For the past couple of years, contoured faces have been making waves in the beauty world. Thanks to big-time celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and J. Lo, a perfectly contoured look has been all the rage. It can be the perfect way to accentuate your best features (especially your cheekbones), helping you look effortlessly glamorous on a daily basis.
And the best news is that choosing the best drugstore contour or blush can give you all the quality or variety your heart desires – all without setting you back more than a few bucks!
That’s right – there’s no reason to be discouraged by what you may see online, on TV, or in magazines. Achieving a put-together look doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg! You can easily head on over to your nearest drugstore and get some outstanding products to help you get that celebrity-inspired look.
Today, I’m sharing with you my top choices for the best drugstore contour and blush to make you look and feel like a million bucks – all without breaking the bank! Best of all, these products are cruelty-free, so looking good doesn’t have to come with any regrets!
Best Drugstore Contour
1. NYX Highlight and Contour Cream Pro Palette
If you’re more of an expert and want to take your contour game to the next level, then this one is for you! How is this any different from the first NYX palette? I find cream products are a whole different animal. I’m more of a powder girl, but sometimes
I really like the look and finish of a cream contour. That’s where this palette comes in. I find that with this palette, you can achieve a softer contour or build it up to something more dramatic. With a cream product like this, I find blending can be easier, and it doesn’t look so harsh on the face.
2. e.l.f. Cosmetics Contour Palette
E.l.f. cosmetics is one of my favorite go-to brands. There are so many highlight and contour palettes on the market, but e.l.f. cosmetics palette provides high quality at a fraction of the cost. There are eight different shades available in this palette, which gives you a good starting point to play around with contouring. What makes this one of my top choices for the best drugstore contour? Not only is it cruelty-free and vegan, but the product itself is pigmented and easy to blend and build on the skin. The contour isn’t too chalky, which is common with many contour products. In fact, this is one that’s exceptionally comparable to higher-end contour palettes.
3. NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP Wonder Stick
You might have seen the ever popular KKW Contour Sticks by Kim Kardashian. If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative and one that I personally find much easier to use, this is the product for you. I’ve tried the KKW one and I do like it, but I must say that you get very little product for the price.
In comparison, this NYX contour stick offers much more product and higher quality. I especially think a contour stick like this is easy to use for someone who is new to contouring. Contour doesn’t need to be scary, and a stick product like this is a great learning tool. You can blend this in with your fingers, but I do recommend a good brush or a beauty sponge for smoother application.
4. Makeup Revolution Ultra Contour Palette
This Makeup Revolution Palette has one of the best contour and highlight palettes on the market. What I like about this one and what makes it different: I find the shades to be a bit warmer, and I prefer the highlight shades in this one over some of the other palettes I have.
If you prefer a more “sparkly” highlight, then this one may be more up your alley. One of the shades in this palette is my favorite drugstore dupe for NARS Laguna Bronzer, so that’s a definite win!
5. Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer
The Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer has quickly become a cult favorite in the beauty world. The formula is infused with Murumuru butter, so this bronzer will help give the skin a beautiful goddess-like glow. The formula blends like butter, making this the perfect option for any beginners looking to grow their makeup kit.
Its low price point and easy-to-use formula makes it an investment you can’t pass up. This bronzer can be used to sculpt the cheeks to give the appearance of more defined cheekbones, a slimmer nose, a smaller forehead, or just a bit more color to the face for an overall more bronzed look.
Best Drugstore Blush
6. Milani Baked Blush in the shade Luminoso
I cannot stress to you how much I LOVE the Milani Baked Blushes, especially in the shade Luminoso. This shade is gorgeous and beats out so many higher-end blushes. It may look glittery, but it doesn’t have chunks of glitter in it. It applies smoothly, and a little goes a long way.
This particular shade looks amazing on just about all skin types. It has a peachy tone to it, but when applied to the skin, it really looks like a natural flush. The Baked Blushes are very comparable to the ever-popular NARS blushes. However,
I find the Milani blushes to be better, especially for the price, because it has less fall out than NARS. There are 12 shades in the range, but Luminoso is my favorite. I recommend it to everyone and anyone!
7. Milani Rose Blush Trio Palette in the shade Floral Fantasy
I am always a sucker for a good palette. But with this one, you just get more bang for your buck! This Milani blush palette takes the cake for being a good quality product at an outstanding price point, and it could easily be the best drugstore blush (at least in terms of value).
This particular palette is one of my go-to’s since it offers shades that fit just about any skin tone and aren’t too shimmery on the skin. It also adds a nice satin glow to the skin! Finally, the lightest shade in this palette is definitely one of my favorites. I can also use it as a highlight under my browbone, so it serves multiple purposes.
8. BaeBlu Organic Cheek Tint in the shade Sangria
BaeBlu is a company that I’ve recently stumbled upon and fallen in love with. Their products are not only cruelty-free, but this cheek tint is 100% natural, vegan, and gluten-free. Their products do not contain any harsh ingredients found in many other brands, so there are no parabens, artificial dyes, or fragrances.
As someone with oily skin, I find that this product wears well on my skin even after a long day. This is something that can be buildable, but it’s super easy to achieve a more natural look with this product. I’m frankly obsessed with this blush because it just looks so natural and effortless on the skin. For anyone who may be a bit less bold with blush, this is a good starting point to get yourself comfortable.
So remember, you don’t have to spend “celebrity” money on high-quality contour or blush products! In fact, I believe that contour and blush are two products that are probably better at the drugstore. A lot of drugstore contour and blush are very much comparable to higher-end brands, sometimes even beating them out on quality. But the best news is that you can achieve that put-together, glamorous Kim Kardashian look at a fraction of the cost!
What is a contour in beauty?
Sculpting and adding dimension to your face with makeup that is a little darker or lighter than your natural skin tone is known as contouring. In contrast to regular foundation and concealer, which we normally aim to match our skin color precisely, contouring is all about fusing shadow and light.
How do I contour for beginners?
First: Your face should be moisturized and primed.
Second: Using a cream highlighter, draw attention to your brow bones, inner corners of your eyes, down your nose, and cheekbones.
Third: To give your skin a flawless appearance, mix your foundation with a beauty oil before applying it with a moist beauty blender.
Do you contour before or after foundation?
In most cases, concealer and foundation are applied before contouring makeup. For a smooth finish, cream, liquid, and stick contours can be applied immediately on top of the foundation.
Here are a few hand-picked articles for you to read next:
- 9 Best Drugstore Foundations and Concealers with Vegan Options
- 12 Best Affordable, High-End Makeup Brushes and Collections
- 10 Pairs of Stylish Sunglasses for Women With Any Face Shape
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