Mastering the Art of contour makeup and Highlighting
The secret to a perfectly sculpted face lies in the clever use of contouring and highlighting. These essential techniques in makeup artistry allow you to enhance your natural facial features, adding depth and dimension where you want it most. Whether you’re aiming for a subtle, everyday look or a bold, runway-ready appearance, mastering the art of contouring and highlighting can transform your face and elevate your makeup game. This comprehensive guide will break down each aspect—from understanding your face shape and choosing the right products to perfecting application techniques and avoiding common mistakes—so you can confidently create a flawless and radiant complexion.
Ready to dive into the details? Let’s get started with understanding face shapes and where to contour.
Understanding Face Shapes and Where to Contour
The first step in effective contouring is understanding your face shape, as this will determine where to apply contour and highlight products. Different face shapes require different contouring techniques to enhance symmetry and natural beauty. Here’s a breakdown of the main face shapes and the corresponding areas to contour:
Face Shapes:
Oval:
- Description: An oval face has balanced proportions with slightly wider cheekbones and a narrower jawline and forehead.
- Where to Contour: Focus on the sides of the forehead and under the cheekbones to add subtle definition without altering the naturally balanced shape.
Round:
- Description: A round face has soft, curved lines with the width and length of the face being almost equal. The cheeks are typically fuller.
- Where to Contour: To create the illusion of a more defined structure, contour the sides of the forehead, along the temples, and under the cheekbones. This will help slim down the face and add dimension.
Square:
- Description: A square face features a strong jawline, with the width of the forehead, cheeks, and jaw being almost equal.
- Where to Contour: To soften the angular features, contour the sides of the forehead and along the jawline. This will help reduce the appearance of sharp angles and create a more oval-like effect.
Heart:
- Description: A heart-shaped face generally has a wider forehead and a narrow, pointed chin.
- Where to Contour: To balance the wider forehead and narrower chin, contour the sides of the forehead and under the chin. This will help create a more proportionate look by diminishing the width of the forehead and adding fullness to the lower part of the face.
Long:
- Description: A long face is characterized by elongated features, with the length of the face significantly greater than its width.
- Where to Contour: To shorten the appearance of the face, contour along the hairline and under the chin. This helps to visually decrease the height of the forehead and length of the chin, making the face appear more balanced.
Where to Highlight
Highlighting complements contouring by bringing light to the high points of the face, enhancing specific features, and creating a more dynamic look. Here’s where you should apply highlighter for each face shape:
- Forehead: Center of the forehead to bring light and balance.
- Cheekbones: Tops of the cheekbones to enhance their prominence.
- Nose: Bridge of the nose to elongate and slim.
- Cupid’s Bow: Above the upper lip to create fullness and draw attention to the lips.
- Chin: Center of the chin to add dimension and balance to the lower part of the face.
By understanding your face shape and knowing precisely where to apply contour and highlight, you can effectively enhance your natural beauty and create a sculpted, radiant look tailored to you.
Ready to explore the best products for contouring and highlighting? Let’s dive into the next section!
Best Products for Contouring and Highlighting
Using the right products can make a big difference in the outcome of your contouring and highlighting efforts. Here’s a guide to some of the best products on the market, tailored to different skin types and desired finishes.
Contour Products:
Powders:
- Ideal For: Oily skin and a more dramatic look.
- Benefits: Powder contours tend to have a matte finish, which helps control shine and provides a defined look that lasts longer on oily skin.
- Recommendation: Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit
- This kit offers a variety of shades, allowing you to mix and match to find the perfect contour color for your skin tone.
Creams:
- Ideal For: Dry skin and a more natural finish.
- Benefits: Cream contours blend seamlessly into the skin, providing a dewy and hydrating finish that’s ideal for dry skin types.
- Recommendation: Fenty Beauty Match Stix Matte Skinstick
- These sticks are easy to apply, blend smoothly, and come in a wide range of shades suitable for all skin tones.
Sticks:
- Ideal For: Quick application and blending.
- Benefits: Contour sticks are extremely convenient, allowing for precise application and easy blending on-the-go.
