Contouring has gained momentum among makeup enthusiasts over the world, and everyone wants to have the best cream contour palette in their makeup arsenal. This is because, unlike other formulations, cream contours are the most maneuverable and allow for easy layering and blending with other products in one’s makeup regime. Moreover, a palette offers more versatility than any other form of product (think jars, sticks, balms, pump dispensers, etc.) as they offer a variety of shades, so you can give a soft gradient contour to your face over something that looks to bold and artificial. 

Contributing to that, certified makeup artist, Maya Adivi tells Pinkvilla, “Cream contour palettes allow you to customize your look with several color options. Some also include a highlighter or blush, for a complete sculpted look. They can also be great for makeup artists who need several shade options. Creams, specifically, are excellent for creating a more natural look or for contouring on dry skin.” Furthermore, she recommends a cream contour palette for both beginners and experienced makeup users. It can be a way to try several colors with one product, to find what works for you. For more experienced users, it can allow you to create a more multi-dimensional and complex contoured look.

Plus, cream-based products are an ideal choice as they tend to be more blendable and have a higher concentration of moisturizing ingredients compared to powders. This can be beneficial for individuals with dry or mature skin, as the cream formula can provide some hydration and help avoid emphasizing any dry patches, giving you more versatility in your makeup routine. Besides, cream-based formulas are less likely to settle into fine lines, wrinkles, sides of your nose, etc., and sometimes even blur out these imperfections if the product has been buffed properly. 

Here, we'll explore some of the top contenders for contouring palettes and see if they deserve a place in your makeup kit.

• 1
  Best All-in-one

  LORAC PRO Contour Palette & Contour Brush

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Your search for the all-in-one palette ends with this LORAC PRO makeup palette. With 6 colors, this palette boasts of shades that complement every skin color and every skin type. For those who don't indulge in too many products, this palette offers different contour shades for the perfect definition followed by a light pink shade that can be doubled as an eyeshadow as well as a blush. The beige nude shades are ideal for dabbing on your under eyes for slight pigmentation. This palette comes with a brush that makes the application much easier. These neutral shades smoothly glide on the skin without causing any breakouts or dry patches. 

2

Shany The Mini Masterpiece 6 Layer All-In-One Makeup Set

BUY ON AMAZON

You can create stunning looks anytime, anywhere with this holy grail of contour cream palettes by SHANY. This compact set contains everything you need to create a stunning, makeup look not only for beginners but also for professionals. With six layers of highly pigmented eyeshadows, blushes, and lip colors, you'll never run out of options to mix and match. The set also includes a mirror and a set of brushes, making it easy to touch up and perfect your look no matter where you are. Plus, the sleek and stylish design makes it easy to slip into a purse or suitcase, making it perfect for travel.

3

Best for Daily Wear

Br True Complexion Creme Contour Palette

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Featuring three blendable shades that work together to sculpt and define your facial features, this palette from BR will create a naturally chiseled appearance. The silky smooth creme formula effortlessly blends into the skin, offering buildable coverage for a customizable finish. With a range of shades to suit all skin tones, this contour palette is perfect for achieving a subtle daytime look or a dramatic evening transformation. The compact design makes it easy to take on the go, ensuring you can achieve a flawless finish wherever you go.

4

Best for Beginners

Rk by Kiss 3d Contour Artist Cream

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You can use the RK 3D cream foundation palette to enhance your look. This premium quality cream is designed to help you contour like a professional makeup artist, with its rich, blendable formula that easily glides on your skin and blends seamlessly to create a natural-looking finish. Whether you're looking to add depth and dimension to your cheekbones, define your jawline, or highlight your features, this cream has got you covered. It comes in a variety of shades to suit different skin tones and is suitable for all skin types.

5

Best Shade Range

Nyx Professional Makeup Conceal Correct Contour Palette

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NYX cream contour palette is the ideal solution to all your makeup woes. This versatile palette features six creamy shades that work together to help you achieve a flawless complexion. The concealers neutralize discoloration, while the color-correcting shades help you balance out imperfections. With this palette, you can easily contour and highlight your features to create a perfectly defined look. The creamy formula blends seamlessly into your skin, providing full coverage without caking or creasing.

