Contouring can look a little full on. But, enhancing your cheekbones or jawline doesn't have to be frightening or require the skill of a makeup artist. You just need the proper product arsenal to get that subtle, natural-looking sculpt.
There's been an onslaught of contour kits and palettes on the market. To make sense of it all, we decided to poll our favourite makeup artists to see what they love and use most — and then, we divided the tools and cosmetics into easy-to-understand categories. Ahead are the winning options for different skin tones and skill sets. Let the contouring commence.
For First-Timers
“The easiest way to contour is by using two shades of foundation — one that’s matched for the centre of the face, the neck, and the high bones, and a second that’s slightly darker to use on the outer perimeter and underneath the cheekbones,” says Pati Dubroff, a makeup artist who works with Charlize Theron and Natalie Portman.
“Cream products are easier to manipulate and erase if you make mistakes,” adds Beau Nelson, whose clients include Kristen Stewart and Nicole Richie. “I’m a big fan of the Bobbi Brown Stick Foundations.”
Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick, £29.50, available at Bobbi Brown.
Photo: Via Bobbi Brown.
This is the perfect tool for those who have resisted the contouring trend until now. The single chubby wields cream contour and highlighter, is easily blended with fingers, and is an affordable way to see if contouring is right for you.
Maybelline Master Contour V-Shape Duo Stick, £6.99, available at Boots.
A contouring kit — one full of cream products — can also be an easy way to go when you’re starting out. Look for one that includes both a highlight shade and a contour shade in order to provide dimension and balance.
Dr Jart+ BB Mate Contouring 1.2.3. Kit, £49.99, available at Amazon.
Many brands also provide contour sticks in sets of three to make the whole process that much easier. These normally contain a contour shade, a bronzer shade, and a highlight shade. Always use the dark contour shade first along your cheekbone, and add the bronzer hue right above it for dimension. Then, add the highlight to the bridge of your nose, top of the chin, and corners of the eyes — just remember to blend everything well!
Smashbox Step-by-Step Contour Stick Trio, £35, available at Sephora.
For YouTube Dabblers
If you already know the basic principles of contouring and want to take your game to the next level, investing in a palette is a wise choice. “This kit has great shades to both contour and highlight," says Mario Dedivanovic, makeup artist to stars like Kim Kardashian. "You can experiment with the lighter shades at first, and then build to the deeper shades once you’re comfortable.”
Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit, £39, available at Cult Beauty.
Photo: Via Anastasia Beverly Hills.
This four-pan contouring palette contains three sculpting shades and a gorgeous highlighting powder. Plus, it comes with a super-soft angled brush and smells like chocolate. What's not to love?
Too Faced Cocoa Contour Chiseled to Perfection, £32, available at Too Faced.
Since you’re already comfortable with the basics, try a palette that can really help bring out your cheekbones. Kevyn Aucoin’s The Creamy Glow Sculpting Powder helps to define the face by balancing dark powder with a creamy highlighter.
Kevyn Aucoin The Creamy Glow Duo in Candelight/Sculpting, £22.50, available at Cult Beauty.
This palette may look like a simple shading and illuminating duo, but it packs a secret punch: the DHA-laced formula actually tans skin while you’re wearing it.
James Read Tantour Sculpting Palette, £35, available at James Read.
For Aspiring Makeup Artists
There’s only one luxury contour product that the pros swear by, but it’s almost too intimidating for at-home use. “You can work this into a foundation application, or apply it underneath so it looks subtle," says beauty guru Nick Barose. "It takes more blending, but once you’ve mastered the technique, it’s totally worth it.”
There are two different shade levels available for purchase, so this works on almost all skin tones. The “illuminate” portion is a pearly highlight that delivers camera-ready levels of glow. Do consider it for special events or photo opps — but have a backup option for daily use.
Tom Ford Shade & Illuminate, £56, available at Selfridges.
Photo: Via Tom Ford Beauty.
If you’re an aspiring pro, play around with sculpting shades on a palette. BH Cosmetics’ versatile shades work well for all skin tones, and provide a matte finish for both highlight and contour.
BH Cosmetics Contour & Blush Palette, £12.95, available at Amazon.
For Fair Skin Tones
"Surratt’s blush in Grisaille is a great contour that has no orange tones," says Dubroff. "If you’re fair, and you use something with any warmth at all, it’s like the kiss of contour death. This is perfect because it’s a nice, soft tone."
