Once an intimidating technique used by seasoned makeup professionals, contouring is now a mainstream—and invaluable—beauty practice. It involves using shadow and light to create the appearance of chiseled cheekbones, a defined jawline, and even a sculpted nose and pouty lips. The best contour sticks (like our favorites from Fenty and NYX) create flattering definition, are extremely easy to use and buildable, and last all day.
The best contour sticks create flattering definition and are very easy to use.
ILLUSTRATION: FORBES / PHOTO: RETAILERSWe’ve rounded up top picks in the category that are moisturizing, blend easily, offer foolproof definition and have good shade variety. Read on for all the best contour sticks to help you create face-enhancing dimension, whether you’re going for soft and sculpted or full-on glam.
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Sephora
Formula: Cream-to-powder | Finish: Matte | Shades: 9 | Cruelty-free: Yes | Size: 0.25 ounces
More makeup layers can sometimes feel heavy, but this formula maintains a lightweight, airy feel from application to end-of-day. Formulated with ingredients including vitamin E, and coconut oil, it blends easily without settling into creases or fine lines. Swipe this master multitasker across your cheekbones, forehead or jawline to conceal, brighten, define and highlight. Users say it works well on a variety of skin tones, especially cooler and neutral tones.
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Amazon
Formula: Cream | Finish: Natural | Shades: 11 | Cruelty-free: Yes | Size: 0.14 ounces
We love that this popular, dual-sided stick packs a punch—it not only shapes, but it also brightens to give you a lit-from-within glow. Reviewers say it has great staying power even on oily skin, but some comment that you may need to be careful when applying because the packaging can be delicate.
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Sephora
Formula: Cream | Finish: Satin | Shades: 3 | Cruelty-free: Yes | Size: 0.21 ounces
This formula contains hydrating jojoba oil and berryflux vita extract, so it aids in maintaining the skin’s moisture balance and makes it appear youthful. It melts seamlessly into skin—which means no creases or lines with extended wear—and it contains kaolin clay to absorb excess oil throughout the day so the product won’t migrate. It also blends easily so you won’t swipe off foundation and concealer during the contouring process.
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Sephora
Formula: Cream | Finish: Natural | Shades: 8 | Cruelty-free: Yes | Size: 0.25 ounces
For those who are new to contouring and don’t want to overdo it, or if you just prefer a more subtle, no-makeup look, these pigmented sticks offer understated definition and a sun-kissed glow. Made with a botanical blend of white water lily, gardenia and lotus, the formula soothes skin while wearing. Even better, there’s no need to watch endless beauty tutorials to get this one right.
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Credo Beauty
Formula: Cream | Finish: Natural | Shades: 5 | Cruelty-free: Yes | Size: 0.25 ounces
LYS Beauty’s contour stick has a cult following and is beloved for its like-butter texture. It has a trifecta of all-star ingredients: Green tea extract soothes and reduces the appearance of redness; watermelon seed extract retains moisture and boosts radiance; and rosehip oil works to reduce the appearance of dark spots. The angled shape also makes it simple to swipe on round or bony spots, or in hard-to-reach areas.
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Sephora
Formula: Cream | Finish: Natural | Shades: 20 | Cruelty-free: Yes | Size: 0.23 ounces
While this is often used as a foundation or concealer stick, it’s also a wildly popular contour option if you choose a shade two to three deeper than your base. It’s formulated with sea daffodil extract to minimize the appearance of hyperpigmentation, and fatty acids to seal in moisture so you don’t get a cakey look. Many report this is lighter on pigment, so it gives a more natural, no-makeup look.
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Sephora
Formula: Cream | Finish: Matte | Shades: 6 | Cruelty-free: Yes | Size: 0.37 ounces
Many formulas have a hard time staying put on oily skin, and adding layers of product can cause breakouts and amplify greasiness. But this creamy contour stick dries matte so it doesn’t add extra shine, and it looks completely natural by day or night. Added bonus: It has an angled buffing brush to ensure a flawless application, so no extra tools are required to blend.
