The always impeccably made-up Kim Kardashian West is a fan of contouring, but her touch can be a bit too heavy for real life. Leave the high drama to the celebs and try these easy-to-use products that will help your face appear naturally slim and glowing.



Photography by Kevin Wong

For pro-level sculpting
Contour kits with more than two or three shades are designed for makeup artists and for those that love to play. Kat Von D's Shade + Light palette mimics the matte appearance of shadows and, with six shades, can flatter skin tones from fair to dark.

Kat Von D Shade + Light Contour Palette, $55, sephora.ca.




Photography by Kevin Wong

For natural-looking definition
In general, contour products should be free of shimmer and only two shades darker than your skin tone. Rodial's offering, in its gorgeous leather compact, features the ideal taupe for light to medium skin.
Rodial Instaglam Compact Deluxe Contour Powder in 03, $75, murale.ca.




Photography by Kevin Wong

For a quick fix
If you find yourself lacking time, try Hard Candy's retractable stick. Simply swipe it once across your cheeks with the light hue along the top of the cheekbone and the darker hue on the apple for a more sculpted appearance.
Hard Candy Cheeks & Balances in Island Glow, $6, walmart.ca.




Photography by Kevin Wong

For a bronze glow
If your skin has golden undertones, look for warm pearlescent hues. Pixi's bronzy sculpting trio features a peach highlight, a bronze contour and a rosy-bronze blush to add definition and enhance your tan.
Pixi Bronze Sculpt Trio in Sunshine Sculpt, $28, pixibeauty.co.uk.




Photography by Kevin Wong

For brush-free application
Highlighting and contouring sticks make sculpting a cinch. The wider the stick, the easier it is to apply—see Clinique's new contour-and-highlight duo. Slim pencils are useful for small areas such as your nose, the cupid's bow of your top lip and your brow bones; Smashbox's creamy new trio in Contour, Bronze and Highlight allows precise application with superb blendability.
Clinique Chubby Stick Sculpting Highlight and Clinique Chubby Stick Sculpting Contour, $24 each, clinique.ca. Smashbox Step-by-Step Contour Stick Trio, $52, sephora.ca.



Before and after blending; Photography by Carlyle Routh

Looking to use contouring products to contour at home? Try our easy steps to get a natural look:

1. After hydrating dry areas with primer, brush along your hairline with a contour product that's a couple of shades deeper than your skin tone.

2. Use a slim contour pencil or a narrow angled brush to trace the sides and end of your nose and into your eye creases.

3. Suck in your cheeks and draw the contour in the hollow of your cheekbones, then along your jaw line.

4. Apply a matte or slightly pearlescent highlight in a triangle on your forehead, on your brow bones and beneath your eyes.

5. Fill in a triangle above your lips and an inverted triangle below your lips with highlighter.

Read more:
Celebrity makeup and beauty secrets revealed
Your 6 essential makeup brushes

This story was originally published in the May 2015 issue of Canadian Living.

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