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Get Red Carpet Ready: Our Picks for the Best Contour Stick on the Market

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Rebecca Moses
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A woman applying the best contour stick
A woman applying the best contour stick

Get Red Carpet Ready: Our Picks for the Best Contour Stick on the Market

IMAGE PRODUCT
Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Contour Wand
  • Easy-to-apply cushion applicator
  • Blendable and buildable formula
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Makeup By Mario SoftSculpt Shaping Stick
  • Natural matte finish
  • Dual-ended
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Uoma Beauty Double Take Contour Stick
  • Double-ended contour and highlight stick
  • Soft matte finish
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Fenty Beauty Match Stix Matte Contour Skinstick
  • Comes in 20 shades
  • Weightless cream-to-powder formula
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LYS Beauty No Limits Cream Bronzer and Contour Stick
  • High pigmentation
  • Blends seamlessly to the skin
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Are you ready to take your makeup game to the next level and achieve a red-carpet-worthy look? If so, contouring is a technique you simply can’t ignore. With so many options out there, your choices are limitless yet can be overwhelming at the same time. But don’t worry; we’ve got you covered!

In this post, we’ve curated a list of our top picks for the best contour stick to help you achieve a stunning, sculpted look in no time. So, let’s get the red carpet ready!

The Best Contour Sticks for Your Makeup Look

From budget-friendly to sophisticated options, here are our top picks of the best contour stick for your next red carpet look. Read on!

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Contour Wand

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Contour Wand
Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Contour Wand

If you’re on the hunt for a buildable contour stick to achieve sculpted cheekbones, you must check out Charlotte Tilbury’s contour wand. There are two shade options: light to medium and medium to deep.

We especially love the cushion applicator that makes creating a natural contour a breeze. On top of that, you only need a few dots for full-face contouring. Plus, the lightweight and dry feel of the formula makes it a dream to blend out. If you’re okay with the relatively high price, then this is a great go-to product.

Key Features

  • Easy-to-apply cushion applicator
  • Blendable and buildable formula
  • Creates shadows & defines features for a natural finish
  • Lightweight and dry feel
  • Vegan-friendly
  • No parabens and sulfates
  • Comes in two shades

Makeup By Mario SoftSculpt Shaping Stick

Makeup By Mario SoftSculpt Shaping Stick
Makeup By Mario SoftSculpt Shaping Stick

If you’re a beginner in contouring, the Mario SoftSculpt Shaping Stick is a great starter pack. You can pick one from the six shade choices without worrying about looking orange or muddy.

The creamy formula swipes on seamlessly and dries down to a natural matte finish. Plus, it features a removable angled buffing brush for effortless application. With five nubs within the head of the brush, product pick-up is centralized for a more even, fluid application. And the best part? It’s cruelty-free!

Key Features

  • Natural matte finish
  • Dual-ended
  • Features a removable angled buffing brush
  • Creamy, blendable, and buildable formula
  • Easy application
  • Works well for all skin types
  • Cruelty-free
  • Comes in six shades

Uoma Beauty Double Take Contour Stick

Uoma Beauty Double Take Contour Stick
Uoma Beauty Double Take Contour Stick

Practical and budget-friendly, this Uoma Beauty stick is perfect for anyone looking to get more bang for their buck. The dual-ended stick features Sculpt and Strobe—contour and highlight, so you’ll save some more space in your pouch and achieve that sculpted look faster.

We fall in love with the feel and the finish: it gives a glow-from-within effect. No wonder; the formula is made with 28% naturally derived ingredients and 30% pure pigments. Once applied, you’ll smoothly glide it through your skin and achieve a soft matte finish in no time.

Key Features

  • Double-ended contour and highlight stick
  • Lightweight and buildable cream contour stick
  • Soft matte finish
  • Uniform pay off
  • Made with naturally derived ingredients and pure pigments
  • Long-wear
  • No parabens, talc, and D5
  • Silicone-free and fragrance-free
  • Vegan

Fenty Beauty Match Stix Matte Contour Skinstick

Fenty Beauty Match Stix Matte Contour Skinstick
Fenty Beauty Match Stix Matte Contour Skinstick

Widely raved about by beauty enthusiasts and makeup artists alike, Rihanna‘s Fenty Beauty Match Stix Matte Contour Skinstick is an all-rounder choice for everyone, both beginners and pros. Just as Fenty always does, the shade ranges are vast for light to dark skin—there are 20 shade choices!

Aside from the shades, the formula is also no joke. The cream-to-powder formula is so blendable that you can use anything to blend it out—sponges, brushes, fingers, anything! On top of that, we love that the matte finish stays in place throughout the day. Hence, you can safely rock any event with this contour.

Key Features

  • Comes in 20 shades
  • Weightless cream-to-powder formula
  • Long-wear
  • Matte finish
  • Easy to use
  • Cruelty-free
  • Some shades are vegan

LYS Beauty No Limits Cream Bronzer and Contour Stick

LYS Beauty No Limits Cream Bronzer and Contour Stick
LYS Beauty No Limits Cream Bronzer and Contour Stick

This is the best contour stick if you’re after a strongly sculpted look. Users have been praising its high pigmentation and creamy, melt-to-the-skin formula. It’s buildable, though, so a natural shadows look is also achievable with this product—a little goes a long way!

Infused with skincare ingredients, this creamy contour stick soothes and replenishes your skin while providing much-needed moisture. We love that it doesn’t accentuate skin imperfections or texture, so you can enjoy the bronzed look without any worries.

Key Features

  • High pigmentation
  • Blends seamlessly to the skin
  • Buildable and blendable
  • Infused with skincare ingredients
  • Won’t accentuate texture and imperfections
  • Glowy-finish
  • Vegan, gluten-free, and cruelty-free
  • Suitable for all skin types
  • Comes in five shades

Frequently Asked Questions

What to look for in a contour stick?

When selecting a contour stick, several important factors must be remembered, including shade range, texture and blendability, pigmentation, longevity, finish, usability, and skin type compatibility.

How do you apply a contour stick?

To apply a contour stick, follow these steps:

  1. Start with a clean face.
  2. Apply the stick along desired areas.
  3. Blend with a brush or fingertips.
  4. Gradually build intensity if needed.
  5. Blend for a seamless look.
  6. Continue with your makeup routine for a polished finish.

Practice and experimentation will help you refine your technique and achieve the desired contour effect.

Do you apply contour before or after foundation?

Typically, people apply contour after foundation, as it can help them see exactly where they need to add definition to their face. However, some people prefer to apply contour before foundation, as it can help create a natural-looking effect that blends seamlessly into your skin.

Conclusion

In conclusion, achieving a red carpet-ready look has never been easier with the right contour sticks. Whether you’re going for a subtle, natural look or a dramatic, red carpet-worthy finish, our picks above will help you easily achieve your desired look.

Take notes to choose a shade that complements your skin tone, blend it out seamlessly, and experiment to find what works best.

So go ahead and grab your favorite contour stick, start sculpting those cheekbones like a pro, and get ready for your own red carpet-runway!

Author

  • Rebecca Moses

    Depending on the day, you’ll find Rebecca in a well thought-out ensemble that she handcrafted herself, or in hiking and rock climbing gear. An avid outdoorswoman, cyclist, and cat lover, Rebecca reminds us all on the Groom+Style team just how much we need to get outdoors. She’s worked in spas and salons off and on before going full-time with the G+S team. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-moses-3158b914b/