14 Best Drugstore Contours to Get the Perfectly Sculpted Look

Written by Sayantani Deb, Makeup & Beauty Writer
Updated on Mar 08, 2024
Drugstore Contours to Get the Perfectly Sculpted Look
The products curated for this article are independently chosen by the editorial team. If you make a purchase through the links mentioned below, we may receive a commission. Check out our product research & curation process

Contouring has become an integral part of our makeup game all thanks to the Kardashians! The finish, formula, texture, and affordability of these  best drugstore contours will have you swooning over it just like the rest of the beauty industry. The trending sculpted jawlines, beyond-perfect cheekbones, and sharp noses have made us look for quick hacks to get the coveted sculpted look. However, it is not always how we do it, but what helps us in achieving the desired result.

“Makeup is the finishing touch, the final accessory,” according to the celebrity makeup artist Marc Jacobs. It is an easy ball game when you understand that contouring is nothing but sculpting the areas of your face that create a shadow when you are under the light. These contour products are your doorway to getting a flawless and sculpted face.

14 Best Drugstore Contours

Welcome this influencers’ favorite kit to your stash and thank us for introducing this versatile contour product! The all-in-one kit contains 3 highlighter shades and 3 contour shades to take care of your sculpting and illuminating game single-handedly. Both cool and warm-toned brown shades can be applied as contour and bronzer to give your face definition and warmth at the same time. In short, this product is a one-time investment that will take care of your makeup game without much hassle.

Pros
  • All-in-one
  • Smooth formula
  • Compact packaging
  • Premium ingredients
  • Richly pigmented
  • Blends easily
Cons
  • Packaging could be sturdy

Quick Tip

You can use softer colors to get a more delicate finish. Use the tip of your fingers to dab it on your skin to blend well and get a gentle, dewy finish.

  • Makeup Revolution Ultra Cream Contour Palette

    Makeup Revolution Ultra Cream Contour Palette
  • The Ultra Cream Contour product provides an illusion of chiseled jaws, defined cheekbones, and a lifted face with its highly pigmented colors. With a smooth consistency, the product ensures an effortless blending to give you a flawless appearance. From a peachy tone to a yellow hue, the product cancels out pigmentation and brightens up your face along with giving it a sculpted dimension that the beauty industry is currently going gaga over for.

    Pros
    • Vegan-friendly
    • Effortless blending
    • Enhances beauty
    • Smooth consistency
    • Cruelty-free
    • PETA-approved
    Cons
    • Could be more pigmented
  • L'Oréal Paris Infallible Pro Contour Palette

    L'Oréal Paris Infallible Pro Contour Palette
  • The cutesy packaging along with two blendable shades is enough to make you fall in love with the classic product! With a pro-contour brush, the product claims to define your features with a professional touch. The drug store contour product ensures a perfectly sculpted look along with enhancing the most prominent features of your face in the quickest possible way! It comes with a highly blendable formula that allows you to build the product until you get the coveted result.

    Pros
    • Blendable
    • Buildable
    • Quick result
    • Comes with an applicator
    • Affordable
    • Travel-friendly
    Cons
    • Packaging could be better
  • PETA Approved

    NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP Highlight & Contour Pro Palette

    NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP Highlight & Contour Pro Palette
  • The Highlight and Contour Pro Palette comes with 8 assorted shades of highlighter and contour to provide you with a sculpted face like the celebrities you adore. The set has refillable powdery products that you can mix and match to achieve your desired shade. With a cruelty-free tag, the brand boasts of delivering PETA-approved products for mindful makeup lovers. The blendable shades are the best options to illuminate, accentuate, and define your face with a matte finish in the most hassle-free way!

    Pros
    • All-in-one
    • Blendable
    • Buildable
    • Cruelty-free
    • Customizable
    • PETA-approved
    Cons
    • Not sturdy
  • Easy-to-carry

    Wet n Wild MegaGlo Makeup Stick Contour

    Wet n Wild MegaGlo Makeup Stick Contour
  • Wet n Wild MegaGlo Makeup Stick Contour is one of the top-rated drugstore contour sticks that make your contouring game stronger than before! The smooth consistency and cream formula is what you require to make your cheekbones sharp in just one swipe. The portable feature makes it a great product to carry and keeps you camera-ready in less than a minute! Last but not least, the stick is available in conceal, blush, and strobe shades to take care of your overall makeup need.

    Pros
    • Easy-to-carry
    • Handy packaging
    • Blendable
    • Creamy
    • Versatile range
    • Ergonomic design
    Cons
    • Could be more long-lasting

    Quick Tip

    Use your fingertips instead of a blender to ensure it gives a natural-looking shadow. It's easier to achieve a chiseled jaw and defined nose in mere seconds.

  • Aesthetica Cosmetics Cream Contour and Highlighting Makeup

    Aesthetica Cosmetics Cream Contour and Highlighting Makeup
  • Aesthetica comes with 6 creamy blendable shades that are perfect for your everyday sculpting needs. With buildable formula, the range of shades allows you to opt for your personalized shade to help you get your coveted look. The travel-friendly drugstore contour kit features a sleek mirrored palette which is great for on-the-go touch-ups whenever required. Each shade has an incredible color payoff that lasts all day. The removable and refillable pans are another added benefit that you should consider before eyeing the product.