6

Best for All Skin Types

Aesthetica Contour Series Cream

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This luxurious cream contour palette is specially formulated to provide a flawless finish to your makeup routine. Its lightweight texture blends effortlessly into the skin, allowing for easy application and a natural-looking finish. It is enriched with nourishing ingredients that help to hydrate and moisturize the skin while providing a long-lasting, crease-free hold — a great choice for mature skin. Its unique formula is designed to sculpt and define your facial features, giving you the confidence to shine all day long.

7

Most Budget-friendly

W7 Lift And Sculpt Face Shaping Contour Palette

Buy on Amazon

You can achieve a radiant look and make heads turn with the W7 cream contour palette. This palette includes three shades to contour, highlight and blush your way to an envy-worthy complexion. The silky smooth, blendable formula ensures a flawless finish, while the highly pigmented shades allow for buildable coverage to suit any skin tone. The compact design makes it perfect for on-the-go touch-ups, and the versatile shades work for all skin tones. 

8

Best for All Ages

Youngfocus Contour Series Concealer

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You can experience flawless, beautiful skin with this one of the best cream contour palettes from Youngfocus. It is specially designed to provide full coverage and a natural finish that lasts all day. The unique formula effectively hides dark circles, blemishes, and discolorations, leaving your skin looking flawless. The creamy texture blends seamlessly into the skin, providing a smooth and even finish that doesn't cake or crease. This versatile concealer is perfect for not only contouring but also highlighting the high points and concealing imperfections — an all-rounder must-have in your makeup bag. 

9

Best Pigmented Formula

Makeup Revolution London Ultra Cream Contour Palette

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A must-have addition to your beauty collection, this cream contour makeup palette from Makeup Revolution London features eight shades of ultra-creamy, blendable, and highly-pigmented formulas that allow you to contour, highlight, and add depth to your features with ease. The shades are versatile and can be mixed and matched to suit any skin tone or desired level of intensity. The compact design makes it easy to take on the go and the durable packaging ensures that your makeup remains safe and secure.

10

Best for Every Skin Color

TruuMe Concealer Palette

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Anself s contour cream palette is the ultimate solution to all your skin imperfections! This palette features a range of 15 different shades that are perfect for concealing dark circles, blemishes, and other skin discolorations. The creamy and blendable formula makes it easy to apply and ensures a flawless and natural finish. Whether you're going for a no-makeup look or a full-glam finish, this palette has got you covered. The compact size makes it perfect for on-the-go touch-ups and the high-quality packaging ensures that your palette remains safe and secure.

11

Most Hydrating Formula

Vodisa 10 Colour Makeup Contour Palette

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This versatile cream contour palette features ten creamy, blendable shades designed to enhance your natural features and create depth and dimension in all the right places. From subtle contouring to bold, dramatic looks, the Vodisa Contour Palette has everything you need to achieve your desired effect. The shades range from light to dark, allowing you to customize your contouring to your skin tone and the occasion. The smooth and pigmented formula blends seamlessly into the skin, creating a flawless finish that lasts all day.

12

Deepmind Concealer Contour Palette

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Perfect for those who don’t like shuffling between too many products, this palette by Deepmind is a great investment as it consists of 12 shades you can use for contouring, concealing, and color-correcting. The texture and consistency of this product are very creamy and delectable, which means that it is very easy to blend. And the product is highly pigmented, so a small quantity goes a long way. Besides, after trying the product out, we discovered how moisturizing the formulation is and how much one’s skin would love it over coarse powder-based products.

13

Suake Pro Cream Contouring Kit

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We cannot get over how creamy the consistency of this contour by Suake is. And this feature makes your makeup very easy to blend and saves time. The palette consists of three contour/concealer shades and three shimmery highlighter shades to help you hide imperfections and add a glow to your face. All in all, the palette comprises everything you need to create a gorgeous, three-dimensional look and make your best features pop!

