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The Best Contour Kits for Every Skill Level

These 15 makeup contouring palettes are so foolproof, they practically sculpt your cheekbones for you
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The Contour Kit With a Wide Range of Shades
Shea Moisture Color Correcting, Contouring, and Highlighting Kit, $24.99

Skill Level: Intermediate

This contouring makeup kit comes with three medium- to full-coverage shades that are packed with nourishing vitamin E and shea butter. It also includes a teeny applicator spatula, which may be the cutest thing we've ever seen. The palette comes in six shades, from fair to deep to dark, so women of all skin tones can find their ideal match.

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A New Contouring Take on a Classic
Clinique Chubby Stick Sculpting Contour, $22 and Highlight, $22

Skill Level: Novice

I am a notorious hoarder of Clinique Chubby Sticks, so I was happy to add these guys to my collection. The contour makeup color is a dark, rich brown that goes on sheer and blends easily. I confess to using my fingertips to apply when in a rush — typically a no-no with contouring, given how precise the finished product needs to be. Hands or not, it's an effective way to add subtle definition. The corresponding Chubby Stick Highlighter is equally forgiving, and gives skin a dewy glow.

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Buy the Highlighter Now

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Best Palette for a Professional-Looking Contour
Kat von D Shade + Light Sculpting Palette, $46

Skill Level: Intermediate

The color selection in this contour kit means it's easy to create a variety of looks, and the smooth powder blends like butta. Just be careful how much you apply — these powders are highly pigmented, making them ideal if you want a more Kardashian-esque contour versus a subtle look.

This contour palette also contains step-by-step instructions for everything from defining your cheekbones to faking the effects of a detox diet (read: your whole face will look less bloated).

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The Contouring Kit That Will Keep You Chiseled All Night Long
Stila Shape & Shade Custom Contour Kit, $40

Skill Level: Beginner

The sculpting and highlighting creams in this contouring makeup kit are super-blendable when you apply. Approximately 60 seconds later, they dry to a semi-matte, budge-proof finish (perfect for a night out when you don't want to brave the bar bathroom line).

The contour kit comes in three shades — light, medium and dark — and each kit includes a how-to pamphlet that breaks down the basics of how to contour for your face shape.

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The Contour Palette That Sephora Couldn't Keep In Stock
Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit, $40

Skill Level: Intermediate

There's a reason why this contouring makeup kit sold out in a matter of hours each time it was re-released at Sephora: the cruelty-free, hypoallergenic palette comes with five silky, matte shades (two for highlighting, three for contour) that look effortless and natural when applied, and one shimmery highlighter that gives skin a glow without looking sparkly.

Any girl worth her weight in face powder knows about Ben Nye Banana Powder — the yellow powder in this palette (also called Banana) is very similar, and sets under-eye concealer in place while adding brightness to the eyes.

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BY ALLIE FLINN | NOV 21, 2016 | SHARES
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