- Recommendation: KKW Beauty Crème Contour & Highlight Set
- This dual-ended stick makes it simple to contour and highlight with one product, offering creamy formulas that glide on effortlessly.
Highlight Products:
Powders:
- Ideal For: All skin types; provides a subtle glow.
- Benefits: Powder highlighters are versatile and buildable, making them suitable for layering over other products to achieve a luminous finish.
- Recommendation: Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter
- Known for its buttery texture and intense glow, this highlighter is perfect for creating a radiant look without appearing too glittery.
Creams:
- Ideal For: A dewy, natural finish.
- Benefits: Cream highlighters melt into the skin, offering a fresh, hydrated glow that looks natural and skin-like.
- Recommendation: Glossier Haloscope
- This product combines a moisturizing core with a halo of color, delivering a lit-from-within sheen that enhances the skin’s natural radiance.
Liquids:
- Ideal For: Highly blendable and buildable for a more intense glow.
- Benefits: Liquid highlighters can be mixed with foundation or applied directly to the skin for a customizable level of luminosity.
- Recommendation: Benefit Cosmetics High Beam Liquid Highlighter
- This satin-pink liquid highlighter creates a delicate, ethereal glow that’s easy to blend and perfect for adding radiance to any look.
Choosing the right products for your skin type and desired finish is crucial in achieving a flawless contour and highlight. Experiment with these recommendations to find what works best for you and elevate your makeup routine.
Next, let’s delve into techniques for achieving both natural and dramatic looks! Ready to proceed?
Techniques for a Natural vs. Dramatic Look
Adjusting your technique can help you achieve either a subtle, natural look or a bold, dramatic effect. Here’s how you can tailor your contouring and highlighting to suit different occasions and preferences.
Natural Look:
Application:
- Shades: Use lighter shades that are closer to your natural skin tone to create a soft and gentle contour.
- Amount: Apply a small amount of product initially and build up gradually to avoid over-application.
Tools:
- Beauty Sponge: A damp beauty sponge is perfect for achieving a seamless blend.
- Fluffy Brush: Alternatively, a fluffy brush can help diffuse the product evenly for a softer finish.
Method:
- Blending: Focus on blending thoroughly to avoid harsh lines. Use circular motions with your brush or dabbing motions with your sponge.
- Gradual Build-Up: Instead of applying a lot of product at once, build up the intensity slowly to maintain control over the final look.
Finish:
- Setting: Set your makeup with a light dusting of translucent powder to lock everything in place while maintaining a natural finish.
Dramatic Look:
Application:
- Shades: Use deeper, more intense shades to create pronounced shadows and highlights.
- Amount: Don’t be afraid to use more product to achieve a bolder look.
Tools:
- Dense Brush: A dense brush or a contour brush will give you more control and precision when applying the product.
- Precision Tools: Use smaller brushes for detailed work, such as contouring the nose or highlighting specific areas.
Method:
- Less Blending: Blend less than you would for a natural look to maintain defined lines and a sculpted appearance.
- Layering: Layer different products (e.g., cream under powder) to intensify the effect and add dimension.
Finish:
- Setting: Use a setting spray or powder to ensure long-lasting wear and to keep the dramatic look intact throughout the day or night.
By mastering these techniques, you can easily switch between a natural, everyday look and a more dramatic, evening-ready appearance. Each approach requires different products, tools, and methods, but with practice, you’ll find it easy to adapt your routine to any occasion.
Next, let’s explore some expert tips from professional makeup artists to refine your contouring and highlighting skills. Ready to continue?
Tips from Professional Makeup Artists
Professional makeup artists have honed their craft over years of practice, learning the intricacies of contouring and highlighting to achieve flawless results. Here are some of their top tips to help you elevate your makeup game:
Blend, Blend, Blend:
- Key to Seamlessness: Blending is crucial for achieving a natural, seamless look. Harsh lines can make your contouring and highlighting appear artificial.
- Technique: Use circular motions with your brush or dabbing motions with your sponge to blend out any harsh lines. This ensures a smooth transition between shades and a more natural finish.
