The 11 Best Contour Powders For A Sculpted Look

How did we ever survive without contour? Now a staple in our makeup routines, the best contour powders are the secret to sculpting our face shapes, giving us the most defined cheekbones and effortless looks. 

While some people may love cream contouring and others may favour a concealer, if you ask us, you really can’t go wrong with a classic contour powder. Simply apply with a brush and you’re good to go, adding subtle definition that’s a must-have even for makeup minimalists.

Sold? We thought you might be. Whether you’re looking to stock up on your faves, need a newbie, or are just diving into the world of contour, here are our best contour powders that you need in your haul.

In case you didn’t already know, let us tell you a secret — bronzers double up as the perfect contour powder. Adding warmth and definition to the skin, a bronzer is the perfect go-to for sculpting and contouring your features, whether that be your cheekbones, on the top of your forehead, or down the sides of your nose.

The By BEAUTY BAY Powder Bronzers never let us down. The ultra-blendable formula melts into the skin while being more long-lasting than most cream products. It’s silky soft and buildable, so you can apply as little or as much as you want. To top it all off, these bronzers are available in a range of shades to suit multiple skin tones.

The best thing about contour powders is that you’ll often find them housed inside a palette along with complementing options, just like the By BEAUTY BAY Face Palette.

Featuring a blush, bronzer, highlight, and contour all in one, this palette is the secret to sculpted, radiant skin. Add depth with your contour powder, warmth with the bronzer, a pop of colour with the blusher, and top it all off with the highlighter for a glowing finish. Who doesn’t love four products in one?

Next up on the list is another multi-use palette that’s perfect for sculpting the skin. The Sigma Beauty Sculpt Highlight and Contour Palette features six ultra-soft, super-blendable powders for you to define cheekbones and create a flawless look.

The three contour powders range from light to dark, making them ideal for makeup artists or use all year round. Simply buff onto the skin using a fluffy brush, focusing on the hollows of the cheeks, top of the forehead, sides of the nose, and jawline, and your look is complete.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a pro-MUA, makeup enthusiast, or completely new to the whole contour game, the Anastasia Beverly Hills Pro Series Contour Kit is a fail-safe option.

Featuring six butter-soft sculpting powders, this face palette is all you need for defining your facial features. Ranging from deeper contour shades to bright highlight tones, this is the ideal solution for creating the illusion of picture-perfect skin.

When it comes to innovative products that become staples in our makeup bags, Melt Cosmetics can do no wrong. The Sculpt Stack is no exception. Featuring four shades that are suitable for light to dark skin tones, each individual contour powder stacks one on top of the other, so you can keep all four together or split them into singles to take with you on the go. 

The sheer, buildable formula makes these contour powders perfect for soft and subtle looks, or full-blown glam. What’s even better, is they can double up as eyeshadows and bronzers. We love a makeup product that works hard.

We couldn’t talk about the best contour powders without mentioning the makeup masters. You’ll be able to contour like a pro with the MAC Cosmetics Studio Fix Sculpt & Shape Contour Palette.

Inside you’ll find three contour powders and three highlighters. The soft-focus contouring formula buffs onto the skin for a seamless finish for sheer coverage and buildable definition. Think this could be the one for you? Add to your haul before it’s too late!

Kevyn Aucoin is known for making products that leave your complexion looking like your skin, but better. The Sculpting Powder is yet another obsession of ours. 

This simple compact houses a lightweight, sheer powder that glides onto the skin, sculpting cheekbones and adding definition to help your features stand out. If you’re just looking for one contour powder to always rely on, this is a contender.

Another palette in our round-up of the best contour powders is the NYX Professional Makeup Highlight & Contour Pro Palette. We just love delivering the best bang for your buck.

This time, you’ll find eight shades inside this palette, with everything you need to sculpt, perfect, and highlight your way to a flawless complexion. Ranging from light to dark, there’s something for everyone inside this simple palette.

The KimChi Chic Beauty Thailor Contour powder is all you need to up your contour game. This two-colour compact allows you to sculpt and define your cheekbones and features, whilst still being small enough to fit in your everyday makeup bag. If you don’t like carrying around big palettes or multiple products, this one’s for you.

Are chiselled cheekbones the goal? The Soda #easyskinny Dry Contouring Powder will get you there. The super-soft, creamy powder melts onto the skin, leaving the perfect amount of subtle, buildable contour. With a warm shade and cooler shade to choose from, this little compact holds a lot of power when it comes to giving you your best makeup looks.

Last but by no means least is the SOSU By Suzanne Jackson The Ultimate Trio. Looking for a no-fuss option that you can rely on? You’ve found it.

This three-colour palette contains a contour, highlight, and glow powder, which you can use to define cheekbones, highlight the high points of the face, and add subtle enhancements to the natural structure of your face.