Ready to take your beauty look to the next level? Contouring your face is a great way to bring out your natural features and make them stand out—as long as you know how to do it right! Read on to learn the art of contouring so you can sculpt and define your features like a true pro!
1. Unlock the Secrets of Contouring
Anyone who looks up celebrity makeup tutorials can get one thing in common – contouring. You don’t need to be a professional makeup artist putting on Kim Kardashian’s high-drama look for the red carpet to benefit from this makeup trick. With the right products and techniques, you can and make it your own way of accentuating your natural beauty.
Determine Your Skin Type
The most important step to finding the right contouring routine is identifying your skin type. There are four categories of skin types: normal, oily, dry, and sensitive. Find out what type of skin you have and then select products accordingly. Choose makeup that fits your skin type for best results.
Know Your Hues
- Paler Skin: Opt for light to medium contouring shades for a subtle look.
- Darker Skin: Go for a slightly darker colour than your skin tone to create a dramatic effect.
Warm-toned contouring products are ideal for those with reddish or olive undertones. Those with yellow or beige tones should opt for cooler shades. Instant Contours and Shimmer Contour palettes can be great options for figuring out your colour palette.
Blend Away
Start by bronze shining the hollows of your cheeks and the edges of your jawline by using a fluffy blush brush. Then use a precision brush to fill in the base of your contour – focus on areas you want to redefine. Use the same precision brush to add some shimmer to the top of your cheekbone, near your brow bone, and the bridge of your nose, for a 3-dimensional contour.
Blending is critical to achieving a natural-looking contour. To ensure your contour looks natural, use the “3Ms”: patience, makeup and a makeup blender. Blend out the lines until it’s seamless and your cheekbones look chiseled.
2. Enhance Your Features Like a Makeup Artist
Perfect Your Base and Contouring
A great makeup look all begins with the perfect base and contouring. The key to getting that perfect blend of foundation and concealer is to use a sponge and carefully blend around your jaw and nose. If you’re looking to make your face appear slimmer, use a contouring technique where you apply a darker foundation or bronzer to the areas you want to bring out, like around your cheekbones and jawline.
Play Around With Colour
Pick up some different shades of eyeshadow, lipstick, and blush to play around with. If you’re looking to stay on trend with eye-catching makeup, try adding some striking colour to your look with glitter and metallics. When it comes to lipstick, you can go for something classic like red or try a modern shade like pink. A splash of blush will help you get that perfect natural glow.
Highlighting
When it comes to achieving that flawless makeup look, you can’t forget about highlighting. Highlighting helps to define parts of your face, like your brow bones, nose bridge, and cheekbones. Apply a liquid or powder highlighter in these areas for a flawless finish.
Practical Tips and Tricks
- Never apply a matte colour lipstick straight from the tube as it can look dry and uneven.
- Before applying mascara, curl your lashes with an eyelash curler.
- To make your lipstick look more vibrant, line your lips first with a lip liner.
- Hint when using lighter coloured eyeshadow, use a primer to make the eyeshadow more visible.
- Clean up your eyeshadow fallout and mess with a cotton swab and make up remover.
3. Master the Art of Contouring Like a Pro
Contouring has become an essential part of the glam routine for today’s modern woman. Once an advanced makeup skill only the pros knew, contouring is now easy for anyone who takes the time to learn. Here are a few tips to :
- Know Your Face Shape: The key to contouring is to know your face shape and find out which areas need to be highlighted and which need to be shaded. If you are unsure, consult with a makeup artist to get the look you desire.
- Choose the Right Contour Shade: For lighter skin, use a slightly warmer shade just a few tones deeper than your natural skin tone. For darker skin, choose a shade that is one to two tones darker than your skin’s natural tone. Make sure you blend properly.
- Highlight Properly: Highlighting brightens and lifts lightly, so use an illuminating highlighter with a slight shimmer to create the illusion of higher cheeks and more prominent features. For medium-to-darker skin tones, use a highlighting powder that has a champagne or golden hue.
- Blend it Out: Blending with makeup brushes is a must when you’re contouring like a pro. Use a soft, fluffy brush for blending the contour, focusing in areas around the perimeter of your face where you’d naturally be in shadows. Afterwards, finish the look with a light dusting of loose setting powder.
Contouring can be intimidating but don’t be discouraged if your first few attempts don’t look as good as you’d like. With a little practice, patience, and determination, you can !
4. Transform Your Look with the Power of Contouring
Do you want to enhance, slim, or highlight your beautiful features? Create a stunning look with the power of contouring! Mastering the art of facial contouring can completely transform the way you look. Here are some tips and tricks to becoming a contouring pro:
- Start with the right foundation. Depending on the desired effect, you may need to go one or two shades darker or lighter.
- Find the right formula and texture. There’s a product for everything. Use powders, creams, or sticks to get the contour you’re looking for.
- Determine the areas to be contoured. Start with the classic areas like the cheeks, jawbone, and sides of the forehead. But don’t limit yourself to just those areas!
Keep an angled brush handy. Angled brushes provide the perfect angle and precision to blend and contour. Make sure your brushes are soft and made from natural fibers to prevent a patchy contour.
Remember, it’s OK to experiment with different products and styles so you can find the perfect look for you. Once you get into the swing of it, you’ll be a pro in no time! With the right tools and a few practice sessions, you can create beautiful and flawless contours that will last all day.
By learning and understanding the techniques of contouring, you’ve taken the first step in looking like a makeup pro. Get creative with your makeup and try out some different techniques; you never know what kind of masterpiece you could end up with. So practice your skills, take your time, and never be afraid to experiment. With the art of contouring, you can show the world your true beauty.
