What is Contouring ?
Contouring is the process of shaping an area of the face and enhancing facial structure with makeup. This is also a great technique to gently 'correct' any features or sagging areas on the face. You can also outline any area to make it appear larger. By applying darker shades to hollowed areas such as the hollows of the cheeks and sides of the nose and lighter shades to raised areas, such as the cheekbones and brow bones, contouring makes the face appear more sculpted. Contouring is now one of the favorite procedures reserved in the olden days only for high-end photo shoots and runway models but thanks to celebrity influencers and popular makeup artists from Instagram, everyone's doing it now. This method is not all about altering one's appearance in a significant manner but, instead, giving shape and adding some depth and dimension to their original features.
What is the difference between contour and bronzer ?
Even though both these products are there to add dimensions to your face, they will do so through different means: Bronzer uses its formula for the sun-kissed warmth glow, with a natural skin tanning result. The whole idea of a bronzer is to warm the complexion and build dimensions on your skin, to give it the radiant glow it would have. Bronzer is applied on the higher points of your face where, naturally, the sun hits-you cheeks, forehead, and nose. Unlike makeup products, a contour is just the illusion of a shadow and was designed perfectly to make the angles of your face pop by deepening them. Applying contour to areas such as the hollows of the cheeks, the sides of the nose, and the jaw line can give the illusion of sharper, more sculpted features.
What products should you use to contour ?
When choosing contour makeup products, it's important to choose colors that are one or two shades darker than your natural skin tone. Look for products that are easy to blend and have a matte finish. To contour correctly, you'll need two products: one for highlighting and one for outlining. Using two products is useful because one adds shine and the other creates shadow.
How to Contour for your face shape ?
Contouring and highlighting can be a big task in itself, not to mention the fact that the technique varies with the shape of your face and the products you use.
Round Face Shape:
It has almost equal measurements of length and width, with no sharp point at the jaw, chin or forehead. To contour, run the makeup along the temples, back into the hollows of the cheeks, down on the lower side of the cheekbone, then across your face toward the sides, following the contours and then coming down to your jaw line once again.
Oval Face Shape:
An oval face is when your face is roughly about twice as long as it is in width. Your chin, jaw, and even your hairline will not have sharp points. This is why, for people who have oval faces, their contouring will actually be much simpler, as that area really is only needed at the cheek hollows. Contour there with the hollow of your cheeks blending until it cannot be seen anymore. Since both your forehead and jaw are already quite narrow, you don't have to draw an outline for these parts.
Diamond Face Shape:
Having your cheeks as the widest areas in your face, your hairline and chin are narrow, a diamond face shape, and diamond-shaped faces are longer than they are wide. Contour the lower part of your cheeks starting from your ears to the middle of your cheeks.
Square Face Shape:
A square face shape means that the length and width of your face are approximately equal and your hairline and jawline are approximately equal. First identify where the pits of your cheeks are, once you find that line, lightly outline that area on either side of the face. Next, go down to your jaw line and outline the dust from behind your ear to the edge of your jaw line. Finish by lightly contouring along your hairline.
Rectangle Face Shape:
Add contour to the hollows of your cheeks. For rectangular shaped faces. Instead, keep it closer to the sides of your face. Go up to your forehead and contour along the hairline, starting at the center and stopping before you reach your temples. Finally, move down to your jaw line and contour the sides of your jaw, stopping about halfway up your chin.
Heart Face Shape:
A heart face shape means your chin is narrow and pointed and your cheeks are narrower than your hairline. In most cases you may also have widow's peak. Start outlining from the center of your forehead and move downwards along your temples on either side, following your hairline. From there, work your way up to the tops of your cheeks, pounce into the hollows of your cheeks and then back out.
How to apply Contour ?
Step 1: Prep your face
Always use skincare to prepare your face before applying makeup. First of all wash your face and apply moisturizer. Prime your face using a primer that acts as a barrier between your skin care and makeup, making both work better and last longer.
Step 2: Trace your cheekbones
The most famous method of contouring is to use your darker complexion to create shadow under your cheeks. Suck in your cheeks and apply the product into the hollows of your cheeks, following the natural shape of your jaw line and temples to find your cheekbones. First, use your fingers to find where the bottom of your cheekbones is, then start blending bronzer or one of the darkest shades in the Miracle Contouring Palette just below that. Always start from the middle of your cheeks and reach your ears.
Step 3: Highlight
Apply a light concealer shade or luminous highlighter to areas of your face that naturally reflect light, such as your forehead, bridge of the nose, tip of the nose, tops of the cheeks, Cupid's bow and under the eyes. Around and brow bone.
Step 4: Buff and Blend
Blending is especially important when working with colors that don't match your skin tone. Take a fluffy brush and gently go over your shading in circular motions, keeping this in mind: the more you blend, the more subtle your definition will be.
Step 5: set your look
Apply setting powder or spray to lock your sculpted face into place and achieve a flawless finish.
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