This post contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.
The Kim Kardashian makeup look has become all the rage in recent years, and Kim has without a doubt changed the way we view soft glam. Although she wears a full face of makeup, she makes it look effortless with neutral tones.
Key Takeaways
- Kim’s look is soft glam: a skin-like base, a bright under-eye, blended contour, sheer blush and a 90s-style nude lip.
- Cream contour set with a cool-toned powder contour creates the sculpted effect.
- Baking suits oily skin; use less powder, or skip it, if your skin is dry or mature.
- Keep eyeliner outside the lash line where possible, never share eye makeup, and remove lashes gently.
The real key to getting the Kim K makeup look involves the following: a flawless base, extremely blended-out yet intense contour, a 90’s style nude lip, and a super bright undereye.
Fortunately, the products for this look are easy to find and come in a range of price points. Below are our techniques and product picks to help you recreate Kim’s signature look and feel gorgeous and glamorous!
Kim Kardashian Without Makeup Look Vs. Makeup Look
Skin-Like Foundation
View this post on Instagram
To get the Kim Kardashian makeup look, you’re going to want a skin-like foundation. You can achieve this easily by purchasing any foundation of your liking described to have medium coverage and a natural finish. Don’t forget that skin prep is key. Before applying your foundation, apply a moisturizing skincare routine, and a gripping primer.
We love natural finish foundations because they work well with all skin types for the majority of the time. They are hydrating enough for dry skin but not too hydrating for oily skin.
Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Perfect Glow Flawless Oil-Free Foundation
Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Perfect Glow Flawless Oil-Free Foundation is a cult favorite. This foundation is loved by many people. The formula is buildable, creamy, and perfect for Kim’s signature soft glam look.
This is a medium coverage foundation that is going to give you a nice luminous glow to the skin, which is a must to achieve Kim Kardashian makeup.
If you are looking for a more affordable option with a wide shade range, you can try the Il Makiage Foundation ‘Woke Up Like This’.
Bright Under Eye
Kim has made the super bright undereye a staple in her makeup look. You can easily achieve this by using a bright concealer under the eye. To start, grab a concealer of your liking and use a shade that is two or three shades lighter than your skin tone. The trick is to only use this shade under the eye.
However, you can also continue highlighting by using this slightly lighter concealer on the other high points of the face such as the chin, middle of the forehead, and bridge of the nose. It’s a classic Kardashian-style highlighting trick.
You can also use a concealer that is more full coverage for this step. As you are using a more natural, medium-coverage foundation, this can be a great opportunity to very naturally cover up some skin concerns you may have.
Too Faced Born This Way Super Coverage Multi-Use Sculpting Concealer
The Too Faced Born This Way concealer is easily one of our favorites and will help you achieve the Kim Kardashian makeup look. It has a natural finish, but still has very full coverage, which is rare to see in such a creamy concealer. Getting a fuller coverage concealer like this can help conceal small problem areas that your medium coverage foundation couldn’t tackle.
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer
If full coverage is not a concern for you, we would suggest the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer. It will give a very nice and supple skin-like finish to the skin while providing medium coverage. This formula is great for all skin types and NARS says it wears for up to 16 hours, perfect for making your Kim Kardashian makeup last!
Cream Contour
View this post on Instagram
To get the complete Kim Kardashian makeup look, a cream contour is a must. The Fenty Beauty Contour Skinstick is perfect for this, as the creamy formula blends easily and it comes in a variety of shades. In general, Kim has put contouring on the map and she has made this a very popular trend in the makeup community.
Cream contour is perfect for giving you a chiseled, snatched look. Plus, cream products will usually give the bold, yet seamless finish we are going for compared to powder products that can be harder to blend. Be sure to look for a cool-toned contour shade, as that’s what’s going to give the “natural shadow” effect.
To apply your cream contour, find the areas of the face you wish to shadow or darken. Think about the areas on your face where you used a brightening concealer. In general, the areas around those high points are where you apply cream contour.
This could be around your hairline, your forehead, under your cheekbones, and on the outer edge of your jawline. When using cream contour on your jawline, remember to blend generously and drag it down your neck. This will prevent any color contrast between the neck and face.
