Subtle Definition and a Lifted Appearance Are Possible with These Expert-Approved Contour Palettes (2024)

Our Top Picks

Number of shades: 1 | Size: 0.42 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

With creamy, highly pigmented, and buildable shades, we give this palette our top marks. The fair to deep shade options work for most skin tones to conceal and contour. But the real beauty of this palette is the way the formulas blend onto the skin. No matter if you apply them with your fingertips or a brush, the colors diffuse evenly—key for convincing definition. You can also use the pigments as an eyeshadow primer; apply the tone most similar to your skin to even out any discoloration. Yet due to how easily they blend, the creams may smudge on oily skin. It also contains a full-sized mirror to make sure you can sculpt all your best angles.

Number of shades: 1 | Size: 0.43 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Despite the low price tag, this quad comes with plenty of options. We greatly appreciate that it includes three contouring shades in different bronze hues, allowing you to mix and match to find the best one for you. The highlighting shade adds a pretty contrasting pop, though some may wish there was more than just one highlighter.

Number of shades: 4 | Size: 0.49 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

Byrdie editors vouch for this luxurious pick. The inside includes one contouring and one highlighting color, each selected to pair precisely with the other. Not only are the shades beautiful and natural, but the texture is also creamy enough to dab on with your fingertips when a brush isn’t available. Plus, the compact is chic and sleek.

Number of shades: 6 | Size: 0.37 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Celebrity makeup artist Bryan Cantor says that this is one of his favorite contouring products and it out-performed all the others in our contour stick test: “It’s blendable, buildable, and contains its own removable brush to make application easy and effortless,” he explains. That should come as no surprise, given that it was created by celebrity makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic, best known as Kim Kardashian’s makeup artist. (And you know, she loves a good contour.) We love how the shades offer that cool tone that accurately mimics shadows on your face, though we wish it came in darker shades.

Number of shades: 4 | Size: 0.05 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you’re dealing with breakouts, dark circles, or hyperpigmentation, this palette is just for you. The inexpensive product contains shades to color correct and conceal, so you can even out your skin tone before defining with the included contouring shade (an excellent medium-coverage formula that doesn’t look muddy on your skin). With four shade combinations, you can easily find a good match.

Number of shades: 4 | Size: 0.32 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Contouring can admittedly be intimidating if you’ve never done it before, but we find that using a stick makes it feel somewhat more approachable off the bat. The formula on this stick is also a choice: “It’s surprisingly sheer and looks incredibly natural on the skin,” says Cantor. AKA, you really can’t goof up. You can also apply them directly onto the skin with your fingertips or blend them into the skin with a brush.

Number of shades: 3 | Size: 8 grams each | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Sotomayor vouches for this trio of contour, blush, and highlighter sticks. “They’re easy to hold, so you can just streak them onto your face and blend with a brush, fingertips, or a sponge,” he explains. Each one packs certified organic ingredients like jojoba seed oil and coffee seed oil—these emollient additions are great for moisturizing mature skin, which tends to err on the dry side. Although this product is a bit more expensive than others on the list, we think the humectant formula justifies the spend.

Number of shades: 1 | Size: 0.25 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

“This is one of the go-to palettes for professionals,” says Sotomayor. “It’s one of the most pigmented options out there, so it’ll last you a long time since a little goes a long way,” We like it for fair skin, which can be tricky to contour: Go even the slightest bit too dark, and you easily start to look, well, like you’re trying really hard to contour. There are six shades to conceal or even out skin tone, two contour shades, and four highlighters, all in a buildable and blendable cream formula that doesn’t feel even the slightest bit sticky or tacky on the skin.

Number of shades: 5 | Size: 0.25 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

There are five shades of this dual compact available, the two lightest of which, “She’s Statuesque” and “She’s Sculpted,” are both nice options for more medium skin tones. This pick is also unique in that it comes with both cream and powder; layering both ultimately yields the most natural and longest-lasting result.

