What’s the Difference Between Bronzer vs Contour?
Learn the differences between bronzer vs contour and discover how to use them together to create bronzed, sculpted-looking makeup.
- 24th January 2025
- By Charlotte Tilbury
6 minute read
Are bronzer and contour the same thing? Bronzer and contour might seem similar, darlings, but they perform slightly different roles in your makeup routine. Discover how bronzer and contour can be used to transform every makeup look and uncover some key differences that should help you decide when to bronze, when to contour, and how to use them together to bronze and sculpt!
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Bronzer
Do you want to warm up the look of your face? Bronzer is a beauty trick that makes you appear fresh from a day in the sun. Generally, bronzers are warm-toned shades that mimic the natural sunshine glow of a suntan. Some bronzers are matte, and others have a radiant or shimmer finish, but the goal is always to cast a dreamy summer glow over your complexion that leaves you looking healthy and bronzed.
Tilbury Tip: For a bronzed glow, discover Beautiful Skin Sun-Kissed Glow Bronzer, and for a soft-matte bronzed look, discover AIRbrush Bronzer.
Contour
Do you want to chisel the look of your facial features? Contouring is the secret to sculpting the look of your face by creating the appearance of shadows on the hollows of your cheekbones, nose, jaw, and forehead. When you contour, you are creating a makeup illusion that helps features to appear lifted and sculpted. Contour products are usually cool toned to mimic the appearance of natural shade on your face; this allows them to alter the look of your bone structure, helping high points to look lifted and rounder features to look sharper and more sculpted.
Tilbury Tip: To contour like a Hollywood star, discover 7 shades of my Hollywood Contour Wand easy liquid contour.
Bronzing:
Apply bronzer wherever the sun would naturally tan your skin – across the top of your forehead, on your temples and the bridge of your nose, along your cheekbones, and on your neck and décolletage. To apply bronzer, reach for a large, fluffy, Kabuki-style brush like The AIR Brush or the Beautiful Skin Bronzing Brush, sweeping lightly across the face to create an even-looking, all-over bronze. Reach for AIRbrush Bronzer to transform into a magically matte 90s bombshell, or apply Beautiful Skin Sun-Kissed Glow Bronzer as a beautiful golden hour glow filter!
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Contouring:
Carefully place contour everywhere that you want to chisel and sculpt – along your hairline, the hollows of your cheeks, the sides of your nose, and following your jawline. Contouring should appear like a naturally cast shadow on your face, so be sure to blend well with my Hollywood Complexion Brush and be mindful not to blend too far from your natural bone structure as this may break the illusion. Discover your perfect shade of my Hollywood Contour Wand, then swipe on to create effortless, sculpted-looking, Hollywood facial architecture.
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What’s the Difference Between Bronzer vs Contour? More FAQs
Should I use bronzer or contour?
To decide whether your makeup look needs bronzer or contour, think about the type of look you are trying to create. If you want your makeup to look sun-kissed and radiant, applying bronzer is the best beauty secret for enlivening the look of your complexion and creating a healthy-looking, beach-bronzed finish. Alternatively, if you desire a more sculpted look that makes your facial features appear more chiselled, try experimenting with contouring to shape and sculpt the look of your face.
Can I use bronzer and contour?
Yes – bronzer and contour can be used together to create a bronzed and sculpted makeup look. Bronzer and contour can blend harmoniously as long as you are reaching for shades that complement one another. If you are reaching for products from the same colour family – for example, contouring with Hollywood Contour Wand in Deep and bronzing with AIRbrush Bronzer in Deep – bronzer and contour will work together to amplify your overall look.
Do I apply bronzer before or after contour?
You should use contour before bronzer in your makeup routine. Think of your makeup look like a drawing, darlings. With contour, you are sketching and carving out the shapes that you want to create with makeup, and with bronzer you are adding warmth and colour. Use contour to sculpt the look of your face, then go in with bronzer to give your makeup a beautiful, bronzed finish.
Discover my correct order of makeup steps
Should bronzer be lighter or darker than contour?
Bronzer should be similar in tone to your contour, potentially swinging slightly lighter. The purpose of contour is to create the appearance of shadows on your face, so it’s best to use a shade that is 2 tones darker than your natural skin tone to create a convincing illusion. Bronzer on the other hand is intended to mimic the tan you get from a day in the sun, so it’s preferable to reach for a shade that resembles your natural suntan. The main difference between bronzer and contour shades lies in their undertone. Your bronzer and contour shades shouldn’t be drastically different; bronzer should have a warm undertone and contour should have a cool undertone. Think of them as sunshine and shade for your complexion!
Discover how to choose your bronzer shade
Can I use bronzer as contour?
Yes – you can contour with bronzer. Brontouring is a makeup technique where bronzer is used instead of contour. Some people gravitate towards bronzer because it gives makeup a warmer, softer look that’s closer to your natural skin tone. Bronzer is less effective at immaculately contouring and carving out the look of your face, however, it can create a similar, soft-sculpt effect that adds depth to your features without requiring the same precision as applying a true contour. Think of brontouring as an easy, breezy shortcut to contouring – it’s a makeup secret for anyone that wants just a touch of extra dimension for their makeup look.
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Author Details
Charlotte Tilbury
Founder, President, Chairman and Chief Creative Officer of Charlotte Tilbury Beauty
With over 30 years experience, Charlotte Tilbury MBE is the world's number 1 makeup artist and British beauty entrepreneur. Charlotte established Charlotte Tilbury Beauty in 2013, which is now a record-breaking beauty brand that has won over 400 awards.
