Shawna Hudson
Never in a million years would I have ever expected to become a contour person. The product category just always felt way too intimidating. Where do I apply? Which shade do I choose? Do I *really* need to trace my nose? After lots of trial and error, I finally have the basics down to a science, and suddenly, contour has become my number one makeup staple. Seriously, I could do a full face of makeup with nothing but a contour stick. (That's a story for another day.)
Yes, this is largely due to the fact that I'm lucky enough to consult celebrity makeup artists with all my burning questions, but contouring products have also become so much easier to wield. No matter your formula preferences—cream, stick, powder, et. al—there's a tool out there to snatch your features. Here, I've rounded up 15 of the very best I've tried along with some skin-snatching tips from a few trusted sources: celebrity makeup artists Keita Moore, Kelli Anne Sewell, and Kirin Bhatty. Keep scrolling for the only contour guide you'll ever need.
The Best Contour Products, at a Glance
- Best Overall: Westman Atelier Face Trace Cream Contour Stick
- Best Stick: Fenty Beauty Match Stix Matte Contour Skinstick
- Best Color Payoff: Makeup by Mario SoftSculpt Shaping Stick
- Best Drugstore: Maybelline Facestudio Master Contour Stick
- Best Splurge: Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate Contour Duo
The Best Contour Products of 2025
Best Overall: Westman Atelier Face Trace Cream Contour Stick
Pros: Blends incredibly well, suits every skin type, smooth and creamy formula
Cons: Luxury price point
Shades: 3
Formula: Cream
Bhatty, Sewell, and I consider this contour stick one of our all-time favorites. "It's super cool-toned," Sewell says. "It's clean and easy to use." Not only does it have skin-loving hydrators like jojoba-seed oil and vitamin E, but it also contains kaolin clay to soak up any excess oil. Read: It's a fabulous choice for any skin type. The shade Biscuit is my go-to (it's also Hailey Bieber's, FYI) for tracing my cheekbones, jawline, hairline, and outer eye corners. In fact, I could do my entire makeup routine with this one product and happily skip out the door. Whether you're going for a natural glow or crafting a snatched, full-on beat, this stick has you covered. It's worth every bit of hype it receives.
Customer review: "The best contour stick I have ever used. Nothing compares to the Westman Atelier contour stick. It looks incredible in person and photographs even better. 10/10 for personal and professional makeup users."
Best Stick: Fenty Beauty Match Stix Matte Contour Skinstick
Pros: Incredible staying power, creamy and forgiving
Cons: You have to blend quickly before it dries down
Shades: 9
Formula: Cream to powder
"Fenty Beauty also has some amazing contour sticks and powders that go everywhere with me!" Moore shares. I, for one, cannot get enough of the brand's Match Stix. (I'm using the shade Suedish in the video above.) It's creamy upon application and blends like a dream yet dries down to a powder that won't dare budge. Seriously, this contour does not move! It makes me look snatched all day long.
Customer review: "I really struggle to find contour that looks good with my skin tone (I am super pale, so usually it always looks too dark), but HOLY COW, this product snatches my face and looks good doing it. This is the only contour I use now. I couldn’t recommend this product more."
Best Color Payoff: Makeup by Mario SoftSculpt Shaping Stick
Pros: Dual-sided with an attached blending brush
Cons: Twist-up applicator can get stuck
Shades: 7
Formula: Cream
Moore loves this contour stick from Makeup by Mario because it's so buildable, provides true-to-skin definition, and has a soft-matte finish. We're also huge fans of the practical design, which features a built-in brush for seamless blending. All seven shades are nice and cool toned (and very, very pigmented), which is great for creating natural-looking shadows. You only need a little swipe to make a strong impact.
Customer review: "This is my first time using a contour stick and I love it so much!! It's so nice how the product just glides through my skin so gently and melts so quickly, it's also very easy to blend out and stays for 10+ hours with the rest of my face."
Best for Oily Skin: Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder
Pros: Has incredible longevity, subtly blurs pores
Cons: Drier skin types might want something creamier
Shades: 22
Formula: Balm to powder
Technically, this is a tinted primer-foundation hybrid, not a contouring product, but you can totally use a deeper shade (two to four shades darker than your usual complexion product) to enhance your bone structure. Despite the balm-to-powder formula, "it really hydrates and leaves a subtle skin-like glow," Moore says. It never leaves oily skin looking too slick. Plus, countless reviewers sing the praises of its pore-blurring magic.
Customer review: "I usually never write reviews… BUT I just had to with this one. As an oily girl with enlarged pores, this is a game changer!! I don't even feel like I'm wearing anything but it leaves my skin looking even and blurred."