    Pros
    • Travel-friendly
    • Airbrush effect
    • Blendable
    • Buildable
    • Vegan-friendly
    • Cruelty-free
    Cons
    • Quite greasy
  • Refillable Palette

    Youngfocus Cosmetics Cream Contour and Highlighting Makeup Kit

    Youngfocus Cosmetics Cream Contour and Highlighting Makeup Kit
  • This uniquely and innovatively designed makeup kit comes with 8 blendable shades that cater to more than contouring needs. With 4 contour shades and 4 highlighter shades, the product takes care of your sculpting needs single-handedly! The wide range of shades allows you to enhance your features by mixing and matching the shades according to your skin color! It has a compact design with refillable, and removable options which is another added benefit, to say the least! Not to miss, the hypoallergenic formula suits people with sensitive skin types.

    Pros
    • Uniquely designed
    • Removable
    • Refillable
    • Long-lasting
    • Travel-friendly
    • Hypoallergenic
    Cons
    • Could be more blendable
  • e.l.f. Cream Contour Palette

    e.l.f. Cream Contour Palette
  • The proud cruelty-free and vegan-friendly brand boasts of delivering a revolutionary cream contour palette that consists of 4 shades to sculpt and enhance your natural facial features. This is one of the best contour palettes available in the market that definitely deserve a place on your stash to make your contour journey smoother. Made with skin-loving ingredients, the palette has a sleek and travel-friendly design that you can carry along with you as you please!

    Pros
    • Blendable formula
    • Cruelty-free
    • Vegan-friendly
    • Travel-friendly
    • All-in-one
    • Skin-friendly ingredients
    Cons
    • Not available in a wide range of shades
  • FOCALLURE 2 Pcs Contour Foundation Stick

    FOCALLURE 2 Pcs Contour Foundation Stick
  • This set of 2 highlighters and contour products from FOCALLURE is available in a range of shades that claim to be more waterproof and long-lasting than competitor products! It has a creamy formula that glides smoothly over the face for a lustrous sculpting look. With a non-greasy formula, the professional set of makeup lasts for hours to give you the coveted finish that you browse through Instagram! The travel-friendly packaging is another benefit that needs special mention.

    Pros
    • Waterproof
    • Long-lasting
    • Non-greasy
    • Travel-friendly
    • Glides smoothly
    • Blendable
    Cons
    • Quite tiny
  • Paraben-free

    Elizabeth Mott Bronzer Contour Kit & Highlighting Powder

    Elizabeth Mott Bronzer Contour Kit & Highlighting Powder
  • With a super-soft and fine formula, the kit offers a seamless finish that defines your cheekbones, jawline, and forehead! The packaging consists of 3 powder highlighters and 3 contour shades that sculpt your face and brighten it at the same time. It boasts a cruelty-free and paraben-free formula that is best for your health and environment at the same time. The universal shades are another plus point that works for most of the skin irrespective of the color!

    Pros
    • Blendable
    • Buildable
    • Cruelty-free
    • Paraben-free
    • Premium ingredients
    • Easy-to-use
    Cons
    • Packaging could be sturdy
  • Premium Ingredients

    Smashbox Step-By-Step Contour Kit

    Smashbox Step-By-Step Contour Kit
  • Contouring is now a piece of cake for you even if you are a beginner! Sharpen up the bridge of your nose, define the cheekbones, and perfect your jawline with this trio set that features a bronze shade, a highlight shade, and a contour shade. Not to miss, the palette comes with a contour brush to ease your sculpting game even more! The products blend like a dream to provide you with the coveted finish that you've been dreaming of. Getting a sculpted face like a runway model is now that easy!

    Pros
    • Blendable
    • Buildable
    • All-in-one set
    • Contains a brush
    • Premium ingredients
    • Easy-to-use
    Cons
    • The brush quality could be better
  • Profusion Cosmetics Mini Artistry Highlight & Contour

    Profusion Cosmetics Mini Artistry Highlight & Contour
  • This drugstore contour product contains 6 different colors to serve various purposes. From highlighting to contouring, you are getting everything together without spending much! The palette consists of 6 skin-friendly products featuring shimmery highlighters and cool-toned contours for every possible skin tone. With hypoallergenic formula, the product promises a great experience without infusing nasty ingredients into your skin. Emphasize your prominent features by giving yourself an ultra-defined look that doesn’t come at the cost of harming your skin or the environment.

    Pros
    • Best for professionals
    • All-in-one kit
    • Cruelty-free
    • Hypoallergenic
    • Skin-friendly ingredients
    • Ultra-definition
    Cons
    • Not sturdy packaging
  • NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP Wonder Stick

    NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP Wonder Stick
  • Make your contouring journey easy peasy with this NYX Wonder Stick that has dual ends to serve both purposes. The dynamic duo single-handedly sculpts your face and highlights it at the same time to provide you with a flawless definition. It has a blendable formula packed with skin-friendly and PETA-approved ingredients to make your makeup journey clean and smooth. With ergonomic packaging, it allows you to hold the product with a firm grip for total control.

