More specifically, it comes in a clear glass jar with a plastic lid. The glass is nice because it feels heavy and luxurious, and it’s recyclable, but a jar is not the ideal packaging for this product. 
A concern with any thick emollient eye cream (or in this case “eye balm”) is that it will cause makeup to move around, or sometimes even pill with other products. I apply Alpyn Beauty PlantGenius Line-Filling Eye Balm right before moisturizer in both my morning and nighttime skincare routines.
The first two ingredients (which have the highest concentration) in this eye balm are water and sodium hyaluronate. Sodium hyaluronate is a common skincare ingredient, but not usually in such a high concentration. As a humectant, sodium hyaluronate will hold that water in the skin to improve its hydration. That hydration often has a bonus plumping effect to improve the look of fine lines and wrinkles. 
I’m very skeptical of skincare products in general, but especially ones that are pricey and make bold claims. Like this one! I’ve got to say though, Alpyn Beauty PlantGenius Line-Filling Eye Balm is one of very few products that instantly impressed me upon the very first application. The texture is absolutely perfect, it feels incredible on the skin, and I did think my fine lines looked less noticeable right after application. I don’t really notice a difference in the appearance of my fine lines once I have makeup applied, but on no-makeup days, my under-eyes do look better with this eye balm applied.