Best Powder: Fashion Fair Iconic Pressed Setting Powder
Pros: Helps makeup last longer, great for oily skin
Cons: Not the best for dry skin
Shades: 12
Formula: Powder
"One of my all-time favorite contour powders would have to be that good ol' Fashion Fair Iconic Pressed Powder. [The brand] has been that girl," adds Moore. While not technically a contour product, it can snatch your features in two seconds flat. Simply use an angled contour brush to apply just above your cheekbones. You can also use this powder to set and further amplify your cream contour products; just apply right on top of where you traced.
Customer review: "I've been using this powder for a few months now, and I must say it's changed my makeup look. I love the smooth finish and how flawless my skin/face looks. I was shocked at the coverage and how light it is. It's now definitely a staple."
Best Cream-Powder Duo: Patrick Ta Major Sculpt Crème Contour & Powder Bronzer Duo
Pros: 2-in-1 product, has great longevity, very user-friendly, natural looking
Cons: Pigment payoff isn't as intense
Shades: 5
Formula: Cream and powder
If you're looking for the most natural-looking contour ever, you need this Patrick Ta duo. Just a touch of deep, creamy pigment on the hollows of my cheeks followed by the powder bronzer to set gives me the most effortless, sculpted glow—like I just came back from a two-week-long beach vacation. I'm not alone. Plenty of reviewers swear it's a compliment magnet. It's one of the pricier options at $42, but you do get two products in one easy-to-use compact. Plus, I'd say the "You look so glowy!" comments are worth every penny.
Customer review: "First time using this I loved it. Got so many compliments saying how tan I look. Super good product, 100% recommend."
Best for Dry Skin: Uoma Beauty Double Take Contour Stick
Pros: Buttery formula that blends with ease
Cons: Might be too creamy for those with oily skin
Shades: 6
Formula: Cream
"Uoma Beauty's double-ended contour and highlight stick sculpts and illuminates with ease," shares contributing beauty writer Shawna Hudson. "The formula is so creamy and just melts on top of the brand's Say What!? Foundation." Ultra-creamy and highly pigmented, the formula blends effortlessly with just a touch of product—a little goes a long way!
Customer review: N/A
Best Drugstore: Maybelline Facestudio Master Contour Stick
Pros: 2-in-1 contour and highlighter, V-shaped tip allows for precise lines
Cons: Shade range isn't great
Shades: 3
Formula: Cream
"As far as drugstore options go, this contour stick from Maybelline gets the job done," Hudson shares. I concur—what you see is what you get: a no-fuss, creamy formula with a matte finish. You also get two products (a highlighter and contour) in one with this V-shaped stick. For $9, that's a steal.
Customer review: "So easy to use, very effective and it blends perfectly because it is so creamy/smooth. I am horrible at contouring, but after watching a random Youtube video about contouring (in general) and then getting this... I am getting better! Much easier than powder & can take with you anywhere. I have one with makeup and carry a spare in my purse for backup or emergency touch up. Super handy and can't believe they don't carry it in any stores around me!!"
Best for Precision: Victoria Beckham Beauty Contour Stylus
Pros: Great for precise areas, amazing for beginners
Cons: Better for natural looks than full-glam beats
Shades: 4
Formula: Cream
"These are amazing detailer tools," Sewell says of Victoria Beckham Beauty's precise contour sticks. "I love using them on the nose, eyes, and lips. Super easy to work with." I agree. In fact, I'd go so far as to say this VBB number is the contour product that made me fall in love with contour products. With its precise, easy-to-control design, I was able to play with different placements without fear of casting too large a shadow.
Customer review: "I love that this is such a precise applicator instead of those big chunky contours you usually see on the market. This is perfect for travel too since it doesn’t take up that much space. It also blends out super easily with both fingers and a brush. The pigmentation is great and it sets within a good amount of time so you have a chance to blend it out. I didn’t notice a scent at all."
Best Bronzer: Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Sun-Kissed Glow Cream Bronzer
Pros: 16-hour wear, can apply on the face and body for all-over glow
Cons: Pricey
Shades: 4
Formula: Cream
Don't get it twisted. Bronzer and contour are separate categories, but some very special options, like this Charlotte Tilbury number, blur the line between both camps. "Let me tell you—this cream bronzer packs a serious punch," Hudson declares. "It's so pigmented that I've always been able to use it as a nice, sharp contour. It looks gorgeous on the skin and really is true to the name." Its cool-toned shade range (rare for a bronzer!) and non-shimmery finish help it create the most natural-looking shadows on your skin.
Customer review: "It's def cool toned so great for my light-medium cool skin tone and for the winter time. It's lightweight [and] blends easily. More like a mousse but dense. Lasts a long time. I love it. Worth a try."
