THE 5 CONTOUR STICKS WE'RE CRUSHING ON RIGHT NOW

Nars The Multiple Sculpting Stick - Taormina, £33

Despite often being used interchangeably, bronzer and contour aren’t actually the same thing. Through orange, red and yellow pigments, bronzers inject warmth and a holiday-ready tan, while contour creates natural-looking shadows and dimension. If you have neutral-cool skin, you may have noticed how warm many contour sticks tend to be – but this isn’t a problem with NARS’ Sculpting Sticks. These contours are perfect for cool-toned skin, with their slightly ashier, bluer-toned browns better mimicking the skin’s natural shadows. They also offer up to 16 hours of wear, so you can enjoy a sculpted base for longer.

KIKO Milano Sculpting Touch Creamy Stick Contour, £13

Looking like a juicy glazed donut is still on our summer makeup menu, but we aren’t complaining about the return of matte finishes. Matte lipsticks and lipliners have crept back onto our moodboards, and the KIKO Milano Creamy Stick Contour is a must for achieving a flawless matte base. Plus, this wonder stick is enriched with African walnut seed oil and pistachio extract to hydrate and soothe skin. Its waterproof formula also makes it ideal for your pre-lido or pre-pool beauty routine, where you ideally don’t want an overly dewy look.

Revolution Skin Silk Bronzer Stick, £7

Another MVP in our contour stick collection? The Revolution Skin Silk stick, which offers a bronzed, golden-hour look if you're after a budget-friendly option. The warmer undertones complement any sun-kissed glam you’ll be doing – think peachy cheeks, coral-pink lips and shimmery eyes. Oh, and if it wasn’t already obvious, another great thing about contour sticks is how user-friendly they are. Simply swipe onto your cheekbones, temples and jawline, then blend for instant definition.

bareMinerals Complexion Rescue Luminous Skin Tint Stick, £33.50

bareMinerals has always been all about skin-loving makeup, and the Complexion Rescue Luminous Skin Tint stick is just that. Its mineral-enhanced formula stars vitamin E, an underrated but incredibly important ingredient for hydration, soothing and maintaining an effective skin barrier. With hotter days ahead, you’ll appreciate its weightless feel, 24-hour wear and resistance to sweat, water and humidity. There’s nothing it doesn’t do.

Maybelline Lifter Contour Stix, £9.99

No-one wants to be stuck with products they use once every blue moon – exactly why multitasking makeup is our favourite kind. If you want your products to work as hard as you, Maybelline’s Lifter Contour Stix is a 3-in-1 hero. Depending on the day, you can use it as a concealer or foundation, too. Its formula is lightweight and buildable, meaning you can better fine-tune your coverage to your preference – so don’t worry about cakey, mask-like makeup. Trust us, you'll reach for this on repeat.