Want to chistel those cheeks, well you're in the right place. Contouring has become a buzz word, and while may embrace it, some of us are still unsure how to contour. Not to worry! Try a kit that has two types of bronzer in it to test out and experiment with. For newbies, we recommend going for a matte bronzer finish, as bronzers with shimmer can sometimes take longer to blend – although they can look stunning, if you’re looking for a dewy finish.
Contouring can add depth and colour to your face makeup if done right. To conquer contouring techniques, you’ll need to master the
art of make-up disguise. Using darker and lighter tones on your makeup can give your the power maniplilate the appearance of your face. With this said, make-up that reacts well with the light (e.g. metallic colours and shimmers) can further enhace your contour look.
Your tools are just as effective as you let them be. You don't need to use the most expensive make-up to achieve a flawless look. As I say 'its not what you wear it how you wear it', and this is the same in makeup. After all, a good craftsman (orr craftswoman) never blames their tools.
First, you need to know your face shape.
One size does not fit all, and this also applies to makeup. It seems that everyone is contouring their face in an identical way (for defined cheekbones, a smaller forehead and a slimmer nose). However, not everyones face is the same so why contour the same?
Contour for your face shape
You need to know what look you are hoping to achieve by contouring. But be realistic, makeup is meant to enhance your beauty, it is not intended to act as a mask to hide your beauty.
Personally, I have a round face so I usually just contour my chubby cheeks and my jaw line to add depth to my face.
... here are some basic examples on how contouring can work for you.
Top Tip - Don't Forget to Blend!
It doesnt matter how fabulous or fierve your contour makeup is, if you haven't blended it right then you will just look like a hot mess. You need the right tools in your arsenal and the right techniques to ensure those harsh lines do not come out to play in the sunlight. Your cheek chistlers should include a angled blush brush, a toothbrush make-up brush and a damp blending sponge (it needs to be damp to prevent the sponge absorbing the product and to allow a smoother application). We like natural makeup looks, not alien make-up looks...
Contouring For Multitasking
Looking for a new contour kit? You’re in luck – there are so many kits out there, so you’ll definitely find one that works best for you in terms of texture, colours and ease of use. If you're keen on a contour kit, then this can be an all-round winner by giving you the ease of a simple powder based kit for a lower price than buying seperate products. I would keep it simple with a kit of a basic highlighter, contour and blush colour in favourable colours for your skin tone. The simplicity and ease of a kit can be alluring, however, ensure the pigments you choose suit your look or else this could be a disaster. These kits often are not intensly pigmented meaning you can use it for day and evening looks and can build up the colour when needed. Thus keeping it simple can work wonders for your look as these kinds of kits make it easy to achieve a light contoured look, as well as a more intense, amplified evening look by building up the colour.
Glamming Up On the Go
Always on the run, and you don’t actually have time to pick between powders, bronzers, highlighters, blushes among many other palettes that you may have? Not to worry. A contour kit in a stick is here to the rescue. With one side acting as a highlighter, and the other as a bronzer, all you need to do is highlight along your nose, above your cheekbones and bronze along your forehead, under your cheek bones and along your chin. Blend, blend, blend (using a damp sponge)– and voila, the look is achieved! Sticks are super travel-friendly and are typically mess free. I quite enjoy usings contour sticks and they're clean and easy to use. However, one must ensure these are blended properly or it could be a disaster lined look. This just might be a contour kit that is right for your busy, on the go lifestyle as long as you have a good blender on hand.
For the Glow Queens
If it’s all about the glow, a contour kit that is both pigmented and generously shimmering is what you’re looking for. Thankfully, there are many out there that have shimmer in all three of its contour kit components: highlight, bronzer and blush. Remember, if you're going for glow, spend as long as you need on blending to achieve that dewy radiant glow. Use shimmers and bronzers as your highlight and contour for a radiant look for day or night. Additionally, you can build up these products for a more dramatic look. Add a golden liquid highlighter on the places on your face where light naturally hits to enhance your look.
What I use
I swear by pigmented bronzers, blushers, liquid highlighters and diferent fondation tones for my contour look. Instead of using one base colour on your face, you can use a variety of tones to contour and then blend it with a damp sponge. Remember, you need to set your makeup for it to last so I would recommend a transluent powder to set your liquid foundation and a finishing spray at the end. I always use a highlighter with a but of sparkle, so that when it catches the light, it will make my skin glow. For an everyday look, I will use a lighter foundation or a highlighter in the places where the light will naturally hit and I will use a pigmented bronzer under my cheekbones and work it into my hairline to frame my face. Typically, I will use my angled brush in a 3 motion. I will start from near my ear and work the product inwards towards my face and under my cheekbone and then bring the brush back and spread the product up into my hairline near my temples and again I will work it from my cheekbones and work it down under my jaw.
For a more damatic evening look, I add more pigment. As there will be less light, I enhance my highlighter with more shimmering colours. I like to use liquid highlighters as they are typically more pigmented and longer lasting. For all occaisions I can add shimmers and blusher to help highlight the features of my face. However, conquoring contouring is whatever works for you. Make-up has no rules and the best thing to do is experiment and find your style.
Miss L.
xoxo
