If you’re an avid makeup enthusiast like us (no offense to newbies), you know the power contouring holds. While its history can be dated back to the 16th century, the technique has recently gained popularity in the mainstream beauty industry, thanks to celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez, and Bella Hadid.
Professional makeup artists also swear by this revolutionary technique and believe it’s worth the effort, though. According to New York City-based makeup artist Azesha Ramcharan, “contouring helps create the illusion of more defined cheeks.” But that’s not it with this powerful product, as with contouring, you can create an appearance of a defined jawline, sculpted nose, and pouty lips – all that gives you an oh-so-perfect look, which is hard to resist.
But what is contouring, and how do you go about it? Neil Scibelli, a celebrity makeup artist at the New Your Ballet, explains that it’s a makeup technique that helps bring out the natural contours of your facial structure by mimicking the shadows that would appear in your forehead, cheekbones, and jawline.
In order to do so, all that you have to do is choose a contouring product that is two tones darker than your foundation and apply it in strategic spots, such as across the forehead, under the cheekbones, below the jawline, and down the sides of your nose.
Since it’s a must-have step in the beauty routine now, the cosmetic industry is flooded with contouring products – pallets to sticks, each brand claiming theirs to be the best. To help you make an informed decision and pick the right product for you, we’ve rounded up six best contour sticks that check all the boxes of being lit.
Comparing Top Contour Sticks
Makeup by Mario Softsculpt Shaping Stick — Best Overall
One can’t talk about contouring without mentioning the OG -Mario Dedivanovic (the mastermind behind Kim Kardashian’s sculpted cheekbones and jawline). Imagine the excitement when his brand Makeup by Mario launched the Soft Sculpt Shaping Stick; we had to try it out.
Available in a whopping six shades, including light to medium and dark deep, this next-level creamy formula melts into the complexion for a flawless matte finish without drying your skin out. As if the fact that it’s from the King contour brand wasn’t incentive enough, this stick also features an angled buffing brush on the opposite end to ensure a breeze application, even on the go. Plus, what makes this pick the best overall is the presence of five nubs within the head of the brush that allows for an even application and helps create the look that you desire.
Pros
- Little goes a long way
- Paraben and cruelty-free
- Great for all skin types and tones
Cons
- The twist mechanism often gets stuck
NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP Wonder Stick — Best All-in-One Contour and Highlighter
If you’re on the hunt for an affordable yet effective contour product, look no further than this 2-in-1 NYX PROFESSIONAL Makeup Wonder Stick. With its dual-ended formula, you get contour and highlighter – the ultimate power couple in one pick that glides smoothly and blends like a dream. Its creamy texture offers a natural matte finish, making it a good choice for folks with combination or oily skin types.
Plus, this budget-friendly stick comes in eight versatile shades, ranging from universal to fair, medium, and dark, making it suitable for people with varying skin tones. What’s more impressive is that this stick is incredibly easy to use – all you need to do is twist out a little product, and voila, you get effortless, glowy sculpted cheekbones in no time.
Pros
- Buildable
- Long-lasting
- Vegan and cruelty-free
Cons
- Some users might find a highlighter a little too shimmery
Westman Atelier Face Trace Cream Contour Stick — Best Splurge
Infused with a slew of skin-loving ingredients, including hydrating jojoba oil, youth-preserving berry flux vita extract, and sebum-balancing kaolin clay, this Westman Atelier Face Trace Cream Contour Stick glides across your skin like a dream. The satin finish is so seamless and offers such a natural look – which means no lines or creases with extended wear, checking the box for even the combination to oily skin folks.
This makeup-skincare hybrid is a multi-purpose, foolproof pick for all your contouring needs. It is a one-stop shop to achieve those runway-worthy, chiseled, sculpted cheekbones. Just dab it on, blend it out, and you’re good to go.
Pros
- Offers a natural look
- Luxe packaging
- Doesn’t interfere with base products
Cons
- Limited shade range
KIKO MILANO Sculpting Touch Creamy Stick Contour — Best Budget
Anyone who wants a fuss-free, easy-to-use contour stick that doesn’t break the bank should get their hands on this KIKO MILANO Sculpting Touch Creamy Stick Contour. This matte stick comes in four shades, including ebony, coffee, hazelnut, and chocolate, and provides a natural finish that stays put all day.
