A good contour product should be two to four shades darker than your skin tone. Go much darker and you’ll have difficulty blending it out for a natural effect, much lighter and the difference may be imperceivable. If you want to contour with concealer, start by finding a shade that’s a good match for your skin tone (one you’d want to use to cover blemishes or disguise dark circles). Once you have your match, it’s easier to look at the rest of the range and identify a concealer that’s two to four shades darker.
For non-concealer contour makeup products, you’ll find they’re often named based on the skin tone they’ll suit, which makes choosing one super simple. If you have medium skin, for example, try our three-shade contour kit, 3 Steps To Sculpt Face Sculpting Palette in Medium, or the double-sided Wonder Stick in Medium.
You can also take formula type into consideration when making your pick. Powders are great for beginners as they’re easy to control, while creams offer a natural, dewy-looking finish (particularly beneficial for those with dry skin). Liquids are great for their realism as well. Plus, they blend well with liquid foundation, ensuring the final effect will be that much more seamless.