Buzz
Facial contouring is a technique that helps define your facial features, enhancing your cheekbones while slimming your nose and chin. This popular makeup method, widely used by renowned experts, can also be mastered at home with the right products and tools. When applying contouring makeup, blend carefully to achieve a flawless and natural look.
Steps
Choose the Right Products
Start with a foundation that matches your skin tone. Using a foundation that aligns with your natural skin tone creates a smooth base, allowing you to apply darker or lighter shades for contouring. Without foundation, contouring becomes challenging due to uneven skin tones, potentially resulting in a patchy and uneven finish.
- Use a foundation with a formula similar to other products you'll use; for example, stick to all cream-based or all powder-based products to avoid a sticky or uneven texture.
- If you struggle to find the right shade, match the foundation to your neck's skin tone. The neck tends to be slightly lighter than the face, ensuring your makeup doesn't appear darker than usual.
Use a foundation that is slightly lighter than your skin tone. Contouring involves highlighting certain areas of your face while subtly shading others. For highlighting, choose a foundation two shades lighter than your base foundation.
- Avoid shades that are too light, as they can make your makeup look unnatural.
- You can also use a light concealer or eyeshadow as an alternative, ensuring all products are either cream-based or powder-based for consistency.
Select a foundation that is slightly darker than your skin tone. Darker shades are used to minimize attention to specific areas of your face. These shades create shadows that enhance your cheekbones and define your jawline.
- Avoid shades that are too dark, as they can make your makeup appear unnatural.
- Darker bronzer or concealer can also be used instead of foundation, but ensure all products are either cream-based or powder-based.
Use a high-quality foundation brush. A good foundation brush is essential for blending different shades seamlessly. Uneven blending can make your makeup look unnatural. Opt for a large, dense brush made from natural bristles for the smoothest application.
- If you don’t have a brush, your fingers can be a great alternative. The warmth of your fingers helps blend the makeup smoothly, especially when using cream-based products.
Contouring Your Face
Tie your hair back neatly. Contouring extends to your hairline, temples, and the sides of your face. Tying your hair back ensures a clear view of the areas you’re working on, preventing any interference.
Prepare your face. Start with a clean slate when contouring. Remove any existing makeup, wash your face, and pat it dry with a towel. Exfoliate if necessary to eliminate dead skin cells, then apply moisturizer. Allow the moisturizer to absorb for a few minutes before beginning your makeup.
- Preparation is crucial for achieving a smooth finish. Without proper prep, your contouring may appear uneven or messy.
Apply your regular foundation shade. Use your fingers or a makeup brush to apply a light layer of foundation across your entire face, including your forehead and chin. Blend it down your neck to avoid a noticeable line between your face and neck.
- You can also apply concealer at this stage, focusing on under-eye areas and blemishes.
Use a lighter foundation shade. Choose a foundation slightly lighter than your skin tone. Use your fingers or a clean brush to apply it to areas where natural light hits your face. To identify these areas, stand in a well-lit room with overhead lighting and observe where the light naturally falls. Apply the lighter shade to:
- The center of your forehead.
- Along the top of your cheekbones.
- Down the bridge of your nose.
- On the apples of your cheeks (smile to locate them).
- The cupid's bow (the area between your nose and upper lip).
- The center of your chin.
Use a darker foundation shade. Apply the darker shade to areas where natural light doesn’t reach. To identify these areas, stand in a well-lit room and observe the shadows on your face. Apply the darker shade to:
- Just below your hairline on your forehead.
- The sides of your forehead near your hairline.
- Along the sides of your nose.
- In the hollows of your cheeks (suck in your cheeks to locate them).
- Along your jawline, from your ears to the tip of your chin.
Blend thoroughly. Use your fingers or a foundation brush to blend the shades seamlessly for a natural look. Avoid letting the colors bleed too much, and ensure the edges between lighter and darker shades are not sharply defined.
Finalizing Your Makeup Look
Consider adding highlighter. If you want the highlighted areas to stand out even more, apply a bit of highlighter to enhance your features. Highlighters contain a subtle shimmer that catches light better than regular foundation. Apply it to the same areas where you used the lighter foundation shade.
Consider using blush. If your face looks a bit pale or lacks vibrancy, add a touch of blush to the apples of your cheeks. Ensure the blush color complements the tones of the other products you’ve used.
Consider setting your base with powder. Powder is especially useful if you’ve used cream-based products. It helps your makeup last longer and gives a smoother finish. Use a clean brush to apply a light layer of setting powder over your entire face.
Add a touch of shimmer powder for evening looks. If you want your face to glow and sparkle, choose a matte shimmer powder and apply a thin layer, focusing on the highlighted areas. Don’t forget to blend a little onto your neck and décolletage.
Apply eye and lip makeup last. Ensure your base is flawless before moving on to eyes and lips. Contouring creates a bold look, so you might opt for either dramatic eye makeup or bold lips, but avoid doing both simultaneously.
Finish.
Tips
- Be cautious when blending along your jawline to avoid a mask-like appearance.
- Makeup doesn’t have to follow strict rules—experiment and add personal touches if you like.
- Use high-quality makeup products.
- If you’re a beginner, start with powder-based contouring products before transitioning to liquid formulas.
- Don’t aim to look completely different—makeup should enhance your natural beauty, not transform your face entirely.
- If you have sensitive skin, consult a professional before purchasing makeup products.
- The Anastasia Beverly Hills contour kit is an excellent choice for beginners, thanks to its user-friendly cream-based formula.
