Let’s be honest. The word “contouring” can be scary. You might think of complicated tutorials, twenty different brushes, and faces that look a bit… stripey.
For years, contouring felt like a secret skill only for professional makeup artists. But what if you could just draw a few lines on your face and blend them away for a beautifully sculpted look? That’s the dream, right?
This is the promise that the Rare Beauty Kind Words Matte Lip & Cheek Contour Stick makes. It says it’s easy to use, blendable, and perfect for everyday wear.
But is it really that simple? Or is it just another product that looks easy on Instagram but is hard to use in real life?
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I’ve tested it thoroughly to give you the full, honest story. Let’s find out if this little stick is the ultimate beginner-friendly tool for cheekbones that pop.
First Things First: What is Contouring?
Before we talk about the product, let’s quickly cover the basics. Contouring is simply using a product that is slightly darker than your skin tone to create shadows.
Where do shadows naturally fall on your face? In the hollows of your cheeks, along your jawline, and on the sides of your nose. By putting a darker shade there, you can make those areas look like they are receding. This creates the illusion of more definition, higher cheekbones, and a more sculpted face.
It’s not about changing your face. It’s about enhancing your natural bone structure.
Why is Contouring Usually So Hard for Beginners?
Most of us have tried and failed at contouring. Here’s why:
- The Wrong Product: Using a powder that’s too dark or an orange-toned cream can look muddy and obvious.
- The Wrong Tools: You might not have the “right” brush, which can make blending a struggle.
- The Wrong Placement: It’s confusing to know exactly where to put the product.
- It Looks Too Harsh: The final look can be more “drag queen glam” (which is amazing, but not for everyone’s daily life) and less “natural enhancement.”
The Rare Beauty Contour Stick tries to solve all these problems at once.
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Meet the Product: The Rare Beauty Contour Stick
Let’s get to know the star of the show. This isn’t a dedicated contour stick; it’s a multi-use product for your lips, cheeks, and contouring. But its contour shades are what everyone is talking about.
What’s in the Tube?
It’s a swivel-up stick with a creamy, matte formula. It’s not too hard and not too soft – it glides on without tugging your skin.
The Shades (The Most Important Part!)
This is where Rare Beauty, and Selena Gomez’s vision, really shines. The brand is all about being inclusive. The contour shades are designed to be neutral and cool-toned.
Why does this matter? Because real shadows on your face are greyish or brownish, they are not orange. Many cheap contour products are too warm, which is why they can look like a muddy stripe.
Rare Beauty offers shades like:
- Happy Sol for light to light-medium skin.
- Bright Side for medium to tan skin.
- Powerful for deep skin tones.
Having a true, shadow-like colour is the first step to making contouring look natural and beginner-friendly. You can see the full shade range on the Rare Beauty UK website.
The Ultimate Test: Is It Really Beginner-Friendly?
Let’s break down the “beginner-friendly” claim point by point.
1. The Application: Is it Easy to Put On?
Verdict: Yes, incredibly easy.
You don’t need a brush to pick up product. You just swipe the stick directly onto your skin. This gives you so much control. You can draw a precise line exactly where you want it.
For contouring the hollows of your cheeks, a great tip is to make a “fish face” by sucking in your cheeks. This shows you where the natural hollow is. Then, just draw two lines in that hollow. It’s that simple.
2. The Blending: Does it Turn into a Mess?
Verdict: No, it’s surprisingly blendable.
This is the magic of the formula. It’s creamy when you apply it, but it doesn’t immediately slide everywhere. You have a few seconds to blend it before it “sets.”
What can you use to blend?
- Your Fingers: The warmth of your fingers can melt the product into your skin beautifully.
- A Makeup Sponge: A damp beauty blender is a foolproof tool. Just bounce and press it over the lines you’ve drawn.
- A Dense Brush: A stippling brush also works well.
Because the product is so creamy, it blends out seamlessly, leaving a soft, diffused shadow instead of a harsh line. This is a beginner’s dream!
3. The Finish: Does it Look Natural?
Verdict: Yes, it looks like your skin, but better.
The finish is matte, but it’s a skin-like matte. It doesn’t look dry or cakey. Once blended, it just looks like a natural shadow on your face. People might notice your cheekbones look great, but they won’t necessarily see a stripe of makeup.
