The 14 Best Contour Kits of 2023

Believe it or not, people have been contouring their faces since the sixteenth century, but we can all agree it wasn't mainstream until the Kardashian era (which is to say, sometime around 2012). In any case, the makeup technique is truly a game-changer. You can sculpt your cheekbones and make your face appear narrower or shade your upper-forehead to draw attention down to your eyes. You can make your nose look straighter, define your jawline, or create the illusion of a longer neck. The possibilities are endless—that is, if you're equipped with the right products. Luckily, contour kits come with everything you need (except maybe a brush and a blender sponge) to achieve the lifted, sculpted look you're going for.

We appreciate options with multiple shades, allowing you to blend colors for a customized effect. Many also come with a highlighter color, which is key to creating a pro-level dimension. "When I look for a contour palette, I make sure it is suitable to use on a wide range of skin tones, first and foremost. I also think the formulation is very important. For example, I like my contour to be pigmented and blendable," says Vancouver-based makeup artist Amanda Benko.

To find the best contour kits available today, we conducted hours of research—evaluating top-rated picks based on their shade range, feel, and finish. After consulting experts for their picks and considering dozens of options, we landed on this list to give you the best in show.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

Lorac PRO Conceal & Contour Palette at Lorac.com

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Best Budget:

e.l.f. Cosmetics Cream Contour Palette

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Best Drugstore:

L'Oréal Paris Infallible Contour Kit at Amazon

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Best Cream:

Fenty Beauty Match Stix Trio at Amazon

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Best Powder:

Anastasia Beverly Hills Powder Contour Kit

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Best Multitasker:

Morphe 8R That's Rich Complexion Pro Face Palette at Ulta

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Best for Dark Skin:

Danessa Myricks Cream Palette Essentials at Beautylish.com

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Runner-Up, Best for Dark Skin:

UOMA BEAUTY High Life Highlighting & Contour Face Palette at Nordstrom

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Best for Medium Skin:

Beauty Bakerie Mini Contour Palette at Amazon

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Best for Olive Skin:

Charlotte Tilbury Bronze & Glow Contour Duo at Amazon

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In This Article

Our Picks
Final Verdict
What to Look For
Why Trust Byrdie

4.5

Lorac

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What We Like

Easy to apply
Blends well
Looks very natural

What We Don't Like

Not long-lasting

Sliding into the number one slot, we've got the Lorac PRO Contour Palette. Developed by celeb makeup artist Carol Shaw, this brilliant kit has three matte contour shades, two matte highlighters, and a shimmery illuminator. The ultra-pigmented powder is velvety-soft and totally blendable, going on smooth and staying in place for hours. Unlike most other contour kits, this palette even comes with a domed brush for precise application and a natural-looking finish.

Price at time of publish: $45

Size: 0.8 oz. | Shades: 12 | Pieces: 9 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Amazon

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What We Like

Vegan
Good pigmentation
Long-lasting

What We Don't Like

Won't compliment all skin tones

On a budget? No problem. This powder palette by e.l.f. comes with four show-stopping hues you can mix, match, blend, and build for a perfectly defined look. You'll get two contour shades and two highlighters for sculpting and emphasizing your best features.

Price at time of publish: $9

Size: 0.43 oz. | Shades: 4 | Pieces: 1 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

L'OrÃ©al Paris Infallible Total Cover Concealing & Contour Kit

Amazon

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What We Like

Pigment-rich
Covers the most stubborn imperfections
Quick to apply

What We Don't Like

Looks orange on lighter skin

High-quality contouring products aren't something you can only get at luxury makeup counters— and this drugstore pick by L'Oreal Paris is proof. It has four creamy shades for concealing imperfections, evening out skin tone, defining your bone structure, and highlighting your cupid's bow, brow bones, nose, and temples.

Price at time of publish: $16

Size: 0.17 oz. | Shades: 4 | Pieces: 1 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

4.2

Amazon

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Fenty Beauty’s Match Stix Trio Gave Me a 3-in-1 Glow Up

What We Like

Light-as-air
Easy to use
For all skin tones

What We Don't Like

Not much product within the kit

If you like cream formulas, you can't go wrong with Fenty Beauty's Match Stix. The lightweight formula is perfectly buildable and effortlessly blendable, leaving you with a flawless, defined complexion.

