Contouring dates back to Elizabethan times, when stage actors used chalk or soot to define their features for distant audiences. The technique later evolved with film, as make-up artists worked to prevent faces from appearing flat on camera, and was further popularised by drag queens who used contouring to sculpt and reshape facial features.
Today, this artistry lives on in modern beauty routines, made more accessible with the best contour sticks. Contouring products are now a staple in every make-up aisle, having evolved into an everyday essential for adding soft shadow, definition and a sculpted finish. Unlike bronzer, which adds warmth, contour is typically cool-toned with a grey undertone to mimic natural shadows.
