Tom Ford Intensity 0.5 Shade and Illuminate Cream Contour Duo Review & Swatches

Intensity 0.5
Tom Ford Beauty Intensity 0.5 Shade and Illuminate Cream Contour Duo ($90.00 for 0.5 oz.) consists of two sheerer cream-based products designed to highlight and contour. This is the lightest duo within the range. I found the highlighter didn’t wear quite as long on me as the contour shade, but both products were sheer (as marketed), blendable, and forgiving.
Ingredients
Dimethicone, Silica, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Ozokerite, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Acrylates/Ethylhexyl Acrylate/Dimethicone Methacrylate Copolymer, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Methicone, Isohexadecane, Synthetic Beeswax, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Propylene Carbonate, [+/- Mica, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491), Iron Oxides (Ci 77492), Iron Oxides (Ci 77499)].
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.
Intensity 0.5
PPermanent. $90.00.

Intensity 0.5 (Highlight)
Intensity 0.5 (Highlight) is a very light, warmer white with a lightly dewy, luminous sheen.
- Sheer to semi-sheer coverage, buildable to medium
- Lightweight, emollient, thin
- Dried down for the most part, blended out well over base products
- Average-wearing (7.5 hours before fading visibly)
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Fenty Beauty Metal Moon (P, $36.00) is more shimmery, warmer (95% similar).
- Urban Decay Luminous (P, $28.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Marc Jacobs Beauty Spotlight (P, $42.00) is darker (95% similar).
- Makeup Revolution Liquid Luminous Luna (P, $9.00) is more shimmery, darker (95% similar).
- NYX Moon Glow (P, $6.99) is cooler (95% similar).
- Rose Inc Brilliant (P, $36.00) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
- MAC Silverlite (P, $33.00) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Wet 'n' Wild Glow Watcher (LE, $4.99) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
- NARS Capri (P, $38.00) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
- Pat McGrath Clear (Balm) (PiP, ) is less shimmery, darker, less pigmented (90% similar).
Formula Overview
-
It's described as a "cream-to-satin formula" that is supposed to "blend seamlessly into skin for natural dimension." The formula has highlighter and contouring shades, which can be used as described, layered, and can also be used to add warmth to the skin.
The texture had a lightweight, thin, and moderately emollient feel to the touch, and it didn't fully set or dry down, but it did dry down to a more satin-like sheen after about 20 seconds. The product applied well over bare skin as well as tapped on top of foundation.
The shades were sheerer in coverage, as marketed, which did result in the highlighter hues looking more similar on me despite having different depths initially. The contour hues tended to have more visible coverage initially but as expected, the formula naturally sheered out quite a bit, so as soon as I started to apply and work with the contour shade, it had sheer to semi-sheer coverage. I could layer to get more medium coverage if desired.
The highlighter shades tended to last around seven and a half hours, while the contour shades lasted closer to eight and a half hours on me.
Browse all of our Tom Ford Beauty Shade and Illuminate Cream Highlighter swatches.
Ingredients
Dimethicone, Silica, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Ozokerite, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Acrylates/Ethylhexyl Acrylate/Dimethicone Methacrylate Copolymer, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Methicone, Isohexadecane, Synthetic Beeswax, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Propylene Carbonate, [+/- Mica, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491), Iron Oxides (Ci 77492), Iron Oxides (Ci 77499)].
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.
Intensity 0.5 (Highlight)
PiPPermanent in Palette.