This set is available in four shade ranges (deep, tan, medium, and light), each with three colors. You'll get a color-corrector for concealing, a dark shade for contouring, and a shimmery stick for highlighting.

Price at time of publish: $32

Size: 0.25 oz. | Shades: 6 | Pieces: 1 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Anastasia Beverly Hills Powder Contour Kit

Sephora

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What We Like

Removable and refillable
Satiny feel
Easy to blend

What We Don't Like

Wears off easily

If you prefer powders, we recommend this silky-smooth blendable palette from Anastasia Beverly Hills. With six stunning shades, you'll have everything you need to nail the illusion of a slimmer nose, a softer jawline, a smaller forehead, or higher cheekbones.

Price at time of publish: $40

Size: 0.66 oz. | Shades: 6 | Pieces: 1 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Morphe

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What We Like

Comes in multiple colorways
Flatters all skin tones
Long-lasting

What We Don't Like

Too glittery for some

For a contour kit that does it all, check out the Dior Backstage Contour Palette. It comes with two blushes, bronzers, and highlighters, as well as a contour and brightening shade. You can use this one palette to do your entire face, and the shades can even be used as eyeshadows for a completed look. The formulas are very pigmented, but they blend easily and leave a natural finish.

Price at time of publish: $26

Size: 1 oz. | Shades: 8 | Pieces: 1 | Cruelty-Free: No

Danessa Myricks Beauty Waterproof Cream Palette Essentials

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What We Like

Waterproof
Highly pigmented
Multiple set options

What We Don't Like

Tends to crease

This cream contour palette from Danessa Myricks is ideal for darker skin tones. It comes in six shades, ranging from deep espresso brown to warm medium beige. The ultra-smooth waterproof formula blends effortlessly for a seamless statuesque look.

Price at time of publish: $36

Size: 4.0 oz. | Shades: 6 | Pieces: 1 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

High Life Highlighting & Contour Face Palette

Nordstrom

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What We Like

Luminous finish
Creamy and blendable texture
Can apply with fingers

What We Don't Like

May look too shiny for oily skin types

If you want a contour kit that's easy to use, will give you a radiant finish, and lasts all day, this pick form Uoma Beauty is the right choice for you. It comes with a sculpting bronzer, a blush, and two highlighter shades that are buildable and have a natural but radiant finish. We love that you can apply with your fingers or a brush, so it's easy to bring on the go.

Price at time of publish: $39

Size: 0.19 oz. | Shades: 4 | Pieces: 1 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Amazon

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What We Like

Travel-friendly
Contour, bronzer, and highlighter in one
Magnetic snap closure

What We Don't Like

Not for sensitive skin

People with medium skin tones should reach for Lemon Bar, Beauty Bakerie's take on the travel-friendly contour palette. With these three beautifully warm colors in your makeup bag, you'll have all the essentials for contouring, highlighting, and bronzing, whether at home or on the go.

Price at time of publish: $18

Size: 0.13 oz. | Shades: 3 | Pieces: 1 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow Contour Duo

Amazon

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What We Like

Sun-kissed finish
Color-rich
Smooth feel

What We Don't Like

Could sculpt a bit stronger

Cool-toned contour colors with slightly golden tints tend to work best for complexions with olive undertones, as warmer hues can end up looking a little muddy. With that said, the deep taupe contour and champagne highlighter found in Filmstar Bronze & Glow create flattering definitions and a dazzling hint of illumination on olive skin tones.

"I would say this is the perfect contour and highlight duo that every woman could use," says Ali. "It's easy, has a satin finish, and is incredibly easy to blend. And the fact that there are only two colors in the palette makes it all so much easier to use."

Price at time of publish: $68

Size: 0.56 oz. | Shades: 2 | Pieces: 1 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Kevyn Aucoin Beauty The Contour Book: The Art Of Sculpting & Defining Volume III

Amazon

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What We Like

Versatile
Long-wearing
Works on various skin types

What We Don't Like

Large container size for some

Cooler hues also work well for those with fair skin, and The Contour Book gets the shades exactly right. "I haven't seen any other palette having that grayish tone that we actually need to contour. This one also has two highlighters and a blush, which I find very practical," says Ali.

