Nothing beats the satisfaction of a really great makeup transformation, especially when it makes you feel like the goddess you are on the inside. What you don’t want, however, is a made-up face that makes you look like anyone else but you. After all, the purpose of makeup is to enhance your own natural beauty, not create a completely different person or walking-talking caricature.
Unfortunately, more than a few women tend to make this mistake when it comes to contouring.
Read on for five tips we have to help you keep it real and make your contour-look enhance that natural beauty we love about you.
1. Pick the Right Shade
Just like foundation, it’s important to pick a contouring shade that works with your skin tone. Unlike foundation, however, you want your contouring makeup to be one shade darker than your natural skin color. The whole idea of contouring is to enhance and define your natural features like cheekbones and jawbones while also shaping your face.
To do this you need a slightly darker shade—strategically placed—to blend in with your other makeup and highlight these features. If you’re new to the world of contouring, your best bet is to get a simple highlight palette of four shades that blend effortlessly for everyday wear. When they make it that easy, it’s honestly hard to get wrong.
2. Find Your Product of Preference
When it comes to contouring makeup, there are really only two kinds: a contouring cream or a powder. A pro of the cream is that you can apply it with your fingertips, which could make for an easier blend. But powders may make for easier application and tend to be more forgiving if you apply too much—meaning you won’t find yourself washing your face in a panic to start over.
Either way, you should stay consistent throughout with all of your makeup, using the same texture from foundation to blush. In other words, all powder or all cream from start to finish is the way to go to avoid that caked-on makeup look we all dread.
3. It’s All in the ‘Where’
Knowing where to shade is half the battle. To give the illusion of a thinner nose, try blending two contour lines down the side of the bridge of your nose starting from the brow. If you want to accentuate your cheekbones, start by sucking in your cheeks to find the “hollows” of your face. We know that sounds a little like a horror movie, but we promise you’ll get nothing but happy endings when you learn to do it right.
Shade from the top of the hollows inward (and just beneath) the sunken area and stop about an inch from your mouth. No matter the where, don’t forget to blend well, with either your finger, sponge or contour brush.
4. Remember Every Face Is Beautiful (but Different)
You may love the way your BFF looks after she “applies her face” in the office parking lot (she’s clearly not a morning person), but what works for her may not necessarily work on you. Knowing your face shape is always helpful when it comes to trying out a new makeup style.
For example, if you have a round face, then contouring under your cheekbones can make it appear smaller—but apply the same technique to a narrow face, and it could look even longer. Doing a test run on a new look when you have no place to be is always a good idea. And, if you’re still at a loss, doing a deep dive into “how to” tutorials on YouTube is never a bad idea, and it’s a great way to spend a Sunday morning.
5. Using the Right Tools
You wouldn’t slice bread with a spoon, so why are you going to use one brush to apply all of the makeup? When it comes to using a contouring powder, you’ll want a contouring brush with a slightly curved angle head. You’ll also want the bristles to be small, which prevents you from over-applying and lets you control the placement of the powder. This type of brush can totally be used with contouring creams too. A win/win no matter how you slice it.
Embrace Your Natural Beauty
Contouring used to be a secret only the makeup professionals knew, but now it’s out there for all to enjoy. Don’t miss out on one of the best beauty secrets of our time. Enhance your gorgeous looks with these natural beauty-contouring tips today.
Happy Beautifying!
Which is your fav tip? What has been your experience? Let me know in the comments. I love hearing from you!
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