Share your pick! And don’t forget to share why 🙂
I love Hakuhodo’s J5521 or J511, as well as MAC 168, which is a classic! All three work well for me. (You can read about them here in my brush must-haves post!)
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I do like the Real Techniques contou brush, with the orange handle.
I love the Real Techniques Contour Brush
Mac 109 .. best small contour brush ever <3
Monica.
My favorite is Sephora’s Pro Angled Contour Brush #75.
Morphe Brushes M460 Flat Contour. The contouring effect is easy to get pretty pronounced so if you only need / like a slight contour this may not be the brush for you. If you like some serious sculpting you won’t regret buying this brush.
I still haven’t found the perfect one. I’ll have to check out yours and brushes the other commenters mention. I’m never sure what shape to use under my cheekbones.
Most contour brushes apply too much product for my taste/aren’t fluffy enough or are too large, blush brushes seem too large and too fluffy, fan brushes don’t apply enough product, tapered and slanted brushes don’t buff well enough and/or apply to much product. I can’t seem to find my “Goldilocks” contour brush. It could be me, though. I’m not the best at contouring. A semi-circular blush brush works the best so far under the checkbones, but I’m not thrilled with them.
Maybe the new Estee Lauder Sculpting Foundation brush? I don’t sculpt, so I wouldn’t know. But it’s the brush I’ve been using lately for my foundation and the shape should be perfect for contouring.
We have only known each other for two weeks, but it is love… the NARS Ita brush!
Very cute comment, lol. I agree that the ITA is a very good brush for countouring, but I don’t feel like it’s my HG countourung brush. I’d love to find ‘the one’.
Mostly flat brushes one gets with sets. Right now, I have two brushes from Benefit’s boxed powders, a small and a large one, and they work very well because they fit the hollows of my cheeks and help draw and buff out a straight line.
Love the Real Techniques Contour Brush also – it looks like it’s a winner in the Temptalia community!
I love the Zoeva Face Paint brush! Its a less expensive alternativeto the NARS Ita but with no shedding and overall better build quality. 🙂
I use MAC’s 168 and I love it 🙂
Tarte the Slenderizer seems to make the process foolproof for me (a newbie to contouring) . One side applies the perfect line and one side blends it out. I was pretty lost in the contour world without it, tbh!
I’m very happy with my Mac 168! I also have the Sonia Kashuk 15th Anniversary contour brush, which is pretty cool!
I don’t have one single favorite since I switch it up a lot. I use Real Techniques pointed foundation brush or Eco Tools retractable pointed foundation brush to get the initial line, then blend out with the RT Contour brush. Sometimes, I’ll just use the Eco Tools tapered blush brush and pinch it flatter with my fingers and do that.
I really have been considering getting a traditional Itahake brush off eBay, though. It’d be like having a NARS Ita brush but even cooler since that’s what Ita is modeled after.
Do not contour… Would make me look too bony. If I ever do a tiny bit, use the Becca One.
Chanel #2 Powder/Contour. It just fits.
I prefer using the Real Techniques Setting Brush for contouring, the Real Techniques Contour Brush for applying blush and the Real Techniques blush brush for face powder like Guerlain Meteorites, etc.
Ugh II’m definitely on the hunt for a new contour brush. The Sigma ones just aren’t cutting it. I am really interested in trying out the Real Techniques contour brush. And it’s constantly on sale at Ulta. I’m also saving up to purchase some Yachiyo or Itahake style brushes from Japan. Hakuhodo looks to be a good contender but I get so overwhelmed by all the beautiful brushes on their site haha
Nars #21 brush it’s got the perfect angle to blend & contour the right amount of color love it!
I don’t have a lot of experience with contouring, and most of what I do have is finger-based, but I’ve developed the suspicion that I’d do best with a small tapered brush – kind of like a tapered face brush, but not as large (but not as small as a 217 or whatever). This is speculation, however…
bdellium tools 990 Angled Face brush!
I have a ton of different ones, and I ALWAYS choose to travel (how i judge my most favorite brushes) with this sonia kashuk one from a limited edition christmas set. Its small and round and is the perfect density to apply finely milled product evenly and to deal with any “hard pan” issues it breaks right through with a little pressure. If I could find one thats the same shape and size and softer on the face I would be in heaven!!! The MAC 116 is close, but the bristles are a bit longer and have too much give. I am dying to find another that compares and its better quality if anyone has any ideas.
Have you tried Real Techniques Contour Brush, or Expert Face Brush?
Yeah, RT contour is fine. Also have a japonesque contour ( yay Ulta sale!) but i seldom contour, unless i’m just playin’. Contouring is hardly part of the routine, with the jobs i do. As the way old (before even MY time) song goes, ‘don’t get around much, anymore…’
NATS ITA without a doubt. It’s so easy to use, and gives me the perfect cheekbones every time.
Ditto!
I second NARS Ita! It’s a great brush. Picks up the perfect amount, easy to fit under cheekbones, and great at blending.
Depends on formula/product… I like applying creams/liquids with the e.l.f. Studio (black handle) angled foundation brush, and buff/blend with a Sonia Kashuk flat contour brush. The foundation brush picks up so little product, I don’t have to worry about going overboard. I also have a SK brush that came with the 4-piece face set a couple seasons ago, the one with the black & white handle/green bristles, for powders. It’s similar to the permanent one (white handle) but softer, and almost like a duo-fiber brush.
I’m considering adding NARS Ita & Yachiyo brushes to my stash, but not any time soon…
I tested the Nars Yachiyo in store recently and it was a bit disappointing. For the price, I expect it to be much softer. I bet Hakuhodo’s Yachiyo is much softer.
Sigma F40, F88 or MAC 168
I love my sonia kashuk medium multipurpose powder brush no.17 (it’s an angled blush brush made with natural hairs) for contouring and my real techniques setting brush for highlighting (as well as setting my under eye concealer)
Oh, and my elf angled blush brush is also good, but my sonia kashuk one just feels more luxurious.
Lately I’m using Ecotools tapered blush and it does the job very well.
My fave is the Mac 138 because it comes to a point and it’s great for all over contour. I use it on my nose as well and it doesn’t apply too much. I think it is just perfect!
Billy B #4 brush is great..I have smaller features and this brush is perfect.