A prominent bone structure can make one’s face look more defined and sculpted. However, not everyone is blessed with a sharp jawline or cheekbones. Thus, the best contour sticks listed here can help you achieve the look without hassle. These sticks are easy to use and also suitable for beginners who may find contouring complex and intimidating. Moreover, the sticks are well-pigmented and creamy to blend well and give you a natural, smooth finish that lasts throughout the day. Given the various products available, we have listed some popular options with their details to help you make an informed decision.
How Should One Use A Contour Stick?
Follow these simple steps to use a contour stick.
15 Best Contour Sticks
1. Best 2-In-1:Nyx Professional Makeup Wonder Stick
Nyx’s Wonder Stick is one of the best contour sticks with the dual benefits of a highlighter and a contour. Its creamy formula is easy to blend, giving you a smooth, even finish. The highlighter gives you a glowy shimmer to emphasize the highest points of your face and is suitable for daily makeup. Available in multiple shades, you can choose one that suits your complexion for the right look. Check out this video to learn more about the wonder stick. Pros
Ideal for beginners Cruelty-free Non-sticky Long-lasting Easy to remove
Cons
May not be suitable for oily skin
2. Best Multipurpose:Wet n Wild MegaGlo Makeup Stick Conceal And Contour
The drugstore contour stick from Wet n Wild works as a contour, concealer, highlighter, and blush to help you do your makeup on the go. It is easy to blend and gives a natural, warm finish. The stick offers optimal control for easy application, and its compact size makes it handy and portable. Moreover, the cream-to-powder formula feels soft and light on the skin, preventing your makeup from being cakey and patchy. You may take a look at this video to learn more about this contour stick. Pros
Long-lasting Cruelty-free Offers full coverage Available in multiple shades
Cons
May not be suitable for fairer skin tones
3. Best Non-Toxic:Onlyoily Double-End Contour Highlighter Stick
Onlyoily’s highlighter contouring product is non-toxic and made of natural ingredients to prevent irritation, making it suitable for sensitive skin and one of the best cream contour sticks. Its cream-to-powder formula blends easily to offer a smooth, sculpted finish and works well for quick touch-ups. Moreover, this versatile makeup product helps create a 3D effect to accentuate your abs or clavicle. Pros
Available in multiple shades Waterproof Long-lasting Easy to remove Easy to use
Cons
May not offer adequate coverage
4. Best Blendable:Maybelline New York Makeup Facestudio Master Contour Duo Stick
Maybelline’s affordable contour stick comes in three versatile shades to suit your skin tone and offers a natural, warm finish. This two-in-one V-shaped stick is easy to use and helps you contour and highlight your face in two simple steps. The product is designed to give your face structure and lift for a sculpted appearance. Moreover, its creamy matte texture is easy to blend and offers a smooth finish. Learn more about this product in this video. Pros
Cruelty-free Smudge-proof Non-drying Compact
Cons
Stick might get uneven with use
5. Best Waterproof:Focallure Mineral Cream Contour Stick
Focallure’s two-piece makeup product makes your skin look radiant, luminous, and fresh throughout the day. With multiple shades to cater to your needs, the contour stick helps give your skin a natural warmth from within. Its waterproof formula stays for long without smudging or caking, giving you a smooth and clean finish. Further, it is one of the best cheap contour sticks you can use to create a 3D makeup effect. Pros
Does not clog pores Non-greasy Offers adequate coverage Blendable
Cons
May have an unpleasant smell
6. Best For K-Beauty Lovers:Etude House Play 101 Stick Contour Duo
Etude House’s best contour stick for fair skin has a creamy consistency that blends easily on the skin for a seamless finish. The 24-degree diagonal cut is unique and makes it easy to apply on the curved surface of the face. It offers a natural, subtle makeup look and helps create depth on your face to highlight your best features. Moreover, its powdery finish can make your skin look smooth, soft, and non-greasy. Pros
Long-lasting Suitable for all skin types Beginner-friendly Available in three shades
Cons
Highlighter may not be shimmery enough
7. Best Easy-To-Use:HKH Double-Headed Highlight Stick
Available in two shades, this is one of the best drugstore cream contour sticks for adding oomph to your makeup look. Its automatic rotating tube design allows you to do your makeup quickly and on the go without hassle. The product is easy to use and offers good control during application. You can also use this stick contour as an eyeshadow and create depth and highlight the required areas. Its soft texture glides well on the skin to give you a smooth, even finish. Pros
Ideal for quick touch-ups Beginner-friendly Portable Blendable Suitable for all skin types
Cons
May not offer adequate coverage
8. Best For Daily Use:Meifen 2-In-1 Contouring Stick
