In the world of beauty, there are two common words that usually get lumped together. They are interchanged and thought of to be the same thing. Unless for some few cases involving professional beauty personalities, hearing people interchange contour for bronzer is not something new.

Quite often, people mistake bronzing products and use them for contouring while others use contour products for bronzing. While creams and powders are both used to practice both makeup techniques, that is, contouring and bronzing, bronzing the skin and contouring the face are completely different. Thus, there exist differences between a contour and bronzer.

If you’re interested in learning what exactly makes a contour and bronzer different, read through to the end. In the end, you will have learnt how to contour and bronze the right way since you’ll have the right products.

What is A Bronzer?

A bronzer is a cosmetic powder or liquid that is applied to the skin in order to give it a different color or make it shine. Typically, a bronzer is meant to give the skin the appearance of a suntan.

Bronzers come as sunless tanning options. They come in form of sprays, powders, gels, mousse, moisturizers, and lotions.

What is A Contour?

A contour is a beauty product used to achieve an outline that represents or bounds the shape of something. In beauty, it represents the shape or form on an individual’s face.

When contouring, a cool or warm toned color of one or two shades darker than the skin tone is placed in such areas as the hollows of the cheeks. It can also be placed on the temples and the sides of the nose to achieve a shadow and slimming effect.

Differences Between Contour and Bronzer

While the two add depth and enhancement to how an individual looks, there is a huge distinction between them. The main differences are:

1. Definition of Contour and Bronzer

A contour is a product used to achieve the desired outline of someone’s face while a bronzer is a product, liquid or powder, used to give the skin it’s applied on a different color or to make it shine.

2. Uses 

While a bronzer is used to warm up the skin where the sun will naturally hit, a contour is used to shape and redefine the structure of an individual’s face.

3. Results

Using contours creates the structure, symmetry, and dimension for the skin while bronzers add a natural wash of sun.

Contour Vs. Bronzer: Comparison Table

Summary of Contour Vs. Bronzer

A contour and bronzer almost serve the same purposes. However, their key characteristics and purposes set their differences. Their differences are mainly on the uses and the impact. As each is specific to the area it has to be applied, a contour should neither be used as a bronzer nor should a bronzer be used to contour the skin.

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