Surratt Artistique Blush, £21, available at Net-a-Porter.
Photo: Via Surratt.
Smashbox's contour kit is easy to follow for beginners, and comes in two versions: one for fair complexions (seen here) and another for darker ones.
Tip: Dust the cooler shade under your jawline and cheekbones, then use the warmer shade along your hairline.
Smashbox Step-By-Step Contour Kit, £35, available at Smashbox.
For Medium Skin Tones
“Apply Aucoin’s sculpting powder with a small, dome-shaped blush brush under the cheekbones and jawline, and on the temples and bridge of the nose,” says Nelson. This shade is the “just right” of dark-but-not-too-dark for those of us who fall in the middle of the skin spectrum. If you prefer creams, Dubroff recommends Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel Bronzing Makeup Base.
Photo: Via Kevyn Aucoin.
For Deep Skin Tones
“I love this particular product for darker skins because it comes with a highlight shade, as well,” says celebrity makeup artist Kirin Bhatty. She also recommends following up with a great liquid luminizer in golden or copper shades, like NARS Hot Sand, to really finish the skin.
Photo: Via NARS.
“If you’re quite dark, like Lupita Nyong’o, for example, you don’t need to contour. It can look a little too harsh,” says Barose. “Instead, add this bronzey highlight to bring out your features more.”
Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer, £37, available at Selfridges.
Photo: Via Giorgio Armani Beauty.
For Applying
If you want to go after that sharper (yet still fine) edge that Dubroff suggests, try Tarte’s Sculpt & Slim Contour Brush, which is made just for that. You can use the fluffy fan brush to contour, highlight, and sculpt cheekbones, and the double-ended brush helps when you’re contouring areas like your nose or browbone.
Tarte Tarteist Sculpt & Slim Contour Brush, £30.40, available at eBay.
“A clean foundation brush, like this one, is helpful for blending without depositing too much product,” says Dubroff.
Make Up For Ever Large Foundation Brush, £26, available at Debenhams.
Photo: Via Make Up For Ever.
“If I’m using powders, I prefer to use a fan brush because it creates light layers," says Dubroff. "Plus, since it’s not thick, you can get a sharper (but still very fine) edge under the bones.”
Japonesque Kumadori Fan Brush, £17, available at Amazon.
For Blending
“Especially if you’re using cream contours, I recommend blending with a damp BeautyBlender sponge to diffuse any lines into the skin,” says Dedivanovic. This can also help you soften the intensity of products by buffing them out for a more clean, even finish.
The Beauty Blender Pro, £16, available at Cult Beauty.
For Balancing
It’s not just enough to carve out bone structure using taupes and bronzes. “A pop of colour on the apples of the cheeks is important for making the contour look happy, and not just angular,” says Dubroff. This product has the slightest sheen and a sheer colour payoff that actually makes blush look believable.
Charlotte Tilbury Blusher, £30, available at Charlotte Tilbury.
Photo: Via Charlotte Tilbury.
For Universal Highlighting
After you’ve contoured and added your colour, it’s time to play with highlights. “Apply a liquid highlighter to the high points of the face, and then blend them out with a damp sponge,” Bhatty says. She loves the varied options from Benefit “depending on your skin tone,” but High Beam is a universal best bet.
Benefit High Beam Highlighter, £19.50, available at Boots.
Photo: Via Benefit Cosmetics.
For Correcting
Spritzing the face — or your sponge — with a floral spray is one of Dubroff’s go-to tricks for sheering out an application. If you work quickly, you can hopefully erase harsh lines by wetting and correcting them.
Photo: Via Beautycounter.
Caudalie's grape water is another great option — it's refreshing and natural, so it won't your clog pores or dry out your skin.
Caudalie Grape Water, £6, available at Look Fantastic.
For Traveling Light
The creamy consistency of Nyx's double-ended bullets means you can draw directly onto your makeup brush before applying, or right onto your skin if you're more advanced. Then, simply blend and buff to get a seamless finish. There are four hues to choose from, making this a great travel-friendly option for any skin tone and skill level.
Nyx Wonder Stick in Light/Medium, £10, available at ASOS.
This double-sided stick from BlackUp makes it easy to contour and highlight on the run. The formula is creamy, long-lasting, and easy to blend with your fingers or a brush.
BlackUp Contouring Stick, £29, available at Debenhams.
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