11 Best Contour Brushes That You Must Buy In 2023
Get flawless makeup looks with these incredible, high-quality & affordable tools.
Anastasiia TomchenkoProfessional Makeup Artist & Hairstylist
Expertise: Makeup & Hair
Experience: 15+ years
Anastasiia is a highly accomplished makeup artist and hairstylist with a career spanning over 15 years. She has worked on photoshoots for international magazines and as a makeup artist on television. She has also prepared celebrities for va... more
Expertise: Beauty & Lifestyle
Experience: 2.5 years
Shatabdi is an associate editor and an alumnus of Lady Brabourne College, Kolkata, where she honed her skills and developed a deep understanding of the world of literature and expression. She has work... more
Srijani Roy ChowdhuryCertified In Makeup Artistry, Certified Style & Image Consultant
Expertise: Makeup & Fashion
Experience: 3 years
Srijani is an associate commerce editor with a master's degree in journalism and mass communication from the University of Calcutta, West Bengal. She is certified in makeup techniques and is also a ce... more
Expertise: Makeup & Fashion
Experience: 2 years
Shalini Roy has a Master's degree in English literature from Pondicherry University. She is an ambivert whose expressions have found their way in writing. She channels her passion for all things fashi... more
Image: StyleCraze Design Team
A contour brush is a specially designed artistry brush that is large and flat with densely packed bristles. They help to highlight cheekbones, jawline, and forehead. Contouring is an art, and thus, the best contour brush helps contour your face. You can mess up your makeup look if you don’t use a proper contour brush. Most of these contour brushes are angled in a way that helps you make precise strokes and blend the product seamlessly. In this article, we have curated a list of the 11 best contour brushes that highlight your features. Keep scrolling!
In This Article
11 Bestselling User-Friendly Contour Brushes
1. Best Soft Bristles:Real Techniques Sculpting Brush
Image: Real Techniques The Real Techniques Sculpting Brush is a flat contouring tool with a wide, and angled head. Its soft and plush synthetic bristles make it an excellent choice for using cream, liquid, or powder-based contouring products. The unique shape of this sculpting brush blends the product flawlessly, giving a high-definition finish. Its bristles pick up just the right amount of product and deposit only where it needs to be, including the nose and eye areas, and reach difficult corners.
Pros
- Cruelty-free
- Easy to clean
- Soft bristles
- Ergonomic design
- Recommended for beginners
- Good coverage
Cons
- May shed bristles
2. Best Cruelty-Free:EcoTools Wonder Color Finish Brush
Image: Ecotools The EcoTools Wonder Color Finish brush is made with 60,000 bristles to ensure intense coverage. This top quality brush deposits the optimum amount of product for a perfect contour. The angled and small bristles ensure precise application and can be used dry or wet. It is made of recycled aluminum and plastic with 20% cotton and 80% bamboo fibers. Its sturdy wooden handle is easy to grip and works seamlessly for an angled contour. . This video takes you through this product’s details.
Pros
- Precise application
- Cruelty-free
- Easy to maintain
- Easy to use
- Vegan
- Dries quickly
Cons
- May shed bristles
3. Best Hypoallergenic:e.l.f. Cosmetics Contouring Brush
Image: E.i.f The e.l.f. Cosmetics Contouring Brush is designed for advanced makeup sculpting to achieve professional results. The densely packed bristles are shaped at a perfect angle to give depth and dimension along the cheekbones, forehead, and jawline. This brush is perfect for targeted contouring with pressed or loose bronzer powder, liquids, and creams. Its wide head releases only a controlled amount of product to give a non-cakey, uniform coverage. This brush has ultra-fine fibers that are hand-assembled to perfection by artisans for a luxe experience.. For a more detailed review of this product, here’s a video.
Pros
- Cruelty-free
- Soft bristles
- Easy to clean
Cons
- May shed bristles
Pro Tip4. Best For Sensitive Skin:Beauty Junkees Pro Contour & Highlighting Makeup Brush Kit
Image: Beauty Junkees The Beauty Junkees Pro Contour & Highlighting Makeup Brush Kit has everything you need to sculpt the beautiful features of your face. It includes a pro sculptor brush, pro duo fiber brush, pro highlighter brush, pro-detailer brush, and pro contour latex-free sponge. These brushes are made with high-quality, soft, and flexible bristles that run smoothly on all skin types. They are designed to perfectly place and blend the product pigment for a smooth finish. This kit also includes a black pouch to store your brushes and protect the bristles.
Pros
- Soft head
- Easy to use
- Hypoallergenic
- Lightweight
- Travel-friendly
- Includes pouch
Cons
- Not long-lasting
Pro Tip5. Best Ergonomic Design:Vertex Beauty Contour Brushes
The Vertex Beauty Contour Brushes are best suited for a professional nose and cheekbone enhancement and contouring. Each brush has fine, hand-cut, cruelty-free bristles densely packed at precise angles to help define your features. This set features high-quality tapered or angled brushes for nose, cheekbone, forehead, and brow bone contouring, which create a range of perfectly blended edges with matte, nude, and pigments products. The synthetic, non-bleached bristles have thin micro-edges that seamlessly fill minute lines and pores on your face. You can also use them to blend foundations, concealers, highlighters, bronzers, and liquid cream products on different face shapes without any hassle.
Pros
- Hypoallergenic
- Suits sensitive skin
- Easy to use
- Lightweight
- Ergonomic grip
- Cruelty-free
- Latex-free
- Multi-functional
Cons
- Not long-lasting
6. Best Easy To Blend:Lamora Pro Face Contour Brush Set
Image: Lamora The Lamora Pro Face Contour Brushes are designed for easy and natural-looking contours with highlights and shadows. Their soft, synthetic bristles are cruelty-free and vegan. These non-porous bristles go on smoothly on your face and prevent excess product absorption. The matte wooden handle of the brush helps you hold it with optimum control and its pro copper ferrule design makes it extremely durable. These perfectly shaped brushes are suitable for both cream and powder contouring. They help with makeup application and blending and have zero bristle shedding. Make your cheekbones pop, create a more defined jawline, and even make your lips appear larger with these brushes.