Meifen’s best contour stick is a two-in-one product that helps you contour and highlight easily. The creamy formula spreads evenly on the skin to give you a subtle, natural look and is comfortable for all-day wear. This lightweight formula is also suitable for daily wear and comes in multiple cool and warm shades to help you achieve a three-dimensional makeup look. Pros
Beginner-friendly Long-lasting coverage Waterproof Suitable for all skin tones
Cons
May not be suitable for professional makeup artists
9. Best Lightweight:Kyda Highlight Concealer Contour Stick
The drugstore contour stick by Kyda offers dual-headed contour and highlight options for an easy makeup application. The formula is long-lasting and suitable for daily wear. Its paste texture is easy to apply and blends well to give you a soft, seamless look. Moreover, the stick works like a pen and offers sufficient control for applying in tricky areas. Pros
Adequate coverage Waterproof Multipurpose Non-clumping and lightweight formula Comes in a gift-ready box
Cons
Darker colors may have an orange tone
10. Best Matte Finish:Fenty Beauty By Rihanna Match Stix Matte Skinstick
Fenty Beauty’s contour stick comes in several shades to suit different skin tones and is touted for its effective results. It is long-lasting, and its stick design is suitable for targeted applications on the go. The shades have been fine-tuned to offer seamless coverage without caking or smudging, and its cream-to-powder formula gives a weightless finish. Pros
Cruelty-free Buildable formula Easy to blend Multipurpose
Cons
Quantity may not be sufficient
11. Best Non-Greasy:Bonnie Choice Highlight Contour Stick
Bonnie Choice’s highlighter and contour stick helps give your face a three-dimensional structure by defining the highest points. The creamy texture blends easily for a seamless finish and offers long-lasting performance, making it one of the best cheap contour sticks. This makeup stick is suitable for beginners and professionals and is easy to apply on the go. Moreover, it is non-greasy and has moisturizing properties. Pros
Waterproof Portable Water-resistant Lightweight
Cons
May not be suitable for darker skin tones
12. Best Oil-Free:Clinique Chubby Stick Sculpting Contour
With an oil-free formulation, this is one of the best contour sticks for daily use. Its rich, creamy texture blends smoothly without caking or creasing. Use this to highlight your face, create an illusion of depth, and get a sculpted, sharp look. The stick’s design makes it easy to use and suitable for quick touch-ups before meetings or parties. Further, the sculpting contour stick is highly travel-friendly. Pros
Long-lasting Adequate coverage Well-pigmented Buildable
Cons
Limited shade options
13. Best Moisturizing:Yeweian Multi Sticks Set
Yeweian’s contour stick has a paste texture that can blend better than powdery formulas, making it one of the best contour sticks for dry skin. The multipurpose product can be used as a cheek color, contour, highlighter, lipstick, cuticle cream, and more, making it suitable for traveling. These sticks offer a natural, sheer finish that can make you glow from within and blend into the skin well without smudging or creasing. Pros
Easy to carry Waterproof Sweatproof Long-lasting
Cons
May require more product for the color to show
14. Best With Sharpener:Meicoly Highlight Contour Stick
With a shimmery yet matte finish, Meicoly’s contour stick helps create a 3D effect to accentuate your facial features. It helps your face look slim and defined. The stick comes with a pencil sharpener for easy application and to help you get smooth, precise lines. The creamy formula blends well on the skin without lines, creases, or smudges. You can also use these versatile sticks to get defined eyebrows. Pros
Ample coverage No caking or creasing Multipurpose Long-lasting
Cons
Might feel rough on the skin
15. Best For Natural Finish:Somgkin Highlight Contour Stick
Here’s an affordable contour stick by Somgkin that has a lightweight paste formulation and spreads evenly on the skin without clumping. Its double-ended design makes it easy to use and handy for quick touch-ups. The stick works like a pen, and you need to spin out the required amount of paste for application. It offers a light, natural coverage and helps give your skin a warm glow. Pros
Waterproof Long-lasting Blendable Cruelty-free
Cons
May not work with a beauty blender
How To Choose The Right Contour Stick?
Here are some factors to consider when choosing the best contour stick.
Why Trust MomJunction?
Poulami Nag is a makeup, skincare, and beauty product enthusiast who understands her readers’ needs and researches products accordingly. In this article, she has considered the formulation, ease of application, finish, and shade options to create a list of the best contour sticks and provided a detailed description of each product, along with the pros and cons. The products have been chosen after considering various user reviews across e-commerce websites. She has also included a helpful buying guide for your convenience. Recommended Articles
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