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We created the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval to help you find the very best products for your life. We use our unique methodology to test products in three labs across the country and with our network of home testers to determine their effectiveness, durability, ease of use, and so much more. Based on the results, we rate and recommend products so you can find the right one for your needs.

Danessa Myricks Beauty Groundwork: Defining Neutrals Palette
"You can emphasize features, make them appear smaller or larger, and even create the illusion of a totally different facial structure," she says. Thanks to celebrities like Kim Kardashian, we've learned that contouring can alter your face, just by some shading. With the right contouring products, you can instantly help your face appear to be more three-dimensional, as New York City-based makeup artist Benjamin Puckey tells Allure. People have been contouring their faces since the 16th century, then drag queens took the art form to another level in the 80s, but it wasn't mainstream until the Kardashian era (around the 2010s). You can sculpt your cheekbones and make your face appear narrower or shade your upper forehead to draw attention down to your eyes. Contour kits can even make your nose look straighter, define your jawline, or create the illusion of a longer neck.
CoverGirl TruBlend Contour Palette
Unfortunately, the darkest hue included just isn’t dark enough for dark skin tones. However, the stellar results, especially for the price, make this palette a strong option for those with light and medium skin tones. The Patrick Ta Major Sculpt Creme Contour & Powder Bronzer Duo is a favorite of senior commerce writer Angela Trakoshis.
Powder Contour
However, the versatile contour kit can be used for light everyday makeup, a beachy sun-kissed effect, or a noticeably chiseled, full-glam look. The shade our tester tried was perfect for her skin tone, mimicking the look of a shadow rather than leaning muddy or orange. Though it dried down fast, it was incredibly easy to blend out and build if you worked quickly, whether with fingers, a sponge, or a brush. The compact we tested (Intensity 1.0) features a bronzy-brown contour shade and an eggshell highlighter flecked with micro glitter. If your goal is natural-looking radiance over a true highlight, then this is the contour kit to try.
Each buttery pan applied beautifully with a brush, delivering a naturally sculpted look with a few light strokes and a deeper, more dramatic effect with a heavier hand. We were a little nervous about the brown colors leaving noticeable lines, but the shades complemented our skin tones without looking orange or muddy. The cream didn't seem to sink into our pores, either, but rather blurred them, and the finished look was smooth and natural. The contour colors are buildable, however, since there's only one shade option, those with deeper skin tones might want a more pigmented formula. After applying the products over foundation, buffing, and building as needed, and taking before-and-after photos, we evaluated each based on skin type compatibility, texture, pigment, blendability, and final results. We also spoke with professional makeup artists to help us narrow down the top performers to these 15 that will give you a truly enviable sculpted look.
"With just one swipe, it really mimics a shadow, making your cheekbones appear naturally sharp," she says. Another favorite for Grogan is Tom Ford's Shade & Illuminate Cream Contour Duo. "I love this one because it comes in four shades, so there's more than just one option," she says. Not to mention, this cream blends out seamlessly for a natural-looking sculpt. Contour with ease using Too Faced's Born This Way Super Coverage Multi-Use Sculpting Concealer. Its full-coverage, long-wearing formula — which lasts up to 12 hours and comes in nearly 40 shades — is both oil-free and noncomedogenic, making it a solid choice for acne-prone skin.
PILLOW TALK MAKEUP BAGLIMITED EDITION MAKEUP BAG
As you get more comfortable, you can mix colors or use lighter or darker shades for different areas of your face. The palette helpfully offers cool and warm counterparts to cater to different undertones. And since the creams are super pigmented, you don’t need a lot of product to achieve Hollywood-level contour. When applied lightly, our tester achieved a glamorous sculpt that left her skin with Instagram-filter results IRL.
The Tried And Tested Contour Products That Work On All Skin Tones - ELLE UK
The Tried And Tested Contour Products That Work On All Skin Tones.
Posted: Mon, 25 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
CHARLOTTE’S SPA-LIKE RADIANCE SKINCARE SETSKINCARE KIT
Many shades can be worn as either a highlighter or blush, each blending effortlessly into skin. The wands are formulated with hydrating glycerin and smoothing silica to keep the skin looking and feeling its healthiest, per the brand. It's exceptionally easy to apply and appeals to those of us partial to a pared-down makeup routine with minimal products, tools, and steps. The cream formula had a smooth texture that glided on effortlessly and didn't look or feel heavy. While both cream and powder products work well with mature skin, certain formulas work harder to smooth over fine lines and wrinkles.

While the cream formula didn't feel greasy, it seemed to sink into our pores a bit, so it might not be ideal for oily complexions or those battling blackheads. We loved how this finely milled, pressed powder didn't look like powder at all on the skin. It had a lightweight feel and a smooth finish, even after applying multiple layers over uneven texture and post-acne scars.
Luckily, contour kits have everything you need (except maybe a brush and a blender sponge) to achieve a lifted, sculpted look. That said, makeup artist Amanda Benko stresses the importance of contour kit formuation. Including matte highlight and contour shades as well as two shimmer options, this palette from Smashbox plays the full glam game well. No matter which shade we went for, each swipe was pigmented and smooth, dusting over imperfections and smoothing fine lines.
"If it dries down too quickly, it might not be the right product for you," she tells Allure. Makeup artist Amrita Mehta, who is based in both New York and California, echoes Gabbay's sentiments on bendability. Since it's so easy to use, we think the duo is ideal for people who don't wear makeup every day.
While Smashbox's Step-By-Step Contour Kit only comes in Light/Medium and Medium/Dark colorways, the contour shades are highly pigmented and work for most skin tones. Plus, the highlighter shade in the palette is ideal for brightening and setting your undereyes. The KVD Beauty Shade + Light Refillable Face Contour Palette comes with six matte shades—three for highlighting and three for contouring. New York City-based makeup artist Krystal Vigo loves this pick because you can pop out the empty pans once emptied and replenish them (for $16 a pop), in lieu of replacing the entire palette. According to Kaye, the Tarte Shape Tape Concealer, which is also an Allure editor favorite and three-time Readers' Choice Award winner, doubles as an excellent liquid contour to finish off any makeup look. Additionally, she says, the best way to determine this is to test the product on the back of your hand.
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