Let’s face it, contouring isn’t leaving the beauty world anytime soon. Celebrities including Jennifer Lopez, Gwen Stefani and Sandra Bullock are huge fans. Contouring instantly enhances your natural bone structure to make you photoshoot ready in just a few steps. With the right techniques and preparation, you can have flawless skin contoured to highlight your best features and play down your worst, at the swipe of a brush.
STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
- PREP YOUR SKIN
Knowing how to prepare the skin is the most important step to leaving you with a healthy, natural glow. Before you start to prepare, you need to determine your skin type. There are four types of skin: oily, dry, sensitive and normal. Some people have a combination of different skin types in different areas of their skin.
Start with washing and exfoliating the skin with a gentle daily use exfoliator to remove dead cells from the surface of your skin, this helps reveal the fresh cells and gives you a brighter and healthier complexion. The next step is choosing a good moisturiser. If you have oily skin, use an oil free one – however dry skin needs a moisturiser with all the right nourishment and essential oils to help soothe and revive the skin. Finally prepare your skin with a primer for make-up application. Primer is a must; it works as a base for foundation that keeps your make-up lasting longer.
- FLAWLESS FOUNDATION
A great foundation is essential for flawless looking skin – but it can be tricky to get it right. Foundation is worn throughout the entire day so this product should offer your skin more than just make-up. Use a foundation that boosts hydration or has a built-in SPF. You also need to determine the look you’re going for, whether you want the skin to look dewy, matte, natural or even. The most important step in selecting your proper foundation shade is to identify your skin’s undertone. If your undertone is cool, choose a natural, beige or cocoa shade. If your undertone is warm choose a golden, tawny, honey or chestnut shade. It’s important to get the best colour match possible. Always test the foundation on your jawline and try to go for a product slightly lighter than your skin tone. Avoid piling on layers of product, there are lots of lightweight foundations that provide a good coverage and leave you with sheer, soft skin.
- CONTOURING
A little contouring around the outline of your face gives your make-up an almost HD effect. When contouring placement is key and if you’re new in the game it can be difficult to know what to use and where. As a general rule select a shade of that is one or two shades darker than your natural skin tone. If your skin has a warm undertone, then you’re in luck as the majority of golden-brown shades will suit you. For skin with cool or yellow undertones, try warm peach shades that have a tan to soft brown undertone. Contouring tends to follow an E shape around the face. You would contour in places where your face would naturally be shadowed from the sun. Follow our handy guide here and tweak slightly according to your face shape for maximum effect.
BEST AREAS TO CONTOUR
Hairline – right below your hairline at the top of your forehead, contour a little extra at the temples to visually slim the forehead.
Nose – along the left and right sides on your nose.
Cheekbones – create sleek cheekbones by contouring the hollows of the cheek (to find them suck in!)
Jawline – from the top of your chin to your ears and along the outer edges of the chin.
The key is blending which makes it important to be using a good blending brush. Powders are easier to blend and give a more natural look whereas creams and liquids give more powerful, dramatic results.
- HIGHLIGHTING
Highlighting is when you add light and reflection to certain areas for the face, making them appear more outstanding and eye-catching. The idea is to highlight areas that will catch the light. One simple rule to remember is highlighting tends to follow a C shape over your entire face. If you don’t have a highlighter handy you can use concealer or a foundation a shade lighter than your usual shade.
BEST AREAS TO HIGHLIGHT
Nose – down the centre of your nose to visually slim.
Cheekbones – along the top of your cheekbones.
Chin and Lips – the centre of the chin and the area between the lips and nose, right in the dip of the cupids bow.
Brow bone – (under your eyebrows) and in the inner corners of your eyes to make them appear bigger.
Dewy looks are very popular during the spring/summer months leaving your skin with a healthy-looking fresh glow.
TOP TIP: An illuminating, liquid highlighter on the cheekbones gives your face a more fresh, radiant appearance.
- FINISHING THE LOOK
If you feel your face looking a little dull without some colour, then consider applying a small amount of blush to the apples of your cheeks but be sure to blend well with the other products on your face. Finish off with some lipstick and eye make-up. If you’re going for a bold or smoky eye then be sure to use a light or subtle lip colour to complete the look. Finally, topcoat your make-up with a setting spray or powder to prevent any make-up meltdowns.