Baking
Baking is a trend that has been around for a while now. This is a technique heavily used by drag queens that helps smooth out and brighten the skin. This technique is perfect for those with oily skin. It will keep your under eyes from creasing and leave you with a flawless finish that lasts all day.
By adding a thin layer of powder almost everywhere you add concealer, then letting it sit for a few minutes, your foundation/concealer will cling onto the powder thus making your skin appear smoother. The best time to add this is probably before applying eyeshadow, mascara, lashes, and eyebrows. Then gently sweep away the excess powder after you’re done. It’s especially good for photos and a popular way to get the smooth, camera-ready skin Kim is known for.
Of course, if you have more mature or dry skin, try using less powder, not letting it “sit”, or even skipping this step altogether. Another great, popular tip is to use setting spray immediately after baking to provide some moisture back into areas that are looking dry. This melts the powder into your skin and helps this base stay in place all day.
Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder
Laura Mercier is a popular choice of powder that can be used for baking. It can give you that airbrushed look that you have been wanting. If you don’t believe us, just bake your face with this powder once and try taking a flash photo – you’re welcome. Now, this powder does tend to be on the dry side, so dry skin users proceed with caution. It’s important to note that a lot of powder, including this one, comes in various shades. Be sure to pick a shade that matches your skin tone to avoid that white or chalky flashback.
Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder
If you tend to be on the drier side, this is just the powder for you. This powder is very finely milled and leaves a soft, radiant finish, which is hard to find in a powder. You can bake with this, but it also works excellently just applied with a brush or powder puff.
Powder Contour
View this post on Instagram
To get Kim’s signature look, you’re going to want to add as much dimension as possible, which is where the powder contour comes in. Just like with the cream contour, you are going to want to get a grey/ashy tone for this since this shade helps create shadows for contour. Powder contour is also a perfect way to “set” your cream contour.
You can also use your powder contour as eyeshadow to help give the eye some dimension. With a fluffy blending brush, apply the powder above the eyelid crease and blend. You can use the contour color alone or as a base for the rest of your eyeshadow look. This is perfect for getting a quick, soft glam look. If you’re using the same powder contour as you did on your cheeks, then you’re going to effortlessly give yourself a monochromatic look.
If you notice, Kim tends to stick to all matte eyeshadow looks that usually consist of just all nude tones suited for her skin. To save some time, energy, and money, it’s easiest to just use your powder contour to give your eye some dimension.
View this post on Instagram
Makeup by Mario Soft Sculpt Bronzer
Makeup by Mario Soft Sculpt Bronzer is a great powder contour as it comes in cool tone shades, which can be fairly difficult to find in powder contours or bronzers. They also have a soft matte finish and do not contain shimmer, which makes this a perfect powder contour option.
Fenty Beauty Sun Stalk’r Instant Warmth Bronzer
If you’d rather look less chiseled and more like you spent a week on a tropical vacation, opt for a warmer bronzer option, such as this. Rihanna has managed to make some of the best bronzers for warming up the face. The name speaks for itself. Use as much or as little as you need to achieve the perfect bronze.
Blush
Blush is an amazing way to add a flush of color to your face. To get the Kim Kardashian makeup look, you’re going to want to get a very sheer blush and apply it to the apples of the cheeks. Apply a small amount to the tip of the nose for a sun-kissed look. Blush gives you that healthy wash of color that pairs with your contour perfectly.
Patrick Ta Monochrome Moment Velvet Blush
Patrick Ta has made some of the best velvet blushes. The formula is sheer, but buildable so you can achieve the intensity you desire. Kim K typically goes for a diffused blush making this the perfect blush.
Natural Highlighter
Kim is not known to wear a very intense highlight. To get her signature look, you’re going to want to get a highlight that isn’t too shimmery and is complimentary to your skin tone. That’ll give more of a lit-from-within look. Apply a highlighter high up on the cheekbones and on the tip of the nose to brighten your face.
Kylie Cosmetics Kylighter
Kim’s little sister Kylie Jenner has grown quite the empire with her makeup line, Kylie Cosmetics. Kylie has made one of the most subtle yet stunning highlighter formulas. You can use this to get that signature lit-from-within glow in a gorgeous tone made for you.
