The Best Contour and Highlight Products of 2018

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For our 23rd annual Best Beauty Buys, we surveyed leading dermatologists, makeup artists, hairstylists, and manicurists to find out which products they can’t get enough of. The votes are in: You’ll want to clear a shelf for these 165 beauty game-changers.

Finding the perfect foundation is just the first step in creating radiant, healthy-looking skin. It’s the contour and highlight products in this category that will really get you to your glow goal. Well-placed highlighter can light up your face, while the right shade of blush can make you look five years younger. Bronzer? It’s the secret weapon behind Kim Kardashian’s chiseled cheekbones.

It's easily the most popular makeup genre of 2018, but because it's inundated with options, it's also among the most confusing to shop.

So for this year’s Best Beauty Buys, our panel of beauty pros did the work for you and narrowed down the overwhelming list to seven transformative and easy-to-use products. Check them out below.

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The Best Powder Blush: NARS 

Courtesy NARS
$30
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You can pick up NARS Blush in 33 different shades, but you're probably most familiar with a little compact named Orgasm. The universally-flattering, best-selling, peachy-pink shade shown here has just the right amount of shimmer, and the finely-milled formula makes blending a piece of cake.

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The Best Bronzer: Guerlain Terracotta

Courtesy Guerlain
$53
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The gorgeous tortoiseshell compact is just one of the many reasons we're hooked on Guerlain's Terracotta Bronzer. Available in eight multitone shades, the formula isn't too orange or glittery, and it's never streaky. It's perfectly balanced to warm up your complexion in the most natural-looking way.

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The Best Cheek/Lip Stain: Benefit Benetint

Courtesy Benefit
$30
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Consider this lip and cheek stain your secret to getting a rosy flush without embarrassing yourself. Apply three small brush-strokes to the apples of your cheeks, and then tap the product in with your finger tips. Gently dab any excess of this multitasking formula on your lips to complete your look.

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The Best Natural Bronzer: RMS Beauty Buriti Bronzer

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$28
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If making your beauty routine a little greener is a New Year's Resolution you're still working on, this super sheer bronzer will help you get there—it's made with a grand total of only 10 ingredients. Tap the creamy, lightweight formula on the high points of your face to create an ultra-dewy look.

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The Best Cream Blush: Bobbi Brown

Courtesy Bobbi Brown
$30
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Buildable and creamy, this pigmented blush instantly melts into your skin upon application, making you look healthy, youthful, and like you actually get a solid eight hours of sleep every night. It's available in six natural-looking shades, but we have a thing for the classic Powder Pink. 

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The Best Powder Highlighter: Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting

Courtesy Hourglass
$38
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Out of thousands of products out there, InStyle beauty editors dubbed this powder highlighter the very best. Available in four different subtle tints, it acts just like your favorite Instagram filter, thanks to the ultrafine pearl pigments that give your skin an airbrushed finish and an all-over glow. 

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The Best Highlighter: RMS Beauty Living Luminizer

Courtesy RMS
$38
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This all-natural, luminous highlighter catches the light, but it isn't glittery, so you don't have to worry about looking like a disco ball. Use your fingers to dab the creamy formula down the bridge of your nose, on your cheekbones, and on your brow bone, and wait for the compliments to flow in.

Each of these products is voted on by a panel of pros or selected by our editors. If you purchase through our links, InStyle may earn a commission.

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