It’s always a great idea to try and contour your face in order to enhance your look. However, it can be tricky to contour your face properly and without issues. That’s why I am here to help with some creative, engaging and helpful contouring tips. Here’s what you need to know about contouring, along with the right tips to help you get started.

Why is contouring a great idea?

Contouring is one of the most interesting makeup techniques that you can try. The main focus is to try and manipulate shadow and light in order to define and enhance your look as a whole. Generally, you want to work with darker shades and apply them to receding areas. You can use lighter shades to protruding areas, including brow bones and cheekbones. Not only that, but if you start contouring your face, you will make it look slimmer, as well as symmetrical. It’s also a nice approach if you’re looking to add some dimension and depth.

Should you contour after applying foundation?

Based on our experience, you can either contour your face either before or after you apply your foundation. It’s always up to you, although the general practice is to try and apply foundation first. As you do that, you get to create a very good base upon which you can start contouring. I also like the idea of adding foundation first because it gives a bold and sculpted look.

Sometimes, the contouring makeup can end up diffused within the foundation. That’s something you can avoid if you have your foundation applied first. In case you still want to contour your face first, you can use a system called underpainting. You apply your contour and then your blush, and after that you blend the foundation. Even if the result is not as impressive, it does provide a natural look, which a lot of people are looking for.

What items do you need to contour your face?

The great thing about contouring is that it’s not very difficult to do. You will need some items, but it’s nothing too complex. In fact, you can use 2 concealer shades, bronzer or foundation. Some even use brow powder or eyeshadow to contour. The trick is to always try to use makeup products that have the same texture. Aside from that, you should have a few makeup brushes that fit the contouring products you want to use.

How can you start contouring your face?

The main goal when contouring my face is to try and enhance the natural shape of the face. I want to make it feel more appealing, while still retaining that unique, natural look as well. Here are the most common steps that you want to go through!

Preparing your face

The first thing you want to do is to wash your face and then you can apply some moisturizer. The idea here is to avoid clumped makeup on your face. You can also use primer if you want, although it’s optional. It does have its benefits, since it helps create a buffer between the skincare products and the makeup items you want to use. After using primer, you can add a bit of concealer or foundation, although make sure the shades you use match your skin tone.

Shadow

Now that you prepared your face, you will need to take darker shades and use those in order to create a shadowy look under the cheekbones. Your facial shape might require you to focus on different lines. In some cases, a 3 shape that follows the jawline, under cheekbone and hairline can be a good idea. Or you can start creating an upside down triangle that frames your cheeks. However, this is not mandatory. You can experiment and try out different shadow lines to see what works for you.

Highlighting

The third step requires you to highlight certain areas. The main focus is to apply lighter shade to those areas that are known for reflecting natural light. These can be around the brow bone and eyes, but also at the top of cheekbones, the tip/bridge of your nose and also your forehead. A good rule of thumb is to always use concealer that’s a bit lighter when compared to the skin tone. If you want, a shimmery eyeshadow, illuminator or highlighter will work too.

Blush

When you apply blush, you want to do that to the apples of your cheeks. Remember this is an optional step, not a mandatory one. However, I feel it does help if you want to have a natural look. If you use this approach, it will be a bridge between your highlight and shadow areas. I think using a little bit of blush is always helpful when you are contouring your face.

Blend

Your skin tone is unique, and most of the time the shades you use won’t be identical to it. Yes, they are similar, but you still need to go through a few things in order to obtain the best results. That’s where I think blending can be a very good idea. A large blending brush or even a makeup sponge can be a great item to have. That will help blend the shadows and highlights. You want to do this because it will make your look a lot more natural.

Finalizing your contour

As you finish the contouring process, a great rule of thumb is to apply setting powder. Some women use spray for this process, which is another good option to take into consideration. In addition, it does help you make the entire look feel more natural. Just like the other processes, you want to avoid using too much spray or powder. It will change your look and shift it away from that natural appeal you want to have.

Other things to keep in mind

I have a few more tips to help you with the facial contouring process. One of them is to keep a matte finish. That’s what gives you a natural result, and it’s definitely one of those ideas that work extremely well. Bronzer works great for contouring too, the only thing here is to not have any shimmer.

I also think it’s a good idea to always consider undertones too. If you end up using tones that are very bright, then you can end up with some issues as the contour will not look right. Always stick with a contouring product that has a color and texture very similar to your skin.

Conclusion

I know how difficult it can be to contour your face and make it look very natural. It requires a lot of trial and error, yet I think these tips and ideas shown above can be very handy. It never hurts to experiment with different contouring products and see what works for you. Once I contour my face, I always try to complete the look with lipstick, mascara or even some additional makeup. The truth is that you have no limit in regards to how you wear the contour, so I always try to customize it and make it feel more interesting and stylish!