Unlike contour palettes or pigments, contour sticks take the guesswork out of achieving a sculpted makeup look. They add definition to the face with as little as a simple swipe or two of product along the jawline, hollows of the cheeks, or on the temples—all you have to do is blend. Here, we spoke with NYC-based makeup artist Jonet Williamson about what to look for when choosing a contour stick, plus the best 12 contour sticks to try, whether you're a beginner, intermediate, or expert.
Our top 12 contour sticks, at a glance:
- Best overall: Makeup by Mario SoftSculpt Shaping Stick, $32
- Best for beginners: Rare Beauty Warm Wishes Effortless Bronzer Stick, $26
- Best matte finish: Milk Makeup Sculpt Cream Contour Stick, $24
- Best for deep skin tones: Fenty Beauty Match Stix Matte Contour Skinstick, $32
- Best budget: E.l.f. Beauty Halo Glow Contour Beauty Wand, $9
- Best blendable: MERIT Bronze Balm Sheer Bronzer Stick, $30
- Best clean formula: LYS No Limits Cream Bronzer and Contour Stick, $20
- Best drugstore: NYX Professional Makeup Wonder Contour and Highlighter Stick, $14
- Best for sculpting: Em Cosmetics So Soft Bronze + Sculpt Stick, $30
- Best natural finish: Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Contour Wand, $42
- Best splurge: Westman Atelier Face Trace Cream Contour Stick, $48
- Best with SPF: Ciele Sculpt & Protect SPF 30+ Bronzing Contour Stick, $34
How to choose a contour stick
Williamson says there are a few factors to consider when shopping for a contour stick, and it all comes down to choosing the right shade and consistency. This will ensure that your contour doesn't read too dark, too light, or too warm. Here's what to look for:
The shade
Williamson recommends going two to three shades deeper than the typical foundation shade you'd use when adding contour. For a more natural look, she recommends underpainting: "Use what's left in your foundation brush to go over the areas where you've contoured lightly," she says.
For deep skin tones, Williamson recommends reinforcing the look of a shadow vs. just simply contouring with a darker shade. "Because deeper skin reflects more light, pairing your contour stick with a powder contour yields the best results," she says. To do this, she recommends adding a matte contour powder on top after you've applied your cream contour stick for a more defined, shape-shifting effect.
The undertone
"When shopping for a contour stick, make sure that the undertone is cool or neutral," Williamson says. She explains that if it's more warm-toned, it will read like a cream bronzer, which won't sculpt your look the way a contour product will and might read too orange or red.
The finish
Based on your skin type, you should opt for a contour stick that's more matte if you have oily skin or more balmy if you have dry skin. Williamson also says that, generally, less is more when it comes to contouring. "Add contour gradually vs. applying a lot and having to blend it out—this can end up looking muddy," she says.
How to use a contour stick
A contour stick makes it easy to map out exactly where you want to contour, making this format more appealing than a contour palette, which can sometimes render too much pigment or leave brush streaks behind.
As far as placement goes, Williamson recommends applying a swipe of the stick onto any areas where you'd like to create the illusion of a more chiseled face—like the hollows of the cheek, jawline, sides of the nose, or crease of the eye. "From there, you'll want to use a tapered brush with a medium firmness to blend out your contour in tapping motions," she says. Once blended in, you'll be left with a more sculpted and defined finished face.
Shop the 12 best contour sticks
If a sculpted finish is your goal, try this shaping stick that comes in seven shades. It has a creamy, blendable, and buildable formula that adds natural depth to your skin. It also comes with a dual-ended brush to help buff out your contour in a few swipes, which makes it best overall in our book.
Shades: 7
Pros:
- Sculpted finish
- Vegan and cruelty-free
Cons:
- Users report difficulty with the twist-up packaging
If this is your first foray into contouring, let this warm bronzer stick be your guide. It comes in seven shades and glides on effortlessly without too much or too little pigment, making it user-friendly and easy to customize. Pro tip: Since this one is traditionally a bronzer stick, we recommend contouring it with cool-toned shades in the range, like Bright Side, Happy Sol, Good Energy, and On the Horizon.
