3 Cheek Palettes to Sculpt, Contour and Define Your Face in 2017

I'm so done with 2016—and I'd argue you are, too. So when anyone starts talking about anything 2017, my ears perk up. Case in point: three new cheek palettes from three of our favorite makeup brands—Nars, Tarte and Hourglass—that give you a sneak peek into next year's new collections. And while yes, you may be thinking, "A cheek palette? That's specific," just hear me out for a minute. Because without the help of cheek palettes, my pale AF face goes from a bit amorphous to totally sculpted, especially when I'm wearing my favorite new blue lipstick. But thanks to these sneak peeks into the 2017 collections from a few of my favorite brands (I mean, have you tried Shape Tape concealer?!? Or the Hourglass Foundation Stick? Exactly.)

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More palettes to try before 2016 ends:

1. The Tarte Tarteist Pro Amazonian Clay Palette Makes Trying Burgundy Eye Shadow Simple
2. Smashbox and Shay Mitchell Just Dropped Seven New Palettes
3. NYX's Latest Are Like Awesome Vacations in Tiny Palettes

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To Highlight: Tarte Skin Twinkle Lighting Palette Vol. II ($42)

Courtesy of brand

Earlier this year, Tarte launched a three-shade highlighting palette with universally flattering shades so that we all looked lit AF, regardless of our skin color. Naturally, the already devout cult-following behind the cruelty-free makeup and skin-care line loved it so much, Tarte came out with a second, updated version—Volume II. People loved it so much that the cruelty-free company created a second edition with four brand-new shimmery shades for all of our highlighting and strobing needs. The supersoft, finely milled powders make my naturally oily skin look intentionally glowy and not too glittery. My favorite shade of the quartet is Candlelight, a rose gold that makes my skin look perfectly lit from within.

Here are swatches of all the shades. I'd argue the rose gold, Candlelit, is my favorite, because you know, rose gold, but strobe away with the other gilded powders—I'd also suggest using Skylight as an eyeshadow base for an especially festive holiday party (or something like that.)

To Blush: Nars Narsissist Unfiltered Cheek Palette ($59 each)

Okay, I lied. There's actually four cheek palettes you should definitely try before 2017. Nars came out with two different six-shade selections. I'm not saying you need both, but they have completely different vibes, so if you did get both, I wouldn't judge you. (Frankly, I wouldn't judge you if you had 100 cheek palettes; that's about as many as have laying on my apartment floor, TBH.)

Here's a look at Unfiltered I.

Courtesy of brand

Consider this six-pack like a case of wine coolers, or your entry point into the world of cheek makeup artistry. (I'm being facetious, but I do mean it.) Use have Watch Me, an opalescent gold, to sweep over the top of your cheeks towards your temples so you look, well, actually lit from within. Then, try using the matte russet, Out There, to sculpt the hollows of your cheeks, and four different shades of blush varying from a glimmering peach to mauve-tinged burgundy. And hey, I know: The red one (appropriately called Exhibit A, a hat tip to Nathaniel Hawthorne, guys) may seem glaringly bold, but it's actually a universally flattering shade. (Yes, that bright of a red is universally flattering.) All you need to do is blend just a bit onto the apples of cheeks, diffusing any concentration with a soft-bristled brush like . It's like making Bob Ross proud. (Who is, FTR, available to watch on Netflix now and damn, it's good.)

And here's the other NARS cheek palette, Unfiltered II.

Courtesy of brand

If the other one felt a bit too wild for your personal style, no judgment. NARS also agrees, offering a softer, more neutral selections of shades with this palette. With both matte- and shimmer-finish powders in the pan, you can easily give yourself that naturally rosy flush that you have after the gym (or, well, you know). What I really love, though, is how buildable the pigment is in this compact. One swipe leaves a light-touch glow, but you can layer the colors to make chic AF eyeshadows—especially the pinkish hues. I've been brushing them on my lids à la Emma Stone (and a bunch of other celebs trying out the pink eye shadow trend) in a shade similar to that on my cheeks for a fresh yet monochromatic look.

To Do All of the Things (and Stare at, Too): Hourglass Cosmetics Ambient Strobe Lighting Blush Palette ($62)

Courtesy of brand

First of all, this palette is so gorgeous that I almost wanted to put it in a shadow box and admire it from afar—almost. I mean, just look at the marbleization happening in those shadow pans. It's art, you guys. What's particularly cool, though, is that Hourglass took their superpopular Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder and mixed 'em up with a few of their top-notch blush shades. The result: peak luminosity. Euphoric Fusion (a soft lilac) and Brilliant Nude (an amber) are special limited-edition shades made just for this palette, while Incandescent Electra (a cool peach) is a best seller for the brand.

So let's get through these next 23 days the right way—playing with makeup, of course. Because if these new palettes are any indication, 2017 is really going to be the best year ever.

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Now, watch 100 years of blush history:

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