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Amazon
Formula: Cream | Finish: Natural | Shades: 4 | Cruelty-free: Yes | Size: 0.19 ounces
This cool-toned, cream-based contour stick from clean brand Milk Makeup consistently rates highly for its universal ease of use and creamy, blendable consistency. Formulated with thyme extract as well as moisturizing emollients to nourish skin, reviewers love that it glides smoothly when applying and never looks cakey or muddy.
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Ulta
Formula: Liquid | Finish: Natural | Shades: 8 | Cruelty-free: Yes | Size: 0.4 ounces
Some prefer liquid-to-cream formulas if they have mature or dry skin since they feel like the product has less drag and isn’t as likely to settle into fine lines or parched areas. This formula is chock full of skin-boosting ingredients. It has shea butter and porcelain flower to moisturize, licorice root to brighten skin and color correct, diamond powder to blur pores and skin imperfections, and mineral pigments that soften and balance skin’s appearance for a flawless finish. Pro tip: Use a brush to blend before the product begins to dry.
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At Forbes Vetted, our seasoned team of writers and editors has covered all facets of the beauty industry—from highlighting new product launches to researching innovative formulas to seeking out the invaluable insight of dermatologists, makeup artists and hair experts. We believe in intensive product research and testing, and perhaps most importantly we focus on price, practicality and value. We know firsthand that finding the right beauty product for you can involve lots of trial and error—and lots of money in the process. Our goal: To streamline that process for you with detailed, candid, insightful and invaluable advice. This article was written by Molly Calhoun, a lifestyle writer and editor who has spent more than a decade with a focus on beauty. Deputy editor Jane Sung, a trusted beauty powerhouse, oversaw the editing of this piece.
We sought out the expertise of professional makeup artist Anabelle LaGuardia and New York-based makeup artist Amanda Shackleton to learn their application tips, preferred formulas and what to avoid when shopping for the right products. We then researched all the top options on the market today, as well as newer up-and-comers, and we heavily weighed reviews of hundreds of consumers who have real-life experience with these products. Finally, we looked specifically at each product’s formula, finish, ease of use, staying power and effectiveness at creating the perfect sculpted look.
Whether you prefer to keep it simple with a duo contour stick or want an entire palette of shades to choose from, the drugstore has plenty of high-quality options available. To ensure you find the right product for you, we’ve broken down all the important aspects to take into account when shopping for a contour kit.
Good contour can work wonders when it comes to defining and sculpting your best features. With just a stroke of shading and a touch of highlighter, you can make your cheekbones pop and take your everyday makeup look to the next level.
Your skin type will determine which type of contour kit will work best for you. If you have dry skin, cream contour is a great choice, as it won’t dry out your skin or look flakey after a few hours of wear. For those with oily skin, powder will stay put longer and be less likely to go shiny.
Think about when and where you intend to do your contour. If you apply your full face of makeup at home, a palette is ideal, as it houses all the tools you need to define and sculpt in one place. If you do your makeup on-to-go or after the gym, a dual ended stick takes up minimum space and can be applied in seconds.
NYX and e.l.f have some amazing contour kit offerings worthy of a place in any professional makeup artist’s kit. If you have sensitive skin, Physicians Formula is always a safe bet to avoid irritation, and if you are on a budget, wet n wild has some quality affordable options.
Contour is most commonly used to make the cheekbones stand out and highlight the temples, but it can also be applied to shape the nose, shade the upper forehead and define the jawline. Because of the multiple ways in which it can be used to accentuate your best features, having a contour kit in your makeup bag is an absolute essential.
Contour kits contain at least one dark shade to define and one light shade to highlight. Both cream and matte work equally well, while having a highlighter with a slight shimmer to it can really help to add a touch of soft-glam to your makeup look.