Contour Powder

Ever wanted to tweak your features just a little bit? A good contour powder can take care of it for the day! Find out what it is and how to use it like a pro.

What is contour powder used for?

A contouring powder (sometimes sculpting powder or sculpt powder) can help you highlight your best features as well as create a more defined and professional-looking makeup. With the right shades, well-chosen brushes and a bit of practice, you can easily create the illusion of lifted cheekbones, a sharper jawline, smaller forehead or a slimmer nose.

You can use contouring powders both darker and lighter than your skin tone – dark for shadows and light for highlights. Don’t be afraid to customise your contouring! Many people only use the darker, shadow-like shades and let their foundation or a finishing-step highlighter take care of the rest. Experiment and see what best suits your makeup style.

How do you choose the right powder contour?

Here’s the trick – you pretty much always want to go for a cool-toned contour powder to create shadows. While warm-toned bronzers are meant to add sun-kissed warmth to the skin, contour is meant to create the illusion of shadows. A slightly grey contour powder can do that the best.

• The best contour powder for fair skin? Go with a cool contour powder that’s 1–2 shades darker than your foundation.
• The best contour powder for dark skin? Darker skin tones can often get away with more warmth. Still, stick to cool-to-neutral tones 2–3 shades darker than your foundation.

Powder contour Q&A

We’ve answered your frequently asked questions below.

What are the basic steps of contouring?

Reach for the best powder contour palette in your arsenal and let’s get to it! You want to use powder contour after setting your foundation with a setting powder.

1. Cheekbones: Darken the hollows and/or highlight the high points.
2. Jawline: Darken the underside edge for a sharper look.
3. Forehead: Blend a darker shade along your hairline for the illusion of a smaller forehead.
4. Nose: Contour the sides and/or tip of your nose for a slimmer or more lifted look. Dark on the sides, light along the middle of the nose bridge and the tip. Use a precise brush.

Tip: No need to contour everything – just focus on the parts you want to define on your own face.

What are common contouring mistakes?

Common beginners’ mistakes may include:

• Shadows that are too warm: Sculpting with warm tones can end up looking muddy and messy.
• Heavy hand/not enough blending: Always go with a light hand and blend thoroughly for a natural look.
• Wrong placement: Place your shadows along the highest points of your features and then blend down. This creates a fresh and lifted look. Beginners often place the dark contour around the centre of the natural shadows of their face, which can drag the entire look down.
• Heavy sculpting for the wrong occasion: A heavy contour can look great on camera, creating the perfect illusion of altered features – even the illusion of a nose job! But in person, people can see you from all angles and the illusion is shattered. Stick to a more natural look for real-life environments.

Which is better, contour stick or powder?

That depends on your skin type and preferences. A contour stick is great for dry skin and those who prefer to blend their makeup with a sponge or their fingers. A good contour powder works better for oily to normal skin and those who prefer working with a brush.