A Simple, Step-by-Step Guide for Absolute Beginners
Follow these steps, and you really can’t go wrong.
What You Need:
- The Rare Beauty Contour Stick
- Your usual foundation or tinted moisturiser
- A damp makeup sponge or your fingers
The Steps:
- Prep Your Skin: Start with a moisturised face. If you wear foundation, apply it as you normally would. You can contour on top of foundation or under it – experiment to see what you prefer.
- Find Your Hollows: Look in the mirror and suck in your cheeks. See that dip under your cheekbone? That’s your target.
- Draw the Lines: Swipe the contour stick directly into that hollow. Start from near your ear and draw a line towards the corner of your mouth, but stop halfway. A line that goes too far towards your mouth can make your face look droopy.
- Blend, Blend, Blend: Immediately use your sponge or fingers to blend the line upwards towards your hairline and a little downwards. You want to soften any hard edges.
- Build Slowly: Want more drama? You can draw another line and blend again. It’s easier to add more than to take it away.
And that’s it! You’ve just contoured your cheeks.
How Does It Compare? Rare Beauty vs. The Rest
You might be wondering how it stacks up against other popular contour sticks.
- Vs. Fenty Beauty Match Stix: The Fenty stick is also great, but many people find the formula a bit drier and therefore slightly harder to blend. The Rare Beauty stick wins on blendability for beginners.
- Vs. Drugstore Contour Sticks: Many affordable options, like those from e.l.f. Cosmetics, are improving, but they often struggle with shade range. Their contours can be too orange or ashy. Rare Beauty’s superior, neutral shades are worth the extra investment for a natural look.
The Pros and Cons: A Balanced View
The Pros (The Good Stuff)
- Super Easy to Use: The stick format is foolproof.
- Blends Like a Dream: No harsh lines left behind.
- Perfect Shades: Neutral and cool tones that mimic real shadows.
- Multi-Use: You can also use it as a cream bronzer or blush.
- Travel-Friendly: No brushes needed, perfect for on-the-go touch-ups.
The Cons (The Not-So-Good Stuff)
- The Price: It’s more expensive than a drugstore product. But you are paying for the quality and the perfect shade.
- Can Be Too Creamy for Oily Skin: If you have very oily skin, you might need to set it well with powder to make it last all day.
- Limited to Cream Makeup Lovers: If you exclusively use powder products, a cream contour might feel strange to you.
Who Is This Contour Stick Perfect For?
- The Complete Beginner: If you’ve never contoured before, this is the perfect place to start.
- The Lazy Makeup Lover: If you want a quick, 2-minute sculpting routine, this delivers.
- Anyone Who Loves a Natural “No-Makeup” Makeup Look: It gives definition without looking heavy.
- People Who Have Struggled with Orange or Muddy Contour in the Past: The shades will be a revelation.
The Final Verdict: Is It the Ultimate Beginner Tool?
So, after all this, is the Rare Beauty Contour Stick the ultimate beginner-friendly sculpting tool?
The answer is a resounding yes.
It solves the biggest problems beginners face: confusing shades, difficult application, and hard-to-blend formulas. It takes the fear out of contouring and turns it into a simple, 30-second step in your routine.
It’s not magic – you still need to practice the placement. But this stick makes the practice so much easier and more successful. You’re far less likely to end up with a messy, orange face.
It’s a product that does exactly what it promises. It’s kind to your skin, kind to your wallet in the long run (because you’ll actually use it), and kind to your confidence by giving you a simple way to enhance your beautiful features.
If you’ve been curious about contouring, this is your sign to give it a try. You might just find your new favourite makeup product.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. What makes the Rare Beauty Contour Stick more “beginner-friendly” than other contour products?
Its beginner-friendliness stems from a combination of its form and formula. The swivel-up stick eliminates the need for a separate brush to pick up product, allowing for direct, intuitive application that gives you complete control over placement. The cream formula is specifically engineered to have a “working time”—it’s creamy enough to blend effortlessly without dragging the skin, but it doesn’t set so quickly that it becomes a race against the clock. This prevents the harsh, unblendable lines that often frustrate beginners using faster-drying formulas.
