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Australis brought out their AC on Tour (get it?) contouring and highlighting palette a bit earlier than Models Prefer, who brought out their Contour/Collection highlighting and contour palette recently with very very similar shades. Here’s the inevitable comparison, including side-by-side swatches!
Price
Both palettes are $16.95, for 6 x 3.5 g pans.
Packaging
Australis’s AC on Tour palette is housed in a matte black plastic case. Models Prefer’s Contour/Collection palette has a glossy black plastic case, with a full sized mirror which puts it in front, but Australis are repackaging theirs to also include a mirror. The glossy Models Prefer case collects fingerprints, but I actually like it more than the matte black. It’s really a matter of preference – there’s no real winner here.
Availability
Australis palettes can be found in Priceline, as well as Big W, Kmart and some pharmacies. Models Prefer are a Priceline brand, so you can only get them at Priceline…which isn’t really a problem for most people, because Pricelines are everywhere. Australis’ palette is currently available online, but the Models Prefer kit isn’t on there.
Shades
The shades look almost identical in the pan. In both palettes, there’s a nude highlight, a banana highlight and a shimmery illuminating highlight, along with a neutral, cool and warm contouring shade. On the skin is where you really start to see a difference:
In general, Australis’ shades are a bit more pigmented and opaque. This isn’t a problem with the highlight shades, and is actually pretty awesome for creating a nice bright highlight. But Australis’s contour shades are a bit problematic. They’re so deeply pigmented that they’re chalky and hard to blend out, making it look muddy on your skin. The Models Prefer shades are sheerer and easier to blend.
Verdict
Both palettes are amazing value, but the formulas of the Models Prefer palettes are much more user-friendly. I always wonder though – does anyone really need 3 highlight and 3 contour shades if they’re only ever doing their own makeup? I’m hoping these are available as duos or singles. While the palette’s pretty handy for working out what looks good on you (and it’s cheap enough that you can use it as a deluxe tester), some of these shades I’ll never touch again (looking at you, warm contour). I’ll be using the leftovers for eyeshadow.
I bought into the hype of the Australis one but agreed, the contour shades are really hard to work with! I think the Model’s Prefer would be a much better budget option, especially for beginners but I think I’ll probably end up splurging on a high end contour kit one day 😛
Tasha // shiwashiful.
I bought the Australis one when it was so discounted that it was worth picking up – i’m not big into contouring – but the colours are working great as neutral eyeshadows for me – and i will play a little with the colours as either contour or bronzer – but honestly for the $10 i paid for it, happy with the quality of my large neutral eyehadows:-)
Love this comparison! You did a great job. I picked up the Models Prefer as well but have yet to try it. I personally love the Australis one so I now have high hopes for Models Prefer hehe 😀 xx
I bought the Australis palette heavily discounted at $8. I had trouble using the contour shades at first, until I figured out how to use them. I lightly load my brush, use the lid to distribute the powder through the brush, wipe it on the back of my hand and then lightly apply it to my face, building up the color intensity until I am happy. The highlighters are lovely.
Don’t think I will purchase another palette (unless one of the high end palettes goes on sale). Cheers.
I actually like the fact the Australis one is so highly pigmented, just because I have tanned asian skin (Mac NC40) and it gives me more depth and it doesnt look like as much of a harsh contrast as it would on fairer skin. I can see how it would be problematic on those that are fairer-skinned where it would immediately ‘stain’ the area you are attempting to contour and be hard to blend out though!
I’m an incredibly pale person (palest shade in the maybelline fit me range) & the models prefer kit is the only one I’ve come across that isn’t too orange for my skin!
The only down side is that the models prefer kit isn’t in store, and I’m not too keen on spending $19.95 on a product that only actually $10 (bloody shipping fees & being a broke uni student).
Ugh, I hate shipping fees! I was a uni student for 8 years so I feel your pain 🙁