Best for Beginners: Nyx Professional Makeup Wonder Stick Cream Highlight & Contour Stick
Pros: Slimmer applicator, 2-in-1 product
Cons: Reviewers tend to like the contour side better than the highlight
Shades: 8
Formula: Cream
"Nyx's Wonder Stick is great for beginners because it's so easy to use, and the formula glides on so nicely. It's really forgiving and doesn't require too much blending," Hudson notes. It has a slightly slimmer tip than most contour sticks on the market, which makes it great for carving more precise areas, like the nose and lids. We also love a dual-ended design, and this one tacks on the most flattering, pearly highlighter shade.
Customer review: "I love this product and it's half the price of some more expensive contouring/highlighting products. Staying power and it shows up well under foundation."
Best for Mature Skin: LYS Beauty No Limits Cream Bronzer Stick
Pros: Super hydrating and blendable, has a precise triangle tip
Cons: Not the best for oily or acne-prone skin
Shades: 7
Formula: Cream
"This hydrating contour stick is great for dry and mature skin types. It contains ingredients like green tea extract, watermelon-seed extract, and rose-hip oil to add extra radiance and hydration," says Hudson. The triangle design is also a huge perk, as the flat, sharp angles create a stark contrast. You can also use the very tip to trace smaller areas, like your eyes and nose.
Customer review: "This product is so smooth and creamy! I have loved using it for both full glam days and very low makeup days!"
Best Designer: Dior Forever 24H Skin Contour Stick
Pros: Moisturizing formula, blends effortlessly, high-quality packaging
Cons: Has a strong fragrance
Shades: 4
Formula: Cream
Both Sewell and Bhatty are quick to praise this creamy Dior formula. "The pigment is insane, and it glides like butter, so it has versatility," Sewell notes. What also makes it versatile is the not-too-cool, not-too-warm undertones in each shade; you can easily use it as a contour or bronzer stick. Not to mention, the packaging is sturdy and painfully chic—a true treasure to toss into your bag for on-the-go touch-ups.
Customer review: "This is the best tone for a cool, fair undertone bronzer. Only this and the Sephora Brand Contour stick look like a true contour on my fair/cool skin. For reference I wear Oslo in Nars and NW10 in Mac. This blends so easily and lasts all day. I adore this. A little goes a long way. It's Dior so there is fragrance in it, if that bothers you it might not be for you. I have sensitive skin and this has never bothered me though."
Best Splurge: Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate Contour Duo
Pros: Creates very natural-looking shadow, versatile
Cons: You need some pressure to dig out the pigment
Shades: 4
Formula: Cream
Celebrities literally cannot get enough of this contour-highlighter compact. Rita Ora even once called it a classic she's owned "since the beginning of time." With its creamy, satiny finish, the duo is one of the most versatile makeup products you can own. For instance, you can combine the contour and highlighter shades for a customized cream shadow or to create a less intense contour. Make no mistake: You'll get a lot of use from this $95 holy grail.
Customer review: "This is my grail contour. I'm fair with all of undertones (Irish-Italian) and this formula just works for me. The cream is lovely to the touch, glides on beautifully and the color payoff is incredible. It's easy to work with, working with my natural oils and foundation seamlessly. Almost $100 for this seems [ludicrous], but I've had mine for about two years and haven't even hit pan yet. I can't say enough about how much I love this."
Best Liquid Contour: Saie Dew Bronze Soft-Focus Sculpting Liquid Bronzer
Pros: Has a plush doe-foot applicator, shades are very cool toned, doesn't make skin look greasy
Cons: Packaging can leak
Shades: 6
Formula: Liquid
If you're looking for a super-natural finish, liquid contours are your friends, and this Saie number is your MVP. It comes infused with good-for-skin players like licorice extract and glycerin, but it never feels too runny or "melty," even in warmer weather. The formula has some structure to it thanks to silica, so it dries down to the prettiest matte finish. In terms of application, it's super versatile. You can swipe the doe-foot applicator wherever you please—the cheekbones, nose, hairline, lids, etc. Honestly, I use it in place of eye shadow pretty frequently.
Customer review: "This bronzer blends beautifully for a perfect natural finish! It melts into the skin effortlessly, looks super smooth, and never patchy."
What to Look For
- Undertone: "Contouring is a way to enhance certain structural features by creating fake shadows. To get this effect, you have to use a product with a gray undertone to mimic real-life shadows!" says Sewell. Make sure your contour product of choice has neutral or cool tones. As Sewell explains, "You want a product that is the opposite of warm, golden, and orange (typical bronzer colors), and that is why bronzing and contouring are so different but go hand in hand."
- Shade: Generally, you'll want to find a shade that's two to four shades darker than your usual complexion pick. The deeper your contour product, the more contrast you'll create.
- Formula: Bhatty, Moore, and Sewell typically opt for cream formulas on a regular basis, but it's all up to personal preference. "I tend to go for a cream when I want the contour to be more subtle and powders when I want more drama," Bhatty adds. Cream and liquid formulas provide a more natural finish if that's the look you're going for. "I also recommend taking a powder the shade of the cream and lightly setting it," Moore shares.