Shades: 7
Pros:
- Buildable
- Creamy formula
- Vegan and cruelty-free
Cons:
- Some users report that the formula dries up
A matte contour stick can add major depth to your look, which is why we love this cream contour formula that comes in four shades for fair, medium, and deep skin tones. It adds dimension to the face and can help you nail a natural, yet sculpted finish.
Shades: 4
Pros:
- Creamy formula
- Vegan and cruelty-free
Cons:
- Users report difficulty with the twist-up packaging
There’s a good reason this Match Stix contour stick is a crowd-favorite: its wide shade range captures a myriad of undertones and depth, especially for deeper skin tones. Williamson also recommends this contour stick thanks to its creamy consistency and pigmented finish.
Shades: 9
Pros:
- Wide shade range
- Suitable for deep skin tones
- Lightweight and buildable
Cons:
- Some users share that the pigment is difficult to blend
This contour wand gives you quite the bang for your buck: it comes in five shades and has a sponge-tip applicator that makes contouring a breeze. This formula also gives you a radiant, dewy finish thanks to 2% squalane.
Shades: 5
Pros:
- Sponge tip applicator makes it easy to use
- Radiant finish
- Vegan and cruelty-free
Cons:
- Not a traditional stick
For a more subtle contour, try this bronzer balm stick. It’s extremely buildable and goes on sheer, so you can opt for a hint of depth with one swipe or multiple for a more defined look.
Shades: 5
Pros:
- Sheer and buildable
- Vegan and cruelty-free
Cons:
- The finish is quite dewy, which might not be suitable for oily skin types
We love this stick for its clean, buildable formula with a slew of moisturizing and protective ingredients like rosehip oil, green tea extract, and sodium hyaluronate. It comes in seven contour shades with various undertones and skin tones in mind and will give you a distinguishable glow.
Shades: 7
Pros:
- Antioxidant-rich
- Vegan and cruelty-free
Cons:
- Users report that the shades can read a little too orange
Apply your contour and highlight with this drugstore pick in just a few swipes. It comes in eight shades and will give you a lifted, radiant, and defined finish. The dual-ended nature of this stick is a huge plus for application on the go, too.
Shades: 8
Pros:
- Dual-ended stick
- Vegan and cruelty-free
Cons:
- Under $20
Williamson loves this bronzing and sculpting stick that comes in four hues. The lush formula glides onto the skin without skipping or smudging, leaving behind a good amount of pigment that will sculpt your face to a defined contour. We also love that it has squalane and vitamin E to nourish and protect the skin.
Shades: 4
Pros:
- Sculpted finish
- Vegan and cruelty-free
Cons:
- It’s not as long-lasting as other contour products
For a natural contour, opt for this wand, which will give you a radiant finish. Its cushion sponge tip makes application seamless, and its lightweight formula makes the skin look dewy and fresh but never shiny.
Shades: 2
Pros:
- Cushion applicator
- Cruelty-free
Cons:
- Only comes in 2 shades
If you contour every day and want to splurge on your next stick, try this cream contour formula. It has a luxurious combination of jojoba seed oil, raspberry leaf stem extract, and kaolin clay, which boosts skin hydration and gives you a natural, healthy-looking, and defined glow.
Shades: 3
Pros:
- Moisturizing and skin-friendly
- Gluten-free and cruelty-free
Cons:
- Pricey
For a contour stick with SPF protection that you can wear with or without foundation, we love this formula with SPF 30. It also contains vitamin E plus bisabolol to keep the skin looking nourished, and it comes in four shades that will sculpt and define your complexion.
Shades: 4
Pros:
- Contains SPF
- Gluten-free and cruelty-free
Cons:
- The formula is a bit waxy
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