Finding the right contouring products is a struggle for us brown girls because most of the contouring powders and creams in the market are just too light for us. It is in fact quite shameful how most brands do not carry deep enough shades in their contouring products. If you too have been unsuccessful at finding a deep enough contouring product for your wheatish or darker skin, here is my list of 5 Contouring Products that are actually suitable for Indian Skin Tones.
What is the difference between contouring products and a bronzer?
First things first, let us address one of the most frequently asked questions regarding contouring – What is the difference between bronzing and contouring? The answer lies in the name itself: Bronzing refers to adding a sun-kissed, bronzed effect to the skin whereas Contouring refers to adding shadows to the face to make it look more chiselled. Bronzers are usually warm-toned and often contain shimmer whereas contouring products should match the warm or cool undertone of your skin and are at least 2-3 shades deeper than your foundation shade.
Unlike bronzers, contouring products do not contain any shimmer and usually have a matte finish. Essentially, they add back the shadows to your face where they would naturally lie had you not applied a foundation. Now, let us look at our top picks for contouring products for Indian skin tones.
1. Sugar Contour De Force Bronzer
Even though the name of the product says bronzer, the Sugar Contour De Force range is perfect for adding a natural-looking contour to your everyday look. These powders are pigmented yet blendable and are not chalky at all. I personally like the shade Woody Wonder for my NC35 skin tone. The price point of this product is amazing too and the packaging is travel-friendly. Click here to read my detailed review!
2. Wet n Wild MegaGlo Contouring Palette
The Wet n Wild MegaGlo Contouring Palette contains a contouring powder and a banana powder and is available in two different shades in India which should cover most Indian skin tones because the pigmentation can be built up or blended out as required. The formula is a little too powdery and you will notice a lot of kickback every time you go into the palette with the blush. It does produce a beautiful chiselled look on the face though and the banana powder can be used to set your brightening concealer. Click here to find out my shade in this product.
3. Makeup Revolution Ultra Sculpt & Contour Kit
Makeup Revolution usually nails all their contouring shades in their various palettes, and they have a range of contouring products suitable for fair to dusky Indian skin tones. The Makeup Revolution Ultra Sculpt & Contour Kit is an excellent option if you are looking for a contouring kit that also includes a blush and a highlight. Their Protection Palette in the shade Medium is also an absolute favourite of mine.
4. L.A. Girl Pro Conceal HD
If you prefer cream products for contouring then the L.A. Girl Pro Conceal HD offers a huge range of shades including some really dark browns that will be perfect contouring shades for dusky to deep skin tones. The formula is richly pigmented, so a little goes a really long way with this product. Just dab a couple of drops on your cheeks and blend away for the perfect contour.
5. L.A. Colors Highlight & Contour Palette
Finally, if you are looking for something super affordable then the L.A. Colors Highlight & Contour Palette will be right up your alley. This palette comes in two shades which should be suitable for fair and medium skin tones respectively. The formula is not the softest but if you work a bit on the blending you will definitely get value for your money!
I hope that this list helps you out in picking the right contouring products for your skin tone. You can directly click on the images to buy the products from Nykaa.com! Do let me know if you try any of these on my recommendation and how they fare for you!