    Pros
    • Blendable
    • Cruelty-free
    • Buildable
    • Travel-friendly
    • PETA approved
    • Creamy formula
    Cons
    • Could be more pigmented
  • Smashbox The Cali Contour ShapeBronzeGlow Pallet

    Smashbox The Cali Contour ShapeBronzeGlow Pallet
  • Being called a 'laid-back' makeup palette, this product from Smashbox contains 6 well-pigmented shades with two best-selling contour shades that blend like a dream. The other shades, highlighter, and blush, from the palette effortlessly give a touch of warmth and glow to give you the perfect sun-kissed warmth. The palette has 3 mattes, 2 highlighters, and one blusher to make your experience top-notch. Furthermore, the products are formulated without nasty ingredients like phthalates, parabens, and fragrances to take great care of your skin.

    Pros
    • Blendable
    • All-in-one
    • Buildable
    • Paraben-free
    • Phthalates-free
    • Versatile shades
    Cons
    • Expensive

    What to Consider When Buying Drugstore Contours?

    a) Formula- The formula depends on the skin type you have or your makeup skill! If you are a beginner, a powder contour is the best for you as it gives you a hold on your product. Powder product works exceedingly well for oily skin people. Similarly, if you have dry skin, and you are already a pro at makeup, a cream-based contour is what you should grab!

    b) Skin tone- In order to pick the right shade for you, take your foundation as an example! Your contour shade should always be two-toned darker than your skin tone to give you a natural flawless. Anything beyond that will look unnatural.

    c) Undertone- Make sure the product you are investing in has a cool undertone! Brown shades with warm undertones work great as bronzers. Contour shades generally have a cool ashy tone to create a shade right where it requires.

    d) Blendabilty- The blending game needs to be stronger than you can imagine! And it not only requires your skill but also the texture of the product. Pick a product that has a creamy texture and blends seamlessly without giving a cringe effect!

    Pro Tip

    Depending on the occasion and season, oscillate between powder and cream contour. Powder works better on oily skin during summer, whereas cream works better on dry skin.

    How to Use Drugstore Contour?

    a) First thing first, apply a face primer before starting your makeup.

    b) Take your color correctors if needed and blend them before proceeding with your foundation.

    c) Now, take your foundation and apply all over the face and blend it well.

    d) After you are done, take your cream contour and apply it right above the hollows of your cheeks, below your jawline, under your hairline, and on the sides of the bridge of your nose, and blend them outward of your face.

    e) The best method is to stand under a light to see the parts of your face that create a shadow to identify the right places where you need to apply the contour.

    f) After you apply concealer and setting powder, now, take the powder contour, and apply it to the same places in the same direction to set the contour and make it long-lasting.

    g) Finish off with a blusher and highlighter to seal the deal.

    These best drugstore contours are here to help you achieve the flawlessly sculpted face that you have been bookmarking for so long! They are affordable, blend like a dream, and come with a super buildable formula to help you with getting your desired finish that you see only on Pinterest! So, which one is making its way to the cart today?

    FAQ's

    What can I use as a contour product?
    There are multiple options available in the market. From contour powder to contour stick to liquid contour, you can use any product according to your convenience.
    Is a contour stick or powder better?
    It depends on your preference and skin type. If you have oily skin, it is better to use a powder contour. On the other hand, if you have dry skin, your pick should be more towards a creamier side aka a contour stick.
    Should your contour be darker or lighter?
    It depends on the skin tone. If you have a darker skin tone, you will require a darker contour. Similarly, if you have a lighter skin tone, a lighter contour is required. The key is to opt for a contour that istwo-tonedd darker than your skin tone.
    Do you put foundation on before contouring?
    Cream contouring can be applied underneath your foundation with sheer coverage for an appearance of a naturally sculpted look. However, powder foundation should always be applied over the base when it is set properly.
    How do I find the right contour shade?
    Go for a contour shade that is two-toned darker than your foundation shade to achieve a flawless and naturally sculpted look.
    What type of foundation should you use for contouring?
    You can use powder-based or cream-based foundation according to your choice or skin type. However, if you are applying a powder-based contour, make sure you have set the foundation base with a setting powder before going for contouring. For stick or cream contours, you should always apply it right on top of the foundation for ease of blending.

    Why Trust Pinkvilla

    Our makeup expert, Sayantani, suggests using drugstore contours to add definition to your face and get a flawless makeup look. Sayantani researched various contours to find the one that has a smooth and gentle formula and blends easily. After lots of trial and error, she found a product that meets everybody's requirements without being heavy on the pocket. Elizabeth Mott Bronzer Contour Kit & Highlighting Powder offers a seamless finish and sculpts your face effortlessly. Plus, its paraben-free and cruelty-free formula makes it suitable for everyday use.

    Author BIO
    reviewer
    Sayantani Deb
    Makeup & Beauty Writer

    Sayantani is a certified hair and makeup professional turned writer with 2+ years of experience in the same genre. Ap More