Use the Right Brushes:
- Importance of Tools: High-quality brushes designed specifically for contouring and highlighting can make a significant difference in application and precision.
- Recommendation: Invest in a variety of brushes, including dense contour brushes for precise application and fluffy brushes for blending. This will make it easier to achieve the desired effect.
Layering Products:
- Longevity and Intensity: Starting with cream products and setting them with powder products can increase the longevity and intensity of your makeup.
- Method: Apply cream contour and highlight first, blend thoroughly, and then set with corresponding powder products. This layering technique helps lock the makeup in place and enhances its overall impact.
Find Your Perfect Shades:
- Shade Selection: Choosing the right shades is essential for natural-looking contouring and highlighting. Contour shades should mimic natural shadows, while highlight shades should enhance your skin tone.
- Avoid Extremes: Be mindful of shades that are too warm or too cool for your skin. The wrong undertones can look unnatural and detract from the overall effect.
Practice Makes Perfect:
- Experimentation: Don’t be afraid to experiment with different techniques and products to find what works best for your face shape and skin type.
- Continuous Learning: The more you practice, the better your results will be. Take time to watch tutorials, read articles, and learn from others to continuously improve your skills.
By following these expert tips, you can refine your contouring and highlighting techniques, ensuring a polished and professional finish every time.
FAQ: Contour Makeup
What is a contour in makeup?
Contour in makeup refers to the technique of using darker shades to create shadows and define the natural structure of the face. This helps to enhance or reshape your facial features, giving the appearance of higher cheekbones, a slimmer nose, a more defined jawline, and a shaped forehead. Contouring is typically paired with highlighting, which uses lighter shades to bring forward certain areas of the face.
Do you contour before or after foundation?
You should contour after applying foundation. Here’s a step-by-step process:
- Apply Foundation: Start with a smooth and even base by applying your foundation all over your face.
- Concealer (if needed): Apply concealer to areas that need extra coverage or brightening.
- Contour: Use contouring products (creams or powders) to define key areas of your face such as the hollows of your cheeks, sides of your nose, jawline, and temples.
- Blend: Ensure all contour lines are well-blended to avoid harsh lines and achieve a natural look.
- Highlight: Apply highlighter on the high points of your face like the tops of your cheekbones, bridge of your nose, and above your brows.
- Set with Powder (optional): If you’re using cream products, you might want to set your makeup with a translucent powder to help it last longer.
FAQ: How to Contour Your Face
What is a contour in makeup?
Contour in makeup involves using makeup products slightly darker than your skin tone to create the illusion of shadows, giving structure and definition to the face. This method enhances the natural bone structure and can help alter the perceived shape of facial features.
Do you contour before or after foundation?
Contour should be applied after foundation. Here’s why:
- Foundation First: Applying foundation first creates an even base, neutralizing any discoloration and providing a uniform surface for the contour to blend seamlessly.
- Contour Second: Once the foundation is set, apply your contour to the desired areas (under cheekbones, sides of the nose, along the jawline, and around the hairline).
- Blending: Blend the contour well to avoid harsh lines and to ensure a natural finish. Using a damp makeup sponge or a contour brush can help with blending.
- Optional Highlighting: After contouring, you can apply highlighter to areas you want to bring forward (cheekbones, bridge of the nose, brow bone).
By following these steps, you’ll achieve a well-defined and natural-looking contour.
FAQ: How to Do Contour for Beginners
How to do contour for beginners?
Contouring for beginners can be straightforward with the right steps and tools. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
Prepare Your Skin:
- Cleanse and Moisturize: Start with a clean, moisturized face.
- Primer: Apply a primer to create a smooth base for your makeup.
Apply Foundation:
- Use your preferred foundation to create an even base across your skin.
Choose Your Contour Products:
- Contour Shades: Select a contour product (cream or powder) that is 1-2 shades darker than your skin tone.
- Highlight Shades: Choose a highlighter that is 1-2 shades lighter than your skin tone.