14

Surorain Multi-purpose Makeup Palette

BUY ON AMAZON

The moisturizing formula of this contouring palette by SURORAIN gives a beautiful, dewy finish to your face. It consists of shades for light, dark, and medium skin tones, and works as a handy kit for professional makeup artists. We love that these colors are waterproof, so even the sweat and humidity of your busy day cannot ruin the appearance of your pretty face. A small quantity of this pigmented formula goes a long way, and to make the best of it, we recommend warming the shade up a bit with your finger so it blends better.

Now that you’ve seen our product recommendations for the best cream contour palettes, let us see the following buying guide and steps to use to shop wisely and make the best of the product.

Before starting with the contouring, make sure your skin is clean and moisturized. You can also apply a primer to help the makeup last longer. Next, apply your foundation as you normally would.Now that your foundation is done, it is time to start contouring. 

Step 1: 

Take your cream contour palette and dip your brush into the contour shade. Start by applying the contour shade to the hollows of your cheeks. Use a light hand and blend the contour shade upwards towards your ears. Next, apply the contour shade to your temples and along your hairline to create a more defined face shape. You can also apply the contour shade to the sides of your nose to make it appear slimmer.

Step 2:

Blending is the key to achieving a natural-looking contour. Use a beauty blender or a blending brush to blend the contour shade into your skin. Make sure there are no harsh lines or streaks. Blend the contour shade downwards towards your jawline to create a seamless transition between your contour and your foundation.

Step 3:

To complete your contoured makeup look, you need to highlight the high points of your face. Take a lighter cream shade from your contour palette and apply it to the tops of your cheekbones, under your brow bone, and down the bridge of your nose. Use a beauty blender to blend the highlighter into your skin.

Step 4:

Finally, set your makeup with a setting powder to make it last all day. Use a large fluffy brush to apply the powder gently across your face, focusing on the areas where you applied the contour shade. Make sure to use a powder that complements your skin tone.

Using a contour cream palette can be intimidating, but with these steps, you can achieve a perfectly sculpted, chiseled look.

Here are some factors to consider so that you can pick the best cream contour palettes that will suit your needs.

Skin Type: The first and foremost thing to consider while picking a cream contour palette is your skin type. If you have oily skin, you should opt for a matte finish palette that doesn't add any extra shine to your skin. If you have dry skin, you should go for a creamier formula that hydrates your skin.

Ingredients: It’s always a good idea to check the ingredients of the cream contour palette before making a purchase. Avoid palettes with harsh chemicals or ingredients that can cause irritation or breakouts. And it doesn’t hurt to look for products with low-key humectants such as panthenol, glycerin, and vitamin E. 

Shade Range: It’s important to choose a palette with shades that match your skin tone. Look for palettes with a variety of shades, including lighter shades for highlighting and darker shades for contouring.

Texture: The texture of the cream contour palette plays a crucial role in its application. A creamy and blendable formula will make it easier to blend without looking patchy or streaky. A formula that’s too thick or too thin can make it difficult to apply and blend.

Formula: One of the objectives of cream contours is that they do not dry out your skin like powder-based contours. Hence, it helps to look for products with moisturizing formulations that give a dewy finish to your skin. Also, the formula should be adequately creamy and blendable to make the application easy for you and less harsh for your skin. Moreover, an ideal contour formula should be richly pigmented, so you don’t have to use too much product to get the results you desire. 

Contour Brush: You cannot contour well in the absence of a good contouring brush, and it always helps if your palette itself contains it. 

Price: Cream contour palettes come in a wide range of prices. While a high-end palette may have a better formula and more shades, it’s not always necessary to splurge on a pricey palette. There are many affordable options available in the market that work just as well.

Consider all these factors before purchasing to ensure that you get a palette that suits your needs and preferences.

Investing in a good cream contour palette can be a game-changer for your makeup routine. With options ranging from beginner-friendly to professional-grade, there is a cream contour palette out there for everyone. Whether you want to chisel your cheekbones or define your jawline, the best cream contour palette can help you achieve your desired look. Consider our top-rated products when selecting the best one for you. With any of these palettes, you can achieve a professional-grade contour that will leave you looking your best.

Contributor: Maya Adivi, Certified Makeup artist, Click here for blog