Price at time of publish: $59

Size: 0.7 oz | Shades: 6 | Pieces: 1 | Cruelty-Free: No

Ulta

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What We Like

Complexion-enhancing
Contains a built-in mirror
User-friendly instruction guide included

What We Don't Like

Messy in application

If you're a contouring novice, we suggest Smashbox's Step-By-Step Contour Kit. This easy-to-use palette has a deep contour, a bronzer, and a highlighter, all with a complexion-enhancing matte finish. The compact has a built-in mirror and comes with a pro-level blending brush, too.

Price at time of publish: $40

Size: 0.4 oz. | Shades: 3 | Pieces: 2 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Amazon

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What We Like

Incredible payoff
Adds vibrancy
Super-blendable

What We Don't Like

Feels oily to some

This affordable palette by Vodisa comes with 10 of the most common contouring, color-correcting, and highlighting shades. The colors range from deep chestnut to ivory and everything in between. Not only that, but the silky creams are super-blendable and oh-so-smooth.

Price at time of publish: $15

Size: 3.53 oz. | Shades: 10 | Pieces: 1 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Amazon

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What We Like

Looks very natural
Affordable
Soft touch

What We Don't Like

May cause breakouts for some

When you're traveling or just out and about, you'll be glad to have Wet n Wild's pocket-sized contouring compact. With a deeper hue for sculpting and defining and a lighter shade for showcasing your finest features, this little duo is just the thing for creating a flawless look while on the go.

Price at time of publish: $7

Size: 0.44 oz. | Shades: 2 | Pieces: 1 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Final Verdict

For an A+ contour kit that pulls out all the stops, your best bet is the Lorac Pro Contour Palette. Developed by the trusted mind of an experienced celebrity makeup artist, it comes with three stunning matte contour colors, plus three brilliant highlighters and a pro-level brush. However, if you prefer something without a double-digit price tag, we recommend the e.l.f. Cosmetics Contour Palette. With four gorgeous, blendable shades, including two contours and two highlighters, this kit gives high-end palettes a run for their money.

Meet the Expert

Amanda Benko is a makeup artist and makeup influencer based in Vancouver.
Andreea Ali is a Paris-based celebrity makeup artist, whose work has appeared in Vogue and Marie Claire. She also posts makeup tutorials to her YouTube channel, which has over a million followers.

What To Look For In A Contour Kit

Powder vs. cream

"When looking to buy a contour kit, you have to first decide if you want a powder or a cream formula. If you're a beginner, I would suggest you go for powder formula, as it's easier to use," says Ali.

Creams (like the Danessa Myricks Beauty Waterproof Cream Palette) tend to be a little more blendable, and they work well for those with dry skin. However, many powder formulas (such as the Anastasia Beverly Hills Powder Contour Kit) are notably silky and smooth, as they're designed to be both blendable and buildable. Similar to setting your foundation with a powder, some people use a cream formula and then set it with a contour powder.

Shade range

"Typically, contour palettes have around six to eight colors, but unless you're a makeup artist, you don't actually need that many colors to contour and sculpt your face," explains Ali. For beginners and anyone who doesn't want or need the works, she suggests kits with two to four colors—we recommend the Beauty Bakerie Lemon Bar Face Palette or the Smashbox Step-By-Step Contour Kit. That said, palettes with several hues allow you to blend colors to create your perfect shade.

Highlighter component

Contour is the yin to highlighter's yang. In other words, the opposite hues complete each other, making up the two essential components of a pro-level makeup routine. That's why most contour kits come with both deep and light colors.

"The lighter colors in the kit can be used to either brighten and highlight or just to set your makeup in place if it's a powder formula," says Ali. Some palettes have both highlighting shades (which might be matte or shimmery) and color-correctors (usually with more of a yellow or pinkish tint).

Why Trust Byrdie

Commerce writer and Byrdie contributor Theresa Holland has several years of experience covering skincare and makeup products. She learned to contour from The School of YouTube and has been practicing her sculpting and highlighting techniques for the better part of a decade. Theresa's favorites from this list include e.l.f. Cosmetics, Anastasia Beverly Hills, Fenty Beauty, and Wet n Wild.

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