The 9 Best Contour Sticks for Face Sculpting

One of our fave names in beauty right now? Fenty Beauty by Rihanna. Known for its inclusive shade range and high-quality formulas, it's no surprise that their Fenty Contour Sticks are a top contender for the best contour sticks. With a creamy texture, these sticks allow for easy blending and a seamless matte finish - making them perfect for contouring. And that’s not all: with a number of inclusive shades to choose from, Match Stix promises everyone can find their perfect contour match.

Top tip: On bare skin (or after applying your foundation), apply Match Stix directly to the areas of your face you want to define - blending with a dense concealer brush or your fingers for a more even glow. 

We love nothing more than a brand new beauty crush, and Milk Contour Stick brings us the freshest results. Your ticket to a more polished, sculpted look, this is one of the best contour sticks on the market. Buildable and creamy, this contour formula elevates your base from good to great in a matter of seconds. Available in four cool-toned shades that work across a range of skin tones, each one recreates the natural shadows on your face to subtly play up your angles. Just swipe it on, blend it out, and you’re good to go. 

Top tip: Blend into skin with your fingertips, brush, or sponge and build to desired intensity. Pair with Milk’s other makeup sticks for an instant soft-sculpted look. Our favourite? Lip and Cheek for an instant flush of colour.

Our number one contour stick for beginners, Makeup by Mario Contour Stick boasts a creamy formula that’s easy to apply and blend. Offering a variety of shades from Light to Deep Dark, all skin types and tones can enjoy the natural matte dry-down that’s taken the beauty world by storm. Cruelty-free and easy to use, this formula blends and builds for ultimate creative control. Go for a soft glow or to full base beat with just one stick – all while enhancing your favourite features. 

Top tip: For a more even, fluid application, try using the five nubs within the head of the specially designed buffing brush to make sure the product goes *exactly* where you need it to. 

We’re lighting up all complexions with Charlotte Tilbury Contour Wand. Lightweight, blendable, and buildable, use the precise cushion applicator for sculpted cheekbones in seconds. Pulling together some powerhouse pigments, each application defines shadows and features for a natural finish that lasts all day long. It’s no wonder this a favourite among makeup artists and enthusiasts alike.

Top tip: We don’t just use this wand for contouring. By sweeping the magic cushion applicator over the eye crease and creating a deeper socket, you’ll also add depth to any eye look. Just remember to buff and blend for a seamless finish. 

Rare Beauty delivers on so many fronts, but we can’t help but agree their makeup is created to feel good in. Giving us a rush of warmth with every application, this skin-loving Rare Beauty Contour Stick melts into skin for an effortless second-skin finish. Both non-greasy and water-resistant, expect no creasing - and no clogged pores in sight. Made with a Botanical Blend of Lotus, Gardenia, and White Water Lily, softly sculpt cheeks, eyes, and all over the face with this dreamy texture. 

Top tip: We love applying this product *anywhere* to add warmth - and that includes our bodies! Once you’ve built dimension and definition to the face, apply the bronzer stick to your eyelids and across your collarbones for an extra flush.

Contour sticks don’t just come in bronzer form. Enter this sellout lowlighter by Rodial, which enhances your natural radiance in a few short swipes. The science? By using a lighter shade of makeup, you’re highlighting the parts of your face you love the most - like your cheekbones and browbones. Perfect for those wanting a softer highlight, this sheer liquid leaves skin looking fresh and dewy - promising our favourite no-makeup makeup look.  And with its warm yellow undertones, Banana Lowlighter is ideal for brightening and colour correcting dark undereye circles.

Top tip: To provide a soft highlight to the skin, apply a pea-sized drop using the brush tip applicator to the tops of your cheekbones, bridge of nose, corners of the eyes, underneath the eyebrows and across your Cupid's bow. Go a step further and conceal your undereye circles by patting in gently with your fingertip after eye cream.

We came, we saw, we contoured. Get defined cheekbones (even if you don't have them!) with Clinique Chubby Stick Contour. Creamy and oil-free, this contour stick creates the illusion of depth so you can contour and conquer all night long with this long-wearing formula. 

Top tip: Start with your custom-fit foundation to create an even canvas. Dot on Chubby Stick Sculpting Contour down the sides of your nose to slim and shape, and under your cheekbones and chin to define the jawline. Use a lighter shade to highlight under the eyes and down the middle of your nose, forehead and chin. For a flush of colour, apply Chubby Stick Cheek Contour Balm onto apples of cheeks and blend.