I Tried the Kate Moss-Inspired Contour Hack That’s Going Viral

TikTok loves a simple makeup hack, especially when it involves contoured cheekbones. Although not every tip and trick gains traction on the app, the ones that do are quickly replicated by other creators and go majorly viral. Recently, a Kate Moss-inspired contour hack became a go-to for beauty influencers on the app. Inspired by the model's iconic dramatic cheekbones, this contouring technique is designed to replicate her look by accentuating the hollows of your cheeks. For anyone looking to achieve a subtly sculpted look, this trick is worth a try.

Below, why this contouring trick is taking over on TikTok and exactly how you can replicate the look at home.

The Hype

Makeup artist Ali Martin started the Kate Moss contour trend when she posted a video demonstrating the technique. In it, she placed a dab of powder bronzer—her choice was the Nars Laguna Bronzer ($18)—just on the hollows of her cheeks and blended upward with her fingers.

"Create the Kate Moss sculpt like this," Martin wrote on TikTok. She added, "Press bronzer at these points on the face to intensify definition." Those points—the hallows of her cheeks right next to her smile lines—are a little lower than you may be used to contouring, but give her the really sculpted result.

According to Martin, she's been doing this trick on her makeup clients for years. The overall effect gives the impression of faux dimples while creating definition below the cheekbones, lifting them up. That said, it's no surprise that people on TikTok were willing to give it a try.

Whether you apply with your fingers or a brush, this contour hack is made to emphasize the shape of your cheekbones.

Using a contour stick and applying gently with a finger, one TikTok account reported that the hack "totally works." They captioned the video, "Kate Moss knows what’s up 😍."

Although the overall effect looked great on the app, one TikToker who tried this technique had mixed reviews. "Just feel the need to mention that this would work well for photography and video, but IRL it was awful and I looked muddy lol," she wrote in the comments section of her video after initially praising the hack.

However, not everyone agreed. When beauty TikToker Tara Anne Davy shared her take on the trend, one commenter wrote, "yes, but this only works for pics." Davy disagreed, replying "I thought it looked good 😌." She used the Fenty Beauty Match Stix Matte Contour Skinstick ($28) in shade Amber, by the way.

So is the Kate Moss contour trick worth trying? It may not be a unanimous TikTok favorite, but the good news is that you probably already own everything you need to give it a go. One tip: Try out this hack when you have ample time to re-do your makeup if you don't love how it looks.

Achieving The Look

Perhaps the best part of this contour hack is its simplicity. Though the placement of the bronzer is specific, it's not complicated. Simply apply bronzer or contour to the hollow of your cheeks, starting closer yo your mouth—think about where dimples are and use that as a guide. If you don't have natural Kate Moss-level cheekbones, try sucking in your cheeks slightly as you apply your contour of choice. This will help pinpoint the target area for application.

Once you have the product on, blend the contour upward. Though Martin suggests using whatever product works best for you, a powder formula here may make for a softer overall finish—especially if you're worried about it looking muddy.

My Review

I wanted to love this hack. I mean, Kate Moss cheekbones are the ultimate goal, right? For me, though, this contour application fell flat. Rather than accentuating my cheekbones, putting bronzer here just looked a bit like discoloration on my skin. Though it looked okay in photos (especially when I smiled and that part of my face naturally became shadowed), I don't see myself using contour technique again. If you have the right face shape for it, I could see it working really well, but I'm going to stick to more traditional contouring for now.