The 11 Best Contour Powders For A Sculpted Look - Beauty Bay Edited (2024)

By Kate Sowerbutts | 12th March 2023

How did we ever survive without contour? Now a staple in our makeup routines, the best contour powders are the secret to sculpting our face shapes, giving us the most defined cheekbones and effortless looks.

While some people may love cream contouring and others may favour a concealer, if you ask us, you really can’t go wrong with a classic contour powder. Simply apply with a brush and you’re good to go, adding subtle definition that’s a must-have even for makeup minimalists.

Sold? We thought you might be. Whether you’re looking to stock up on your faves, need a newbie, or are just diving into the world of contour, here are our best contour powders that you need in your haul.

By BEAUTY BAY Powder Bronzer

In case you didn’t already know, let us tell you a secret — bronzers double up as the perfect contour powder. Adding warmth and definition to the skin, a bronzer is the perfect go-to for sculpting and contouring your features, whether that be your cheekbones, on the top of your forehead, or down the sides of your nose.

The By BEAUTY BAY Powder Bronzers never let us down. The ultra-blendable formula melts into the skin while being more long-lasting than most cream products. It’s silky soft and buildable, so you can apply as little or as much as you want. To top it all off, these bronzers are available in a range of shades to suit multiple skin tones.

By BEAUTY BAY Face Palette

The best thing about contour powders is that you’ll often find them housed inside a palette along with complementing options, just like the By BEAUTY BAY Face Palette.

Featuring a blush, bronzer, highlight, and contour all in one, this palette is the secret to sculpted, radiant skin. Add depth with your contour powder, warmth with the bronzer, a pop of colour with the blusher, and top it all off with the highlighter for a glowing finish. Who doesn’t love four products in one?

Sigma Beauty Sculpt Highlight and Contour Palette

Next up on the list is another multi-use palette that’s perfect for sculpting the skin. The Sigma Beauty Sculpt Highlight and Contour Palette features six ultra-soft, super-blendable powders for you to define cheekbones and create a flawless look.

The three contour powders range from light to dark, making them ideal for makeup artists or use all year round. Simply buff onto the skin using a fluffy brush, focusing on the hollows of the cheeks, top of the forehead, sides of the nose, and jawline, and your look is complete.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Pro Series Contour Kit

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a pro-MUA, makeup enthusiast, or completely new to the whole contour game, the Anastasia Beverly Hills Pro Series Contour Kit is a fail-safe option.

Featuring six butter-soft sculpting powders, this face palette is all you need for defining your facial features. Ranging from deeper contour shades to bright highlight tones, this is the ideal solution for creating the illusion of picture-perfect skin.

Melt Cosmetics The Sculpt Stack

When it comes to innovative products that become staples in our makeup bags, Melt Cosmetics can do no wrong. The Sculpt Stack is no exception. Featuring four shades that are suitable for light to dark skin tones, each individual contour powder stacks one on top of the other, so you can keep all four together or split them into singles to take with you on the go.

The sheer, buildable formula makes these contour powders perfect for soft and subtle looks, or full-blown glam. What’s even better, is they can double up as eyeshadows and bronzers. We love a makeup product that works hard.

MAC Cosmetic Studio Fix Sculpt & Shape Contour Palette

We couldn’t talk about the best contour powders without mentioning the makeup masters. You’ll be able to contour like a pro with the .

Inside you’ll find three contour powders and three highlighters. The soft-focus contouring formula buffs onto the skin for a seamless finish for sheer coverage and buildable definition. Think this could be the one for you? Add to your haul before it’s too late!

Kevyn Auction Sculpting Powder

Kevyn Aucoin is known for making products that leave your complexion looking like your skin, but better. The Sculpting Powder is yet another obsession of ours.

This simple compact houses a lightweight, sheer powder that glides onto the skin, sculpting cheekbones and adding definition to help your features stand out. If you’re just looking for one contour powder to always rely on, this is a contender.

NYX Professional Makeup Highlight & Contour Pro Palette

Another palette in our round-up of the best contour powders is the . We just love delivering the best bang for your buck.

This time, you’ll find eight shades inside this palette, with everything you need to sculpt, perfect, and highlight your way to a flawless complexion. Ranging from light to dark, there’s something for everyone inside this simple palette.

KimChi Chic Beauty Thailor Contour

The KimChi Chic Beauty Thailor Contour powder is all you need to up your contour game. This two-colour compact allows you to sculpt and define your cheekbones and features, whilst still being small enough to fit in your everyday makeup bag. If you don’t like carrying around big palettes or multiple products, this one’s for you.

Soda #easyskinny Dry Contouring Powder

Are chiselled cheekbones the goal? The Soda #easyskinny Dry Contouring Powder will get you there. The super-soft, creamy powder melts onto the skin, leaving the perfect amount of subtle, buildable contour. With a warm shade and cooler shade to choose from, this little compact holds a lot of power when it comes to giving you your best makeup looks.

SOSU By Suzanne Jackson The Ultimate Trio

Last but by no means least is the SOSU By Suzanne Jackson The Ultimate Trio. Looking for a no-fuss option that you can rely on? You’ve found it.

