The Best Contour Palettes

Lamora Contour Palette Kit

Contour like a pro

Get selfie-ready with this contour kit that provides you with all the essentials.

Best Overall

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The Lamora Contour Palette Kit is the crème de la crème of contour makeup palettes. This high-end palette comes with four highly pigmented colors that run the gamut from light to medium-dark, all of which offer truly excellent blending ability and all-day staying power. With these powders, you can start softly and slowly build as much as you need to until you get the look you want. This beginner-friendly contouring kit is made from vegan and cruelty-free ingredients, and it also comes with an excellent step-by-step guide. Plus, it’s all packaged in a convenient, sleek carrying case.

Pros:

• Includes four highly pigmented matte colors that accommodate a range of skin tones
• Great for all skin types, from oily to dry
• Vegan and cruelty-free
• Comes with a well-sized magnification mirror
• Excellent value
• Includes a step-by-step guide on how to apply

Cons:

• We wish it were more accommodating for dark skin

NYX Professional Makeup Contour Palette

Contour queen

It's easy to get the sculpted look you crave with this kit.

Runner Up

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Contour like a pro with the NYX Professional Makeup Contour Palette, which makes it super-easy to define and enhance your features. Layer and blend with these eight creamy shades, and then simply refill them when you run out — no need to buy a brand-new kit. The NYX brand is PETA-certified cruelty-free, meaning that none of their products are animal-tested. And the shades are subtle enough for everyday use and can even help to blur and minimize pores, so skin looks pillowy-soft and smooth.

Pros:

• Comes with eight refillable shades rather than the typical four
• May help minimize the appearance of pores
• Cruelty-free
• Great for everyday use

Cons:

• The packaging could be improved

e.l.f. Contour Palette

Make your contour pop

This easy-to-use kit is great for adding depth and lift to your face.

Also Great

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The e.l.f. Contour Palette is more of a combination skincare product and makeup tool than your average contouring palette. This nourishing kit is like a vitamin pack for your face, with a hefty dose of vitamin E and other hydrating ingredients that help to moisturize and soften the skin. With multiple color options, this kit makes it easy to get the shade you want. And this kit is cruelty-free, vegan, and ideal for on-the-go use, thanks to its compact design. We love the affordable price point, too.

Pros:

• Infused with vitamin E, which nourishes the skin
• Shades are easily blendable and customizable
• Compact design is ideal for travel
• Cruelty-free and vegan
• Exceptional value

Cons:

• The highlighting shade is just a touch glittery, which might not be everyone’s taste

Anastasia Contour Kit

A premium pick

This decadent contouring kit is worth every penny.

Best Splurge

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The Anastasia Contour Kit may be a bit of an indulgence, but you truly get what you pay for with this luxe set. This all-in-one contour powder kit contains three highlighter shades and three contour shades in matte and shimmer finishes, so you can achieve the exact look you want. We also love that this kit includes warm and cool shades, so you can more easily match your skin tone throughout the year.

Pros:

• Includes both warm and cool contour shades
• Choose between matte and shimmer highlighter
• Blendable satin finish
• Set is removable and refillable

Cons:

• The price point may be inaccessible for some

Black Radiance Contour Palette

Rich and regal

This kit provides lots of dimension for deeper skin shades.

Best For Dark Skin Tones

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Become a master at contouring with the Black Radiance Contour Palette, which is specifically designed for darker skin tones. Emphasizing and enhancing your features is as easy as 1-2-3 with these oil-free, creamy, perfectly blendable shades. Other than sculpting and lifting your features, the colors in this contour palette provide full coverage, making pores and fine lines appear smoother. This kit is a gorgeous way to contour for skin tones that are too-often neglected in mainstream contour palettes.

Pros:

• Awesome value
• Designed for darker skin tones
• Provides full coverage
• Oil-free, creamy, and very blendable shades

Cons:

• Not as much variety as other contour kits, but many other contour kits come with lighter skin shades only

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I use a contour palette kit?

Contouring is an easy, effective way to highlight your cheekbones and sculpt your jawline, which adds dimension and enhances your features.

How do I choose the right contour shade for my skin?

First, make sure you try multiple colors before deciding on a shade to ensure that you’re getting the best possible fit for your skin. In general, you should pick a contour powder that’s two shades darker than your skin tone. For highlighter, go with a powder that’s one to two shades lighter.

Should I invest in special contour brushes?

Yes. Using contour brushes that blend well is important because blending is the most crucial part of the process. Other types of brushes that aren’t designed specifically for contouring will likely not get the job done as well.