- Format: From sticks to compacts to skinny styluses, the world's your oyster when it comes to shape and size. If you prefer a more precise carving, you might opt for a slimmer stick. If you want a more natural finish, you might swirl a dense brush into a cream product and blend away. Again, it's all up to personal preference.
How to Contour for Beginners
Contouring doesn't have to feel daunting! Take it from this expert-led tutorial below.
- Map out your cheekbones: First, identify your cheekbones, which is harder than it sounds! "Sometimes, doing a fishy face by sucking in your cheeks helps you identify your cheek hollow," Bhatty shares. Sewell likes to "feel it out" with her fingers. "If you are not sure where to do that, hold a brush angled down from your ear to mouth. Right above that line, or above your cheekbone, is where I like to place contour," she explains. (Applying contour slightly above your cheekbone will result in a lifted effect.)
- Blend upward and outward: With a dense brush, diffuse the product in sweeping motions toward your ear. "Stay away from the apples of the cheek," says Bhatty. "Start at your hollow and work toward your ear up into the hairline."
- Trace your jaw: Apply contour underneath your jawline and blend backward toward your ears. "Ensure you are blending!" Sewell warns. "This will give a snatched jawline" (as opposed to a five-o'clock shadow).
- Contour your forehead: "You can also apply contour at your hairline if you choose. "Use contour around your hairline in [a] half-circle shape. This will recede light backward, shortening your forehead length," notes Sewell.
- Lift the eyes: You can also create a small line from the outer corner of your eyes up toward your hairline, almost as if you're extending your lower lash line. This results in what Sewell calls a "lifted eye effect." You can also place contour in the lid crease and underneath the eyes. "This is a hack to make your eyes look bigger," Sewell notes.
- Contour the nose: Sewell also loves to outline the bridge of her nose, extending the lines to the arch of her eyes.
- Finally, trace the lips: "If you want the effect of fuller lips, I like to contour right below the lip. This gives the effect your lip is so big it's casting a shadow (back to the gray undertone!)," Sewell adds.
Not too complicated, right? Still, it may take some practice and patience before you nail down the quick and easy steps for your individual features. "When I first did a deep dive into it, I found that looking up contouring charts for different face shapes was extremely helpful," notes Hudson. "Everyone's face is also unique, though. Play around until you find what works best for you."
Contouring Tips for Tan, Black, and Brown Skin Tones
"Another thing I found frustrating when I first started learning to contour was the lack of information out there about contouring for darker skin tones," Hudson shares. "I found that I couldn't use the same contour makeup as those with lighter skin tones because it just didn't show up very well for me or didn't look right." Moore offered some great advice, as he has an exceptional eye for what pops on darker skin tones. (He's painted the faces of stars like Tessa Thompson, Janelle Monáe, Laverne Cox, Tiffany Haddish, and Iman—NBD!)
"Know the difference between bronzing and contouring," he says. "These two work together but are different. Use a slightly warmer and deeper shade to warm up the skin by bronzing. Your contour should come next and should be two to four shades deeper than your foundation shade (whatever you're comfortable with) and go into the shadow areas of your face, then blend. It's important to also know the lighting of the occasion you'll be attending. If you're going outside to the beach or to a festival, bronzing should be good enough. However, if you're going to a gala or out for drinks and it's nighttime lighting, you can bronze and contour."
How We Chose
When it comes to our testing process at Who What Wear, personal recommendations always come first. Senior beauty editor Jamie Schneider and contributing beauty writer Shawna Hudson initially selected the contouring products they swear by in their own routines, making sure to include a variety of textures, shade ranges, and price points. We made sure to scour the review sections of our favorite retailers when compiling our list to ensure we had a well-rounded picture of each product's user experience.
Finally, we consulted trusted experts. Moore, Sewell, and Bhatty bestowed us with the contouring products they each hold dear, which helped us whittle down our list to the 15 favorites you see here.
Who's Who
- Keita Moore, celebrity makeup artist whose clients include Tessa Thompson, Janelle Monáe, Laverne Cox, Tiffany Haddish, and Iman
- Kelli Anne Sewell, celebrity makeup artist (clients include Alix Earle and Alex Cooper) and founder of Makeup by Kelli Anne
- Kirin Bhatty, celebrity makeup artist whose clients include Ayo Edebiri, Kate Upton, and Lorde
- Jamie Schneider, author and senior beauty editor at Who What Wear who has nearly a decade of experience testing and researching makeup products—including contour products, which she considers one of her desert-island beauty grabs.
- Shawna Hudson, contributing beauty writer for Who What Wear who also has nearly a decade of experience researching and reporting on makeup products.
This post was published at an earlier date and has since been updated.
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