This three-colour palette contains a contour, highlight, and glow powder, which you can use to define cheekbones, highlight the high points of the face, and add subtle enhancements to the natural structure of your face.

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The 11 Best Contour Powders For A Sculpted Look - Beauty Bay Edited (2024)

FAQs

Is cream or powder contour better for older skin? ›

Whether you're dealing with adult acne or gracefully aging skin, cream products are your best bet. They help create a blurring effect, smoothing out any imperfections. In contrast, powder makeup tends to emphasize texture, whether it's acne, wrinkles, or dry patches.

What is the most popular contour? ›

The 9 Best Contour Sticks That Sculpt And Define Features
  • Best Contour Stick Overall: Fenty Match Stix Contour Skinstick.
  • Best Drugstore Contour Stick: NYX Wonder Stick.
  • Best Luxury Contour Stick: Westman Atelier Face Trace.
  • Best Contour Stick For Beginners: Rare Beauty Warm Wishes.
Jan 23, 2024

What do makeup artists use to contour? ›

There are liquid contour products, creams and sticks, and powders. You might have a personal preference for one of these types, but beyond that, it's worth considering what will work best with your skin type. Those with oily skin may find that a matte powder contour lasts longest on their skin.

Which contour is best for beginners? ›

cielesculpt & PROTECT SPF 30+ bronzing contour stick

Definitely easy for beginners. You can blend using your fingers/ brush or sponge either way it is so smooth and no patchiness.... This. What it is: A mineral SPF 30+ hybrid bronzing, sculpting stick that gives a natural satin finish.

What is the difference between contour and bronzing powder? ›

As we mentioned, bronzer typically has a warmer hue and is used to add color to the skin. Contour products typically lean more cool-toned and are used to create shadows, sculpt and add dimension to the face with shading. Contour is often paired with highlighter (a lighter colored concealer) to enhance the shadows.

Should you contour over 60? ›

Once you master the right techniques and get your hands on the best products, contouring can become an effortless part of makeup for older women. Contouring, bronzing and highlighting the face can work wonders for mature skin and it's not a difficult step to add in to your make-up routine.

Where do you contour old skin? ›

CONTOURING TECHNIQUES FOR MATURE SKIN

Start by applying a small amount of contour product to the areas you want to sculpt, such as the cheeks, jawline, and nose. Use a fluffy brush or a damp sponge to blend the product, ensuring there are no harsh lines or visible edges.

What contour does Kim Kardashian use? ›

Allure Daily Beauty Blast

Kardashian begins her contour process by brushing a matte bronzer down the sides of her nose using Smashbox Sunkissed Matte Bronzer. "Take a light powder down the bridge of your nose to highlight," says Kardashian. Her powder of choice is Sephora Bright Set Finishing Powder.

What contour does JLO use? ›

So she's using a cream contour palette. She contours her cheeks with it, and she kind of mixes a couple of colors together. And she says to go a little bit higher than where. your cheekbone is in a long.

What is the key to a good contour? ›

“After any base make-up is applied, apply your cream contour under your cheekbones, along the top of your hair line, jaw line and either side of the nose (if you wish). Then, blend away any edges either with a brush or sponge. Finally, set with powder," says Martin.

Do you put contour on before or after foundation? ›

It makes most sense to apply your cream contour after your foundation. If you do your contour first, you will disrupt and smudge it when you apply your base over the top. As both products are cream based, they can also blend together, making the overall shade of your base much darker.

How do I know my contour shade? ›

"To get the perfect match, you have to understand the undertones of your own skin tone. Fair to medium skin tones can try matching with cool and neutral shades. Individuals with a warm skin tone would best match with olive hues." Baribeau recommends taking a cue from your foundation shade.

What products do I need for contouring? ›

What Do You Need to Contour? You don't need a special contour kit to achieve this: You can use two shades of concealer or foundation, or bronzer, highlighter, or even eyeshadow or brow powder to contour!

Is it better to contour with powder? ›

The choice between a cream contour palette and a powder contour palette depends on personal preference, skin type, and desired finish. Cream contours offer more precision and a dewy finish, suitable for dry or mature skin, while powder contours provide a matte finish and are ideal for oily or combination skin types.

Do you put powder contour on before or after foundation? ›

Do you contour before or after foundation? Contouring makeup is usually applied after foundation and concealer. Cream, liquid, and stick contours can be applied directly on top of foundation and then blended out for a seamless finish.

Should beginners use powder or cream contour? ›

Conclusion: For someone who is new to the contouring game should consider picking the cream formula. On the other hand, if you are good at contouring and prefer more of defined makeup look, then powder formulas should be your go to option. We hope this guide has helped you choose the perfect contour for yourself.

Can powder be used as contour? ›

There's a reason powder contouring has a cult-like following. It is super easy to apply so whether you're a contour beginner or a seasoned pro, you'll be able to create a defined look. Powder contour also lends itself to a more natural, yes-I-really-am-this-snatched look which is perfect for everyday makeup.

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