Intensity 0.5 (Contour)
Intensity 0.5 (Contour) is a light brown with subtle, golden warmth and a semi-matte finish once dried down.
- Sheer to semi-sheer coverage, buildable to medium
- Lightweight, emollient, thin
- Dried down for the most part, blended out well over base products
- Long-wearing (8.5 hours before fading visibly)
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- LYS Beauty Motivate (P, $18.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Charlotte Tilbury Medium (2) (P, $55.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- NARS Laguna 01 (P, $38.00) is lighter, warmer (95% similar).
- Hourglass Eternal Bronze Light (LE, $52.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- ColourPop Avila Beach (P, $12.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Makeup by Mario Light (P, $30.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Iconic London Sun Kiss (P, $27.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- NARS Zen (P, $30.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- Milani Sun Kissed (02) (P, $9.99) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- Fenty Beauty Butta Biscuit (P, $32.00) is more shimmery (90% similar).
Formula Overview
-
It's described as a "cream-to-satin formula" that is supposed to "blend seamlessly into skin for natural dimension." The formula has highlighter and contouring shades, which can be used as described, layered, and can also be used to add warmth to the skin.
The texture had a lightweight, thin, and moderately emollient feel to the touch, and it didn't fully set or dry down, but it did dry down to a more satin-like sheen after about 20 seconds. The product applied well over bare skin as well as tapped on top of foundation.
The shades were sheerer in coverage, as marketed, which did result in the highlighter hues looking more similar on me despite having different depths initially. The contour hues tended to have more visible coverage initially but as expected, the formula naturally sheered out quite a bit, so as soon as I started to apply and work with the contour shade, it had sheer to semi-sheer coverage. I could layer to get more medium coverage if desired.
The highlighter shades tended to last around seven and a half hours, while the contour shades lasted closer to eight and a half hours on me.
Browse all of our Tom Ford Beauty Shade and Illuminate Cream Contour swatches.
Ingredients
Dimethicone, Silica, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Ozokerite, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Acrylates/Ethylhexyl Acrylate/Dimethicone Methacrylate Copolymer, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Methicone, Isohexadecane, Synthetic Beeswax, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Propylene Carbonate, [+/- Mica, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491), Iron Oxides (Ci 77492), Iron Oxides (Ci 77499)].
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.
Intensity 0.5 (Contour)
PiPPermanent in Palette.

Tom Ford Beauty Intensity 0.5 Shade and Illuminate Cream Contour Duo

Tom Ford Beauty Intensity 0.5 Shade and Illuminate Cream Contour Duo

Tom Ford Beauty Intensity 0.5 Shade and Illuminate Cream Contour Duo

Tom Ford Beauty Intensity 0.5 Shade and Illuminate Cream Contour Duo

Tom Ford Beauty Intensity 0.5 (Highlight) Shade and Illuminate Cream Highlighter

Tom Ford Beauty Intensity 0.5 (Highlight) Shade and Illuminate Cream Highlighter

Tom Ford Beauty Intensity 0.5 (Highlight) Shade and Illuminate Cream Highlighter

Tom Ford Beauty Intensity 0.5 (Highlight) Shade and Illuminate Cream Highlighter

Tom Ford Beauty Intensity 0.5 (Contour) Shade and Illuminate Cream Contour

Tom Ford Beauty Intensity 0.5 (Contour) Shade and Illuminate Cream Contour

Tom Ford Beauty Intensity 0.5 (Contour) Shade and Illuminate Cream Contour

Tom Ford Beauty Intensity 0.5 (Contour) Shade and Illuminate Cream Contour
This is lovely! And what is that lippie?
MAC Thicker Than Water Love Me Liquid Lipcolour!
Very nice looking duo for those who are very light clear down to lightest! I love how naturally glowy these look applied. Very “lit from within” effect!
It would be Interesting to know if there are any differences in performance or formula wise between this iteration of the Tom Ford Shade and `illuminate products compared to the old version of the product? The old one did not dry down as I recall which was great if you like me had dry skin. I always worry a bit when the word “dry down” appears as that can also mean emphasising of texture and settling in wrinkles…It usually also means you need to use more product,
Maybe any of you who might have used both would like to share some of your experiences?
This doesn’t fully dry down, but it doesn’t stay as wet/creamy as it initially went on. I don’t remember if I tried the original, but I definitely haven’t in a very long time! I did not have any issues with emphasis of texture.
how do i find out what lip you’re wearing? it’s gorgeous!
MAC Thicker Than Water Love Me Liquid Lipcolour!