Kosas Contrachroma (High Intensity) Color & Light Pressed Palette Review & Swatches
Contrachroma (High Intensity)
Kosas Contrachroma (High Intensity) Color and Light Pressed Palette ($34.00 for 0.28 oz.) includes a deeper, rosy-copper blush with a medium, warmer copper highlighter. The two complemented each other, and they were both pigmented, blendable, and long-wearing, though the formula is more powdery (and yet not an issue in terms of the way it sat on my skin, thankfully!).
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Formula Overview
$34.00/0.28 oz. - $121.43 Per Ounce
The formula offers two levels of intensity--a standard level and a "High Intensity" version--that allows the customer to pick the level of pigmentation and depth desired. The standard intensity offers "buildable, blendable" blush and highlighter that is "easy-to-apply," while the "High Intensity" offers "double color payoff."
The texture of both the blush and highlighter seemed drier, more powdery, but I was surprised--and impressed!--by how beautifully the powders applied, blended, and sat on my skin. They went on with almost no effort at all with an even lay down of color that diffused easily along the edges, didn't look flat or dry on, and were fairly true-to-color.
The pigmentation of the standard intensity level was more medium to semi-opaque, buildable coverage, while the pigmentation of the High Intensity versions were nearly opaque to opaque and were a bit darker/deeper in tone overall. The highlighter formula seemed marginally dustier compared to the powder blush, but both lasted between eight and nine hours on me.
Browse all of our Kosas Color and Light Pressed Palette swatches.
Ingredients
Contrachroma (High Intensity)
PPermanent. $34.00.
Contrachroma (High Intensity) (Blush)
Contrachroma (High Intensity) (Blush) is a muted, medium-dark copper with warm, reddish undertones and a mostly matte finish. It appeared slightly rosier swatched and applied to my skin compared to the way it looked in the pan (which was warmer).
The texture was soft, moderately powdery, and drier to the touch, but it applied beautifully to my cheeks and blended out easily. I was impressed that it didn’t look flat or dry on, which was likely a result of the very, fine pearl woven through the powder. It stayed on nicely for nine hours before fading visibly.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Sydney Grace Thinking of You (P, $9.00) is brighter (95% similar).
- ColourPop Yummy Bite (PiP, $10.00) is lighter, warmer (95% similar).
- Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Intense (P, $40.00) is more shimmery, cooler (95% similar).
- Phytosurgence Inferno (P, $17.07) is darker, glossier (95% similar).
- Wet 'n' Wild Mellow Wine (P, $2.99) is less shimmery, lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- MAC See Me Blush (LE, $24.00) is more shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- MAC Pinch Me (P, $24.00) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Half Magic Magic Brownie (P, $22.00) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Chanel Brun Rouge (604) (P, $45.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- Sephora Passionate (P, $14.00) is lighter (90% similar).
Formula Overview
-
The formula offers two levels of intensity--a standard level and a "High Intensity" version--that allows the customer to pick the level of pigmentation and depth desired. The standard intensity offers "buildable, blendable" blush and highlighter that is "easy-to-apply," while the "High Intensity" offers "double color payoff."
The texture of the blush seemed drier, more powdery, but I was surprised--and impressed!--by how beautifully the powders applied, blended, and sat on my skin. They went on with almost no effort at all with an even lay down of color that diffused easily along the edges, didn't look flat or dry on, and were fairly true-to-color.
The pigmentation of the standard intensity level was more medium to semi-opaque, buildable coverage, while the pigmentation of the High Intensity versions were nearly opaque to opaque and were a bit darker/deeper in tone overall. The majority of the shades lasted between eight and nine hours on me.
Browse all of our Kosas Pressed Blush swatches.
Ingredients
Mica, Zinc Stearate, Caprylic / Capric Triglyceride, Nylon 12, Silica, Lauroyl Lysine, Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Boron Nitride, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Moringa Oleifera (Moringa) Seed Oil, Lecithin, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Extract, Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Extract, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Extract, Tocopherol May Contain: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77499, CI 77491, CI 77492), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140), Red 7 (CI 15850)
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Contrachroma (High Intensity) (Blush)
PiPPermanent in Palette.
Contrachroma (High Intensity) (Highlighter)
Contrachroma (High Intensity) (Highlighter) is a muted, medium copper with moderate, warm undertones and a pearly sheen. It had a soft glow–not intense or overtly shimmery, so it wasn’t prone to emphasizing my skin’s natural texture–that appeared as I buffed and blended out the powder on my skin.
It had rich color coverage in a single layer, but the soft, more powdery texture made it easier to pick up less product (for more buildable coverage) if desired. The color started to fade noticeably after eight and a half hours of wear.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Laura Geller Ballerina (P, $26.00) is more shimmery, lighter (95% similar).
- MAC Pearl Sunshine (LE, $22.00) is more shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- NARS Maldives (P, $38.00) is more shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- MAC Strange New Worlds (LE, $34.00) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Urban Decay O.N.S. (LE, $26.00) is more shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Too Faced Peach Honey (PiP, ) is more shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- MAC Stride of Pride (LE, $34.00) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
- NARS Rêve Salé III (LE, ) is more shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- Bobbi Brown Golden Bronze Glow (LE, $48.00) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- NARS Orgasm (P, $28.00) is more shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
Formula Overview
-
The formula offers two levels of intensity--a standard level and a "High Intensity" version--that allows the customer to pick the level of pigmentation and depth desired. The standard intensity offers "buildable, blendable" blush and highlighter that is "easy-to-apply," while the "High Intensity" offers "double color payoff."
The texture of the highlighter seemed drier, more powdery, but I was surprised--and impressed!--by how beautifully the powders applied, blended, and sat on my skin. They went on with almost no effort at all with an even lay down of color that diffused easily along the edges, didn't look flat or dry on, and were fairly true-to-color.
The pigmentation of the standard intensity level was more medium to semi-opaque, buildable coverage, while the pigmentation of the High Intensity versions were nearly opaque to opaque and were a bit darker/deeper in tone overall. The majority of the shades lasted between eight and nine hours on me.
Browse all of our Kosas Pressed Highlighter swatches.
Ingredients
Mica, Zinc Stearate, Caprylic / Capric Triglyceride, Nylon 12, Lauroyl Lysine, Silica, Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Boron Nitride, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Moringa Oleifera (Moringa) Seed Oil, Lecithin, Barium Sulfate, Synthetic Fluophlogofite, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Extract, Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Extract, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Extract, Tocopherol May Contain: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77499, CI 77491, CI 77492), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140), Tin Oxide
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Love this! Coppery, but not too orangey. Peachy, but richer. It’s just right for me!
This is a superior shade in that it doesn’t have that orangey undertone that is often found in blushes/highlighters of this intensity. And both shades rate equally well too.
I love the blush shade, but not so fond of the highlight. Going to run a few comparisons. I do not think I have a dupe in stash, but off the top of my head new Nars Savage might have red u/t’s like this one…