Undoubtedly the King of Contour, Mario Dedivanovic put the chiseling makeup practice on the map years ago as Kim Kardashian’s go-to makeup artist. Last year, the makeup maven introduced his own line, Makeup by Mario, and while Dedivanovic’s first collection focused on all-things eyes, his second collection, Soft Sculpt, is all about the contour.
A far cry from on-camera makeup he’s also a pro at applying, the Soft Sculpt collection (out today) is designed to create a contour that looks good in real life, says Dedivanovic. “It will look great whether you’re outside or on a Zoom call.”
The collection includes five easy-to-use products inspired by Dedivanovic’s techniques, “but made simple for everyday life.” According to Dedivanovic, the swipe-and-blend Soft Sculpt Shaping Stick ($28) combines eight different sculpting products he relies on for the ultimate contour into one foolproof product. “Apply it, then turn it over and pat it in with the brush on the end,” he instructs. “It melts right into the skin.”
“The Soft Sculpt Bronzer ($28) is one of my favorites from the collection,” says Dedivanovic, noting that a messy application is a problem he faces with many other bronzers on the market. “So I developed this really beautiful formula that’s very luxe, very silky. It’s a soft matte, but my favorite thing about it is that it picks up and distributes really evenly. You’ll never have to remove excess product, which I’m really excited about. I use it almost every single day on myself,” he says.
For a burst of color that lasts, the Soft Pop Powder Blush ($24) is a must-try. And if you’re a cream-blush gal, it doesn’t get much better than the dual-ended Soft Pop Blush Stick ($28). Available in six silky hues, it’s sure to be a staple in your makeup routine, especially if your goal is to bring some youth into your look (more on that below).
To add a pop of light, the Soft Glow Highlighter ($28) brings luminosity and radiance to the skin without feeling powdery or cakey. And while the makeup artist notes the collection can be used with any makeup brush or even blended with your fingertips, he’s also launching three pro-quality brushes—named F1, F2 and F3, pictured ($28 each)—to make it a bit more seamless.
Whether you’re applying blush or bronzer, Dedivanovic says where you apply it can make or break your look. A good rule of thumb: “Don’t bring anything dark further than the center of your cheeks near your laugh lines,” he instructs, noting this will only bring attention to them. “Instead, contour above the hollows of your cheeks to avoid bringing the face downward with darkness. Bronzer should applied slightly above the cheekbones for a lifted appearance.”
After bronzing, add a youthful flush of color. “I love applying blush to the nose and lips, blending it in so it’s not too red,” says the makeup artist. His anti-aging tip? “Apply it slightly above the apples of your cheeks and blend upward and outward for a lifted appearance.”
Makeup by Mario’s Soft Sculpt Collection is available at Sephora.com and MakeupbyMario.com beginning 6/3.
