The Best Contour Palette - 2022
We looked at the top 6 and dug through the reviews from 18 of the most popular review sites including and more. The result is a ranking of the best .
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Our Picks For The Top
- The Best
- 1. NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP Color Correcting Contour Palette
- 2. Aesthetica Cruelty-Free Vegan Cream Contour Palette
- 3. Ruby Kisses 3D Lightweight Moisturizing Cream Contour Palette
- 4. Black Radiance True Complexion Buildable Contour Palette
- 5. Maybelline Master Contour Blush & Highlighter Contour Palette
- 6. Elizabeth Mott Paraben & Cruelty-Free Matte Contour Palette
Six Buildable, Blendable ShadesYou'll love how smoothly each one goes on and will easily be able to camouflage any problem areas.
Enhance Your LookYou can apply this makeup at home or on the go; these creams are a real game-changer.
Velvety Smooth and FlexibleYou won't believe how well this makeup works, and once you understand how to use the colors, you'll quickly become a pro.
Effortless and Flawless SkinDon't mess around with lesser-quality contouring kits when this is available; you'll see the difference with these powders right away.
Why we recommend these ?
Products Considered
Products Analyzed
Expert Reviews Included
User Opinions Analyzed
Our experts reviewed the top 6 and also dug through the reviews from 18 of the most popular review sites including and more. The result is a ranking of the best of the best .
DWYM is your trusted roduct review source. Our team reviews thousands of product reviews from the trusted top experts and combines them into one easy-to-understand score. Learn more.
The Best Overall
NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP Color Correcting Contour Palette
Our Take
This professional-grade color correcting palette is made by a PETA-certified cruelty-free brand based in Los Angeles. Half a dozen creamy shades help conceal skin imperfections and set the stage for makeup foundation application.
What other experts liked
What other experts didn't like
Overall Product Rankings
3. Ruby Kisses 3D Lightweight Moisturizing Cream Contour Palette
5. Maybelline Master Contour Blush & Highlighter Contour Palette
6. Elizabeth Mott Paraben & Cruelty-Free Matte Contour Palette
Our Findings
NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP Color Correcting Contour Palette
What We Liked: This professional-grade color correcting palette is made by a PETA-certified cruelty-free brand based in Los Angeles. Half a dozen creamy shades help conceal skin imperfections and set the stage for makeup foundation application.
Aesthetica Cruelty-Free Vegan Cream Contour Palette
What We Liked: Aesthetica Cosmetics’ contour and highlighting palette is cruelty-free (vegan, too) and comes with three silky-smooth cream concealers/foundations, three highlighters and helpful instructions with face shape diagrams. It all comes in a convenient, mirrored case.
Ruby Kisses 3D Lightweight Moisturizing Cream Contour Palette
What We Liked: With eight shades and a lightweight formula that promises to conceal, contour and sculpt your face, this fantastic palette allows you to mix and match to find the right shades you need.
Black Radiance True Complexion Buildable Contour Palette
What We Liked: Black Radiance’s three-color contouring palette has richly pigmented powders to enhance and flatter medium to dark skin. It is available in two other skin tone ranges and has a nice little diagram inside the cover.
Maybelline Master Contour Blush & Highlighter Contour Palette
What We Liked: This unique contour face kit by Maybelline has three blendable powders to bronze, blush and highlight your skin. It also comes with an angled contour brush for an easy, smooth application every time.
Our Buying Guide
Concealer and contouring makeup products are used after facial moisturizers and primers but before the foundation is applied. Instead of exactly matching the skin tone, these creams, powders and cream-to-powder formulas come in other colors.
The concealers can cover red spots and acne, and the contouring tones accentuate shadowed areas of your face, adding dimension and depth. You might look strange at first with the different tones on your face, but you’ll blend and cover these contours with foundation.
These products are buildable, too, so you can mix and match and use a light hand or keep sculpting and highlighting to your heart’s content. The palettes come with several shades per case and may or may not include an applicator; many people use their fingers. Look for color groupings that match your skin type and tone for the best results. Powders generally last longer than creams but may be drying or not go on as smoothly.
You can find plenty of contouring palettes from companies that do not test their products on animals, as well as vegan ones made without irritating ingredients and parabens. Look for phrases like “cruelty-free” in product descriptions when this is a concern. If you plan to keep the palette in your purse, get one that has a built-in mirror on the inside. It works best to apply these products when you have a looking glass!
Some of these creams and powders are matte, while others have more shimmery or pearlescent finishes. Applying contours and concealers takes time, so don’t be discouraged if things don’t look right at first. It helps to follow the instructions that came with the kit or look for online tutorials. Once you figure out how to use these products, you’ll see how easy it really is.
DWYM Fun Fact
Who said that contouring makeup was only for the face? Body contouring cosmetics are used to add definition to your chest, arms, abs and décolletage.
You’ll want to exfoliate first and then add on a lightweight moisturizer. Wait until that is completely absorbed and your skin is dry, and then apply witch hazel to smooth everything out. Cream body contouring makeups work best; go with a color two or three shades darker than your skin. Feel free to highlight and add bronzer!
The Tips and Advice
- There are also liquid and stick contouring and concealing makeup products that you may enjoy using.
- Sweep a thin layer of translucent powder over your foundation before putting on powder contouring makeup.
- Popular areas for contouring include the jawline, along the sides of the nose, under the cheekbones and around the hairline.
- A highlighting product should be one to two shades lighter than your skin tone; use it under the eyes, on the bridge of the nose, on the chin and on the forehead.
- There are palettes with removable trays that you can refill.
- Don’t be afraid to experiment; contouring is usually done after foundation and concealer, but the rules aren’t set in stone.
About The Author
Danielle Smyth is a writer and content marketing expert based in New York. She has been writing on business and finance, home and garden, DIY, travel and tourism, and a variety of other topics for over a decade, and she holds a Master of Science in Publishing from Pace University. Danielle loves working on product reviews and helping others find the highest quality items and the best values, particularly in the beauty space, where every purchase is deeply personal and matters a great deal.
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