How To Contour And Highlight Your Face
Contouring is an excellent way to make your face look chiseled and sharper than usual. When you would first see the way it is done, it sure ...
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Contouring is an excellent way to make your face look chiseled and sharper than usual. When you would first see the way it is done, it sure as hell looks challenging. Personally, when I first saw my first youTube contouring video, I made a mental note to self that I am never going to master the art because it looked so difficult. That was the time I never learned to apply the blush correctly and I was scared. But eventually, I experimented and slowly learned about it. I started with the trick of learning the highlighting first and then slowly moved towards the contouring part. It surely did make a lot of difference. So, let me tell you in detail how to contour and highlight your face with simple tips and tricks.
Things To Remember:
Purpose Of The Blush, Contour Color, and Highlighter
Blush: Blush is to add a flush to your cheeks so that the face doesn't look too blatant and flat. It is applied on the apple of the cheeks.
Contour Color: Contour is applied to create some kind of shadow. Like on the hairline of the forehead to make it look small, or on the sides of the nose to give sharpness.
Highlighter: Highlighter and contour go hand in hand as highlighting the area gives it a lift while contour creates a shadow. Overall, you can make the features right.
Where Is Contour Applied?
After the base makeup, the first thing you do is apply the contour powder or cream. Contour color must be two or more shades darker than you are but don't go overboard with the darkest color. Use a proper contour brush to blend it well. The areas where it is applied are described below.
On the forehead, along the hairline: The forehead tends to look broad and mismatched after the application of the foundation. So apply very closely to the forehead to create a shadow and blend it really well with the existing base.
On both the sides of the nose: Blend the color well towards the side. Make sure you don't make it look muddy or dull.
The hollow of the cheeks: This is a slightly challenging area to determine. Firstly, place your thumb on the starting of your ear and make a fish face to suck in the cheeks. Now simply trace the finger from the point of the thumb towards the hollow area and this is the exact place where you should apply the contour.
Below the jawline: Often the double chin and fat diminish the jawline, making us look chubby but with contouring you can easily make it disappear. With your finger, trace the jawline and apply the contour just below it and blend well.
Where Is Blush Applied?
Blush is also a part of contouring and highlighting in the traditional sense. Touch the cheek bone just below the eyes and now you already know the hollow of the cheeks where you would apply the contour. The blush has to be applied below the cheekbone and above the hollow, i.e., the apple of the cheeks. Use an upward and outward sweep motion to apply the blush with a medium size fluffy blush.
Where Is Highlighter Applied?
The bridge of your nose: The highlighter is to be placed between the contour to give it a lift and that would make the nose sharper.
The cheekbones: This is where the highlighter is to be applied on the cheeks just above the blush.
Brow Bone: It gives a definition to the eye makeup and sharpens the brows as well.
Chin and cupid's bow: The chin and cupid's bow is also to be highlighted carefully for the gloss.
Centre of the forehead: This one if optional but when you are going for a defined and detailed look, highlight just the center part of the forehead to make it look smaller.
Brushes To Be Used
Blush: A medium size fluffy brush is an ideal one for blush.
Contour Color: The flat and narrow ones are best for contouring the cheeks, jawline, and forehead. For the nose, use a thin brush to apply the contour and an eye shadow blending brush to blend it in. You can also use a sponge to blend the contour when you are using a cream contour.
Highlighter: Fan brushes are best for highlighting when you want the natural glowy and luminous look. For extreme strobing, I would suggest a large fluffy eye brush sized one to blend the highlighter.
I know there are just too many rules for contouring and highlighting but it is surely a fun and detailed application of makeup that enhances your features. Don't be disappointed when you can't get it right the first time but simply keep on practicing and you will surely master the art. Just remember, be it contour, highlight or blush – make sure you blend everything until it looks natural.
Drop me a question below if I have missed out anything or something you want to know and I would be happy to help.
Image Source: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Things To Remember:
- You will find so many pictures which depict how one should contour the face according to the face type but it is better to avoid them if you are not sure of the exact face type or trying out as a beginner. Speaking from personal experience, some pictures confuse a lot. So go for the basic ones where you can learn where to apply it exactly.
- As a beginner, start with contouring powder which is easier to control.
- Do not forget to pick the right brushes.
Purpose Of The Blush, Contour Color, and Highlighter
Blush: Blush is to add a flush to your cheeks so that the face doesn't look too blatant and flat. It is applied on the apple of the cheeks.
Contour Color: Contour is applied to create some kind of shadow. Like on the hairline of the forehead to make it look small, or on the sides of the nose to give sharpness.
Highlighter: Highlighter and contour go hand in hand as highlighting the area gives it a lift while contour creates a shadow. Overall, you can make the features right.
Where Is Contour Applied?
After the base makeup, the first thing you do is apply the contour powder or cream. Contour color must be two or more shades darker than you are but don't go overboard with the darkest color. Use a proper contour brush to blend it well. The areas where it is applied are described below.
On the forehead, along the hairline: The forehead tends to look broad and mismatched after the application of the foundation. So apply very closely to the forehead to create a shadow and blend it really well with the existing base.
On both the sides of the nose: Blend the color well towards the side. Make sure you don't make it look muddy or dull.
The hollow of the cheeks: This is a slightly challenging area to determine. Firstly, place your thumb on the starting of your ear and make a fish face to suck in the cheeks. Now simply trace the finger from the point of the thumb towards the hollow area and this is the exact place where you should apply the contour.
Below the jawline: Often the double chin and fat diminish the jawline, making us look chubby but with contouring you can easily make it disappear. With your finger, trace the jawline and apply the contour just below it and blend well.
Where Is Blush Applied?
Blush is also a part of contouring and highlighting in the traditional sense. Touch the cheek bone just below the eyes and now you already know the hollow of the cheeks where you would apply the contour. The blush has to be applied below the cheekbone and above the hollow, i.e., the apple of the cheeks. Use an upward and outward sweep motion to apply the blush with a medium size fluffy blush.
Where Is Highlighter Applied?
The bridge of your nose: The highlighter is to be placed between the contour to give it a lift and that would make the nose sharper.
The cheekbones: This is where the highlighter is to be applied on the cheeks just above the blush.
Brow Bone: It gives a definition to the eye makeup and sharpens the brows as well.
Chin and cupid's bow: The chin and cupid's bow is also to be highlighted carefully for the gloss.
Centre of the forehead: This one if optional but when you are going for a defined and detailed look, highlight just the center part of the forehead to make it look smaller.
Brushes To Be Used
Blush: A medium size fluffy brush is an ideal one for blush.
Contour Color: The flat and narrow ones are best for contouring the cheeks, jawline, and forehead. For the nose, use a thin brush to apply the contour and an eye shadow blending brush to blend it in. You can also use a sponge to blend the contour when you are using a cream contour.
Highlighter: Fan brushes are best for highlighting when you want the natural glowy and luminous look. For extreme strobing, I would suggest a large fluffy eye brush sized one to blend the highlighter.
I know there are just too many rules for contouring and highlighting but it is surely a fun and detailed application of makeup that enhances your features. Don't be disappointed when you can't get it right the first time but simply keep on practicing and you will surely master the art. Just remember, be it contour, highlight or blush – make sure you blend everything until it looks natural.
Drop me a question below if I have missed out anything or something you want to know and I would be happy to help.
Image Source: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Nicely explained salomi. Contouring is too time consuming for me. I have tried doing it two three times but it was too badly done :p now will try again :)
ReplyDeleteMe too Sonia, I failed horribly :P .
DeleteBut with a little patience and creativity, you can surely do it. :)
This post reminds me of Kim Kardashian :smile:
ReplyDelete