Smokey Liner
Eyeliner is such an underrated product these days with trends focusing on crazy eyeshadow looks or finding the perfect foundation. It isn’t 2006 anymore, but eyeliner is still important. Eyeliner can break a look, so you need to find the perfect one.
A signature Kim look is having deep, sultry eyes. This can be achieved by applying a black pencil liner close to your upper and lower lash lines. Many people line the waterline too, but eye doctors suggest keeping makeup outside the lash line so it doesn’t block the eyelid’s oil glands; if you do line it, use a clean, freshly sharpened pencil and never share it. Depending on your eye shape, black liners can make your eyes look smaller, so if you feel like that’s the case for you then for a less harsh look try using brown eyeliner instead. Take it a step further by using a round tip shadow brush and blending the eyeliner for a subtle smokey effect.
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eyeliner
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eyeliner is known for being one of the deepest black shades and is long-lasting. It’s designed to resist smudging and transferring, making this eyeliner perfect for a night out!
Natural Lashes
More often than not, Kim is either just wearing mascara or a very natural lash. If you want to achieve the Kim Kardashian makeup look, try investing in a nice, fluttered lash that helps enhance the lashes that you already have.
Lilly Lashes
Whichever eyelash style you decide to use, we highly recommend Lilly Lashes. Use a lash glue made for the eye area, and remove lashes gently at the end of the night. Lilly has done an amazing job at making a beautiful, real-looking lash.
Classic 90’s Nude Lip
The 90s were a time of dark lip liner with a lighter nude lip popped on in the center. This can help give you the perfect pout and make your lips appear larger. Kim is usually seen wearing cream/satin lipstick, but you could add a matte lip or a gloss.
Gucci Long Lasting Satin Lipstick
Kim Kardashian is the queen of nude lips, so it’s a no-brainer that you’ll want nude lipstick for this look. The Gucci Long Lasting Satin Lipsticks are beautiful and long-wearing, plus they have a great selection of nude shades. Add a slightly deeper nude liner, and you’ll have the signature Kim Kardashian makeup look down pat.
Conclusion
Kim Kardashian has revolutionized the way we look at soft glam and makeup in general. So try out some of these products and techniques from Kim Kardashian’s original makeup look. Whichever look you’re ultimately going for, you’ll be looking more glamorous than you could believe!
No post found!
Does Kim Kardashian still sell makeup?
Not under her own beauty label right now. SKKN by Kim, which added makeup in January 2024, closed on June 29, 2025, and the business was folded into SKIMS. Check SKIMS for any current beauty products.
What is Kim Kardashian’s makeup line called?
Her first line was KKW Beauty, launched in 2017. It was followed by SKKN by Kim, which started with skincare in 2022 and added makeup, including an eyeshadow palette and nude lip liners and lipsticks, in January 2024. SKKN by Kim closed in June 2025.
What makeup does Kim Kardashian use?
This guide doesn’t claim to list Kim’s exact kit. It rounds up products that help recreate her signature soft glam, from brands like Armani Beauty, Laura Mercier and Makeup by Mario, the line from her longtime makeup artist, Mario Dedivanovic.
Is SKKN a clean brand?
SKKN by Kim closed in June 2025. “Clean” is a marketing term without a standard regulatory definition, so if you still have SKKN products, check the ingredient list, patch test if you have sensitive skin, and toss anything past its expiration date.
Sources
- American Academy of Ophthalmology – How To Use Cosmetics Safely Around Your Eyes
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration – Eye Cosmetic Safety
- BeautyMatter – Report on SKKN by Kim closing (2025)
Kourtney Anderson is a freelance writer for Successible Life and one of its most prolific contributors, covering makeup looks and techniques, skincare routines and ingredients, hair care and beauty shopping guides.
My name is Lennie. I am a Latina female licensed Cosmetologist. I have many talents in this field, however my passion was always to enhance one's natural beauty. My certifications are in lash extensions, hairstyling, and makeup. In my free time I always find new makeup looks to create Tik Tok and instagram videos. You can find me on Instagram @Arlenes__.