The ultra-creamy formula blends effortlessly, thanks to enriching ingredients like African walnut oil and pistachio extract that provide soothing benefits, making this product a cult favorite. Plus, the stick’s practical shape allows you to carry it wherever you go, be it on the road, inside your makeup bag, or in the comfort of your home.
Pros
- Non-comedogenic
- Great value for money
- Dermatologist tested
Cons
- The Shade range is fairly limited
Fenty Beauty Match Stix Matte Contour Skin Stick — Best Shade Range
Available in an inclusive shade range, this Fenty Beauty Match Stix Matte Contour Skinstick by Rihanna is everything you could ask for. The cream-to-powder formula glides seamlessly into your skin without caking or patchiness and offers a matte finish that lasts all day, even on oily skin.
The stick is subtle yet highly pigmented and buildable, which helps you achieve your desired look. Just swipe it right along your temples, jawline, or across the hollows of your cheekbones to conceal, brighten, and highlight and give that natural definition to your looks.
Pros
- Easy to bleed
- Lightweight, long-wear formula
- Comes in nine shades with varying depths and undertones
Cons
- Pricey compared to the size of the product
Milk Makeup Sculpt Cream Contour Stick — Best for Beginners
For chiseled cheekbones and a defined jawline in just a few swipes, Milk Makeup Sculpt Cream Contour Stick is the answer. Formulated with a nourishing thyme extract blend and a hydrating sunflower seed oil, this creamy formula comes in four cool-toned hues, ranging from fair to very deep.
What we love about this product is its insane bendability that gives a seamless sculpted look without any cakiness, muddiness, or patchiness. Plus, its chubby base offers a firm grip, making an application a breeze. The foolproof design is impossible to mess up, whether you’re a beginner or a pro artist. So grab this beauty before it gets out of stock because this baby sells fast.
Pros
- Great piece point
- Easy to apply
- Creamy, blendable formula
Cons
- Not too pigmented
Buying Guide: Contour Sticks
Achieving a flawless, sculpted, chiseled look is pretty much everyone’s dream, and with contour sticks, it’s doable. But before we dive deeper into the nitty gritty of how to create that look, let’s talk about how to shop one and shop right to enhance your facial features with ease. So get ready for a Contouring lesson 101!
Things to Look for in a Contour Stick
Ahead are a few things to keep an eye out for when shopping for a contouring stick.
Tone
The first thing is to know your skin’s undertone. Simply take a peek at your wrist to check the color of your veins. Green veins indicate warm undertones, while blue or purple falls under cool. And if you have a mixture of both, chances are you have a neutral undertone.
For cooler undertones, look for shades that lean towards neutrals and taupe, whereas for warm undertones, golden contour shades are a good choice. And if you have a dark tone, go for something that is more neutral and has a balance of blue and red tones, like chestnut brown shades.
Hydrating Ingredients
Whether your skin is oily or dry, make sure that the contour stick you’re buying has some hydrating ingredients in it, like oils or moisturizers. Doing so will ensure that the stick glides dreamily along your skin and blends in well for a flawless look.
Shade range
Ideally, your contour should be 2-3 shades darker than your foundation color to create a natural-looking shadow effect on the face. Doing this would give you a subtle depth and dimension and that sculpted look that enhances your facial features without looking overly harsh or critical. So try looking for products that offer a wide range of shade options, as it gets easy for you to choose the right pick that compliments your skin tone.
Ease of use
Make sure the contour stick that you’re planning to have has a user-friendly design, such as a retractable or twist-up format, for a breezy, effortless application.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What are the benefits of contouring?
A. With contouring, you can sculpt and define your facial features, creating an illusion of a sculpted, chiseled, lifted appearance. But before contouring, determine the type of look you’re going for. Whether you want to enhance your jawline, slim down your nose, accentuate your cheeks, or give a pouty appearance to your lips, it’s imperative to know about your needs before you start dabbing in.
Q. Is a brush necessary for blending?
A. No. You can totally blend in your contour with the help of your fingers. Just swipe it along your cheeks or nose, and dab, dab, dab.
Q. At what stage in my makeup routine should I contour?
A. Ideally, you’d want to apply your contour after you’re done with the foundation and before bronzer, blush, and highlighter. Doing this will set the structure of your face, and then you can finish it as you want.