Why I’m Still Contouring Like It’s 2015

Era-defining beauty holds a special place in my heart. The perfect brow arches and pinky brown lips from the ‘90s, or the dramatic cat-eyes from the ‘60s, are classics that have remained steadfast in many a makeup routine. While I agree you can never go wrong with a ‘90s lip, another era’s signature look has endured the test of time in my makeup routine—contouring.

A staple technique from the 2010s, contouring is enjoying a well-deserved renaissance in the beauty industry, and this beauty writer couldn’t be more thrilled. With a wave of new launches aimed at snatching, lifting, and sculpting the face, it’s clear that the technique has found its niche once again. But before we dive into the now, let’s rewind to where it began.

The 2010s were an era of creativity for beauty enthusiasts. YouTube gave us beauty vloggers who walked you through a full-glam look as they unloaded their thoughts. Meanwhile, they would also deliver top-tier tutorials from celebrity makeup artists.

The vibe was full beat and maximum glam with high-pigmented eyeshadow looks and supremely sculpted faces. Contouring played a principal role in creating the look, and, by 2016, the technique had gone viral via Kim Kardashian. Shortly after (in 2017), she’d launch the KKW Beauty Crème Contour & Highlight Kit featuring a dual-ended contour wand and blending tool in the same dual format. As a makeup technique, contouring was met with intimidation, and the Kardashian’s kit aimed to simplify things.

Admittedly, I didn’t try the KKW contour and highlight wand. While the product did appear to simplify the technique, for me, contouring was much more personal than nailing the look. Like many Black women, my skin varies in complexion. Some areas are naturally lighter, while others showcase a deeper shade of brown. My makeup journey became centered on learning how to enhance those nuances, and contouring became the tool to bring my features to life.

From YouTube tutorials, I’d learned that the key to a good makeup look was creating a solid base. After finding my shade of foundation, I’d pile on layers until my skin tone was completely even. The idea was to create a blank canvas. But I quickly realized that blank also meant flat, my skin didn’t need layers of matte foundation to look beautiful— it needed shadows and variations of brown tones.

That technique wasn’t as readily available online, but the internet did point me in the direction of Sam Fine’s makeup book. From the title, I knew I’d found what I’d been looking for. Melanated skin isn’t one tone, and Fine Beauty: Beauty Basics and Beyond for African-American Women expertly showed how to use that characteristic as an advantage. Placement is essential when it comes to makeup products, but it is even more crucial for building the perfect base. Through Fine’s book, I learned the fundamentals of where to place deeper-toned products and how to use them to naturally shape my face.

That foundation allowed me to fully embrace contouring throughout the 2010s. Over the course of the decade, I sculpted my cheeks and jawline and chiseled my nose for every occasion. Yes, it was over the top, but that was the >Fenty’s Match Stix Contour never leaves my makeup bag, and I’ve been equally impressed with TikTok-famous brand Sacheu Beauty’s Contour STAY-N. Powders still play a big role in deepening my contour and giving me a more sculpted look. Nars’ Matte Laguna Bronzers and Ogee’s Skin Perfecting Powder are two of my favorites at the moment.

In beauty, formulation and format are just as important as placement. Contouring is a staple makeup technique that has stood the test of time through trend cycles. Today’s products aren’t about reliving the tried-and-true look, and are, instead, more focused on modernizing it. Contour sticks are back, featuring slim features and creamier bullets for precision. Wands with liquid formulas and pillowy applicators provide soft shaping, while contour palettes have evolved to create a naturally defined look. Like KKW’s contour and highlight kit, the aim is to make contouring easy. Fortunately, we’ve come a long way in the last ten years, and contouring for all skin tones has never been easier or more accessible.

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