Pros
- Non-porous, soft bristles
- Easy to hold
- Easy to clean
- Value for money
- Durable
- Suitable for powder and cream contour
- Cruelty-free and vegan bristles
Cons
None
7. Best Shed-Free:LAURA GELLER NEW YORK Classic Bronzer Brush
Image: Laura Geller The LAURA GELLER NEW YORK Classic Bronzer Brush is a must-have for adding a natural-looking bronzed glow to your face. This fluffy, soft brush is designed for expert blending and precision contour. It sculpts your facial hollows and creates an all-over flush of warm bronze. The brush effortlessly blends the bronzer on your face and imparts an airbrushed effect. It has a high-bristle count that enables even product application. It has an angled design that hugs the contours of your face. Additionally, it is easy to clean.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Angled design
- Shed-free
- Soft bristles
- Value for money
- Easy to clean
- Cruelty-free
- Vegan
Cons
- Not durable
8. Best Easy To Hold:wet n wild Essential Makeup Brush
Image: Wet N Wild The wet n wild Essential Makeup Brush is an ultra-plush contour brush that features synthetic polymax fibers that feel soft on your skin. The brush has a comfortable angled design that fits the contours of the face, helping you sculpt, shape, and contour easily. The curved bristles pick up the perfect amount of contour product and impart even application. This versatile brush is suitable for applying both mineral-pressed powder and cream contour products.
Pros
- Soft bristles
- Value for money
- Sturdy
- Vegan
- Cruelty-free
Cons
- Not suitable for liquid products
9. Best Antibacterial:Bdellium Tools Makeup Studio 945 Contour Brush
Image: Bdellium Tools The Bdellium Tools Makeup Studio 945 Contour Brush features all-natural fiber bristles arranged in a softly rounded dome tip. This brush can apply, blend, and contour powder products on the nose, cheekbones, chin, and brow bone. Its perfectly angled tip ensures flawless application while giving you full control over the product. The fluffy and compact head is attached via an aluminum ferrule to a long, lacquered wooden handle with an ergonomic grip that allows you to apply firm or light pressure on the target area.
Pros
- Natural fibers
- Ergonomic handle
- Easy to use
- Easy to maintain
- Lightweight
Cons
- May shed bristles
10. Best Full Coverage:e.l.f Cosmetics Eye Contour Brush
Image: E.i.f The e.l.f Cosmetics Eye Contour Brush is soft and absorbent, perfect for wet and dry products. Its synthetic-haired head holds a good amount of product and deposits it uniformly in a single sweep. The bristles are densely arranged at a precise angle to define the eye and brow area. The anti-bacterial brush is easy to clean and does not shed.
Pros
- Dense and soft bristles
- No product build-up
- Easy to wash
- Lightweight
- Full coverage
- Durable
Cons
None
11. Best Lightweight: MORPHE M460 Flat Contour Brush
The Morphe M460 Flat Contour Brush features a wide, flat-edged head with silky synthetic bristles. It effortlessly blends creams and lightly deposits powder contour products to create a streak-free sculpted look. This brush also gives you full coverage while defining the cheekbones, nose bridge, brow bone, chin, and forehead. It allows you to control the pressure on the natural focal points of your face for highlighting and sculpting for flawless results.
Pros
- Lightweight
- Smooth application
- Full coverage
- Easy to clean
- Durable
Cons
None
The Bottom Line
These 11 contour brushes are best-sellers for a good reason. Their precise design, ergonomic grip, and gentle brush heads ensure you have a professional contoured look. For instance, the Real Techniques Sculpting Brush comes with an angled design that provides precise application and blending, while the e.l.f. Cosmetics Contouring Brush’s flat and dense shape is perfect for applying loose bronze powder. Lastly, try the Lamora Pro Face Contour Brush Set if you have oily, dry, or combination skin. If you are a contouring rookie, you can use any one of these sturdy brushes to get smooth and flawless results. It can be used with a range of contouring products, is an absolute contouring essential, and delivers an airbrushed poreless finish in just a few sweeps. So, order your favorite contour brush from this list and get sculpting!
Why Trust StyleCraze?
The author of this article, Shalini Roy, is a makeup enthusiast. She has gone through the products in detail and checked many reviews to pick the best contour brushes. She believes that these brushes are a must-have for anyone who wants to enhance their beauty. They help create a full makeup look and help to highlight cheekbones and jawline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are contour brushes or sponges better?
Brushes absorb less product and help achieve the desired coverage more easily as compared to sponges that absorb a lot of product and offer a more diffused look.
Can I use a contour brush for the foundation?
No, contour brushes do not offer seamless blending experience as foundation brushes do.
Can you use a contour brush for highlighting?
Yes, using a contour brush for highlighting offers a soft, glowing look so you can use it for nose, forehead, jawline, or cheek contouring or highlighting.
How do you use a contour brush?
Dip your brush in a bronzer and blend the product lightly in small, circular motions to buff away harsh edges underneath your cheekbones and jawline. A face contouring tool can be used for multiple products and help sharpen your facial features.
How do you clean the contour brush?
Clean your brush every 7-10 days. Wet the bristles with lukewarm water and use a mild cleanser to clean the brush. Rinse under a water source and clean with a dry towel or air-dry the brush.
How long does a contour brush last?
A good-quality contour brush lasts for 1-3 years when maintained properly.
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