2. I have very fair/light skin. Won’t any contour product look obvious on me?
This is a common concern, and it’s where Rare Beauty’s shade range excels. For fair skin, the key is to avoid anything with orange or red undertones, as these will appear as a muddy stripe. Shades like Happy Sol are formulated with neutral-to-cool undertones that mimic the natural greyish shadow of a real cast shadow on light skin. The trick is to apply sparingly and blend thoroughly; the goal is a subtle definition, not a dramatic stripe. When done correctly, it should look like enhanced bone structure, not obvious makeup.
3. How does the performance differ on oily versus dry skin types?
The experience varies significantly by skin type. On dry skin, the creamy formula is a dream, blending seamlessly without emphasizing flakes or patches. On oily skin, the hydrating properties can cause the product to break down faster throughout the day. To combat this, those with oily skin should prep with a mattifying primer and, crucially, set the blended contour with a light layer of translucent powder. This locks the cream in place, transforming its finish to be more compatible with oily complexions for long-lasting wear.
4. Can I truly use this without any brushes or special tools?
Yes, and this is one of its biggest selling points for beginners. Your fingers are an excellent tool for blending this product. The natural warmth of your fingertips helps to melt the cream seamlessly into the skin, creating a soft, diffused effect. A damp makeup sponge is another fantastic, foolproof option that requires no technical skill—just a bouncing or stippling motion. While a dense stippling brush can also work, it is by no means a necessity, making this an ideal low-maintenance product.
5. What is the fundamental difference between using this for contouring versus bronzing?
This is a critical distinction. Contouring is about creating shadows and definition using a cool-toned, shadow-mimicking product. You apply it in the hollows of your cheeks, along the jawline, and the sides of the nose. Bronzing is about adding warmth and a sun-kissed glow using a warmer-toned product. You apply it where the sun naturally hits: the high points of your cheeks, the forehead, and the bridge of the nose. While you could use a warmer Rare Beauty stick shade for bronzing, the specific contour shades are designed for shadow work, not warmth.
6. How do I choose the correct shade without being able to swatch it in person?
Focus on your skin’s undertone, not just its depth. Look at the veins on your wrist under natural light: if they look blue/purple, you have cool undertones; if green, warm undertones; if a mix, neutral. Rare Beauty’s contour shades (like Happy Sol, Bright Side) are deliberately neutral-cool. Cross-reference your usual foundation shade with online shade finders on sites like Findation, and when in doubt, choose the lighter of two options, as it’s easier to build a lighter shade than to blend out one that is too dark.
7. Does it work well over both liquid and powder foundations?
It works best over liquid, cream, or bare skin. The creamy texture blends most seamlessly into a liquid or cream base. Applying it over a powdered foundation is challenging, as the cream can “grab” onto the powder, creating a patchy, uneven appearance. If you prefer a powder foundation, the best technique is to do your cream contour first, set it lightly with powder, and then apply your powder foundation around it, blending the edges carefully.
8. What is the best way to correct a mistake if I’ve applied too much or blended it poorly?
Don’t panic. The beauty of a blendable cream is that it’s forgiving. If you’ve applied too much, take a clean, damp makeup sponge and gently bounce it over the area to lift the excess product. If the placement is wrong or it’s become muddy, take a small dot of your regular foundation or concealer on a sponge and gently pat it over the mistake to “erase” it, then re-blend the edges. Practice makes perfect!
9. Is the product multi-purpose enough to justify the price?
Absolutely. While marketed for contouring, its formula makes it incredibly versatile. The contour shades can be used as a cream eyeshadow in a neutral matte look, or to subtly define the crease of the eyelid. The warmer shades in the same line can be used as a cream blush or lip colour. This versatility means you’re not buying a single-use item but a core component of a simplified, multi-use cream makeup kit.
10. How does its longevity compare to powder contour products?
Powder contours generally have longer wear time on oily skin because they are, by nature, dry and absorbent. The Rare Beauty stick, as a cream, has a different performance profile. Its longevity is highly dependent on your skin type and preparation. On normal to dry skin, it can last a full workday. On oilier skin, without proper priming and setting, it may fade or migrate after 4-6 hours. The trade-off is that the cream finish is far more natural and skin-like than a powder, which can sometimes sit on top of the skin and look makeup-y.