Number of shades: 3 | Size: 0.26 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

This palette has just-right undertones for olive skin, and you can select a light-to-medium or medium-to-dark trio of pigments to suit your skin tone. The creamy pigments compete with some of the pricier options on our list, so it’s a good option if you’re interested in contouring but don’t want to invest in a product quite yet. The formulas contain a small amount of mica, so you can use them to highlight, too. However, mica can potentially clog pores, so you might want to be wary if you have oily or acne-prone skin.

Number of shades: 1 | Size: 0.66 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

This cool-looking (and space-saving) stack comes with five shades, all specially formulated for dark skin. They can be used to contour, yes, but also conceal, highlight, and more, all without imparting any unwanted grayish cast. Plus, they all pack a nice level of medium coverage. We love the genius design of having all the colors stack on top of each other as, unlike a palette, it keeps them clean and avoids the pigments mixing.

Number of shades: 2 | Size: 0.88 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Though this isn’t technically a contouring product, the deeper palette (Dew It Undercover) contains four light to medium shades with cool undertones that work beautifully to define and highlight your complexion. The tacky texture grips onto your skin and lasts well throughout the day, all while imparting moisturizing benefits from jojoba seed oil and shea butter. Do note, it's best to apply these shades with a brush.

Number of shades: 9 | Size: 0.3 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Easy-to-use and travel-friendly, these blush and bronzer sticks are great for a low-maintenance routine. Some of the bronzer shades have warm undertones, which are a no-no for contouring, but you can choose from four options with cool and neutral undertones to sculpt your cheeks and nose. If you’re not a fan of foundation but feel you would like a slight flush of color and a little extra depth under your cheekbones then this dual-ended stick will add a subtle lift to your face without leaving you looking overdone.

Number of shades: 3 | Size: 0.28 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

There aren’t a ton of cream contour palettes to be found at the drugstore, making this one all the more noteworthy. The trio of shades in this palette work great on their own but can be mixed and matched, too. (It comes in options for light, medium, and dark skin.) The formula is creamy yet oil-free—a major win for those with acne-prone skin—and is beautifully blendable. Fun fact: This palette was designed by makeup industry legend Pat McGrath, so you know it’s going to be good. Those with oily skin may have shied away from cream contour out of fear it may leave them looking too shiny, but this cheekbone-defining trio is oil-free, meaning you get all the richness and blendability of a cream color without having to worry about clogging your pores or excess oil.

FAQ

• How do you apply a cream contour palette?

  “You can use either a brush, sponge or your fingertips,” says Cantor. Contouring is all about painting in natural-looking shadows, so soft brushes that help to blend color without any hard edges is what you’re looking for, Sotomayor adds. If you’re using a brush, dip it into the color and draw the lines of the contour on your face, then blend it out. For a sponge, press it into the color, then bounce it across the skin where needed, using the clean side to buff it out. And if you want to use your fingers, simply dip your fingertips into the color, then swipe and blend in where desired, repeated until you reach your desired intensity.

• Do you apply cream contour before or after foundation?

  “I like to apply cream contour after foundation and concealer, but before cream blush or highlighter,” says Cantor. “It’s helpful to define the bone structure before applying the other products,” Sotomayor notes that you can also try a technique called underpainting, where you apply contour before foundation for a subtler finish. Is contour stick or palette better?

  Sticks have the benefit of easy, brush-free application: You can swipe the formulas directly onto your skin and then blend out with your fingers, a brush, or a makeup sponge. Palettes give you more control of the color payoff, as you can apply the pigments with your fingertips for more payoff or diffuse it out with a fluffy bristled brush. Palettes also have more color options than sticks.

• Is it better to contour with cream or powder?

  Like most things with makeup, it boils down to personal preference. Cream contours have a more skin-like, dewy finish that looks natural (powder formulas, on the other hand, are typically matte). Sotomayor likes to combine both types of formulas, using powder to set cream contour for longer wear time.