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Byrdie / Chloe Jeong Contouring has evolved since its debut on our Instagram feeds in the early 2010s. Now you don’t have to settle for a painted-on look: A number of brands are offering contouring formulas with subtle color payoff and buildable textures that let you work the product up to your desired level of coverage. These light to deep brown products can do more than just carve out your cheeks. “Contouring can make you look more awake, hide early morning puffiness, lift the face, soften your bone structure, or make you look more chiseled,” says celebrity makeup artist Andrew Sotomayor. The beauty of cream contour products is the believable finish they impart. Powder formulas tend to mattify your complexion, whereas cream ones mimic the texture of your skin, creating believable shadows wherever you blend them. With a cream contour palette, you have everything you need for good definition in one place. We conducted hours of research on the best cream contour palettes, evaluating them on the number of shades, pigment level, and skin feel. We also took into account any skin concerns and how the contour formula affects different skin types. After consulting with a makeup artist, we landed on the following best in show. Ahead, find the best cream contour palettes to sculpt your face. Ulta Beauty What We Like
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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. Number of shades: 1| Size: 0.42 ounces | Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty Free: Yes Amazon What We Like
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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. Number of shades: 3| Size: 0.28 ounces| Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty Free: Yes Ulta Beauty What We Like
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Despite the ultra-affordable 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. Number of shades: 1| Size: 0.43 ounces| Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty Free: Yes Sephora What We Like
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Former Byrdie Editorial Director Faith Xue vouches 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: 3 | Size: 0.49 ounces| Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty Free: No Bluemercury What We Like
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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: 2 | Size: 8 grams each| Byrdie Clean: Yes | Cruelty Free: Yes Sephora What We Like
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“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,” he adds. 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 two contour hues, neither of which is too dark, a highlight shade, and even a blush color, 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: 2 | Size: 0.25 ounces | Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty
Free: No Patrick Ta What We Like
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There are three 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: 0.25 ounces| Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty
Free: Yes Amazon What We Like
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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. Number of shades: 2 | Size: 0.26 ounces| Byrdie Clean: Yes | Cruelty Free: Yes Sephora What We Like
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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. Number of shades: 1 | Size: 0.66 ounces| Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty Free: Yes Sephora What We Like
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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. Number of shades: 2 | Size: 0.88 ounces | Byrdie Clean: Yes | Cruelty Free: Yes Anastasia Beverly Hills What We Like
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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 choice: “It’s surprisingly sheer and looks incredibly natural on the skin,” says celebrity makeup artist Bryan 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: 4| Size: 0.32 ounces| Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty Free: Yes Kohl's What We Like
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Cantor says this is one of his favorite contouring products: “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.) Number of shades: 6 | Size: 0.37 ounces| Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty Free: Yes Sephora What We Like
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This limited-edition palette is for those who like barely-there definition. The shades deliver a sheer, watercolor-like finish on your skin, but you can easily build up the pigment for a medium coverage finish. Each color in the pan glistens on your skin (the formula contains shea butter and avocado oil), and you can choose from four blush shades, from peach to soft mauve. Number of shades: 1| Size: 0.04 ounces| Byrdie Clean: Yes | Cruelty Free: Yes REVOLVE What We Like
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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. Number of shades: 8| Size: 0.3 ounces | Byrdie Clean: Yes | Cruelty Free: Yes Amazon What We Like
What We Don't Like
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: 0.05 ounces| Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty Free: Yes Final VerdictIconic London Multi-Use Sculpting Palette is everything a cream contour palette should be: The pigments work to conceal and define your complexion, and they’re buildable and easy to layer with blush and highlighter. The texture diffuses easily onto your skin, so you won’t have to worry about splotches. CoverGirl TruBlend Contour Palette in Medium is our runner-up; the included shades were created in collaboration with legendary makeup artist Pat McGrath. Meet the Expert
What to Look for in a Cream Contour PaletteShade RangeLarger shade ranges are preferable, as you’ll have an easier time finding a color that’s just right. More color options also let you switch between shades if you get noticeably fairer during winter months. Blush A successful contour look relies on blush for a realistic lifting effect. Palettes that include blush are a no-brainer, all-in-one choice, as the shades are designed to complement the included contour shades. Gray UndertonesAccording to Cantor, you want these types of cooler tones in a contouring product. “If they’re too warm, your skin will end up looking dirty rather than contoured,” he explains. Long-Lasting ClaimsIdeally, you want a contour product that has some good staying power, says Cantor, as if it ends up melting off your face, it can create a messy, muddy look. FAQ
How We ResearchedTo compile this list, our team of editors and contributors spent hours researching the best products on the market in this category, evaluating their key features—like ingredients, shade range, or design—in addition to reviews from customers and other trusted sources. We then used this research to assign a star rating from one to five (five being the best; one being the worst) to certain products on the list. Why Trust Byrdie?
Claire Sullivan is a freelance beauty writer based in New York City. She spent six years at Martha Stewart Living and Martha Stewart Weddings, most recently writing and editing beauty content for both brands. Claire tested a number of products on this list, with her favorites being the Iconic London Multi-Use Sculpting Palette and
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