Map Out Your Contour Areas:
- Cheeks: Apply contour beneath your cheekbones. To find the right spot, make a fish face and follow the natural hollow.
- Forehead: Apply contour along your hairline to add depth.
- Nose: Apply contour along the sides of your nose to slim its appearance.
- Jawline: Apply contour along your jawline and blend it down towards your neck to define your jaw.
Blend:
- Use a damp makeup sponge, contour brush, or blending brush to blend the contour into your skin. Make sure there are no harsh lines, and everything looks seamless.
Highlight:
- Apply highlighter on areas you want to bring forward: tops of the cheekbones, bridge of the nose, center of the forehead, brow bone, and Cupid’s bow.
Set Your Makeup (optional):
- Lightly dust a translucent setting powder over your face to set your makeup and reduce shine.
Finishing Touches:
- Complete your look with blush, eyeshadow, mascara, and lipstick as desired.
FAQ: Is Concealer a Contour?
Is concealer a contour?
No, concealer and contour serve different purposes in makeup:
Concealer:
- Used to cover blemishes, dark spots, and under-eye circles.
- Typically matches your skin tone or is slightly lighter for brightening effects.
- Applied to specific areas that need coverage or highlighting.
Contour:
- Used to create shadows and define the structure of the face.
- Typically 1-2 shades darker than your natural skin tone.
- Applied to specific areas like the hollows of the cheeks, sides of the nose, and along the jawline to sculpt and add dimension.
While concealer can be used for highlighting parts of your face (like under the eyes and the center of the forehead), it is not typically used for contouring. Contour products are specifically designed to add depth and definition, whereas concealers are meant for coverage and brightening.
Contour Makeup Products
Contour Sticks:
- Easy to use and perfect for beginners.
- Examples: Fenty Beauty Match Stix Matte Skinstick, NYX Wonder Stick.
Contour Creams:
- Great for dry skin and offer a natural finish.
- Examples: Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Cream Kit, KKW Beauty Crème Contour and Highlight Set.
Contour Powders:
- Ideal for oily skin or those who prefer a matte finish.
- Examples: Benefit Cosmetics Hoola Matte Bronzer, Kevyn Aucoin The Sculpting Powder.
Contour Makeup Kits
Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit:
- Available in both powder and cream versions.
- Comes with several shades for contouring and highlighting.
KKW Beauty Crème Contour and Highlight Kit:
- Includes contour and highlight sticks in cream form.
- Comes with a dual-ended brush for blending.
Smashbox Step-By-Step Contour Kit:
- Contains three blendable powders for contouring, bronzing, and highlighting.
- Includes an angled contour brush and a guide for beginners.
Best Contour Makeup
Fenty Beauty Match Stix Matte Skinstick:
- Offers a range of shades for different skin tones.
- Easy to apply and blend.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit:
- Highly pigmented and blendable.
- Available in various shades to suit multiple skin tones.
Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow:
- Features a bronzer and highlighter duo.
- Known for its smooth texture and natural finish.
Kat Von D Shade + Light Face Contour Palette:
- Contains a variety of shades for contouring and highlighting.
- Vegan and cruelty-free.
Contour Makeup Palettes
Kat Von D Shade + Light Face Contour Palette:
- Includes six shades for contouring and highlighting.
- Known for its smooth, blendable formula.
Tarte Tarteist PRO Glow Highlight & Contour Palette:
- Features both powder and cream contours, as well as highlighters.
- Comes with a mirror for on-the-go application.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Powder Kit:
- Contains six shades for contouring and highlighting.
- Buildable and blendable powders suitable for a variety of skin tones.
NYX Professional Makeup Highlight & Contour Pro Palette:
- Affordable option with eight customizable shades.
- Refillable palette with removable pans.
Buying Tips
- Shade Range: Ensure the kit or palette has shades suitable for your skin tone.
- Formula: Choose between cream, powder, or stick based on your skin type and preference.
- Blendability: Look for products known for their blendability to achieve a natural look.
- Ingredients: Opt for products with skin-friendly ingredients, especially if you have sensitive skin.
These products should help you achieve a well-defined and sculpted look.