10 Mins Read
Contouring quickly and easily with a natural finish is always the end goal. But how to contour and achieve this? First, choosing the right undertone (cool, warm or neutral) and using a contour shade 2 shades darker than your base. Second, sculpt and shape to compliment your facial structure. Third, highlighting your contour either with a creamy concealer or radiance-boosting product will help define your contour.
Read on below to learn how to master…
An everyday contour with a natural glow
An after-dark contour with a dewy finish
Simple contouring do’s and don'ts
Lightweight, easy to apply and easy to blend, powder bronzers and highlighters not only give beautiful definition with a soft, glow-y finish, they help soak up any excess oil / shine throughout the day.
in Warm Naturals and Cool Naturals
in Sugar Drip and Lumineer
To contour and enhance features
To highlight features and illuminate skin
To softly contour down the sides of the nose
Always apply foundation, concealer and setting powder to a freshly cleansed and moisturized face first. (It’s important to add powder bronzer after a setting powder to help ensure seamless blending and buffing.)
Using the Pro Colour Angled Cheek Brush, sweep over the bronzer, tap off any excess and lightly apply back and forth along the hollows of the cheeks, focusing most of the product to the back of your cheekbones.
Dust over temples and into the hairline to help make your forehead appear smaller, while giving a sun-kissed radiance to the skin.
To define your jawline, brush along the length of the jaw and around your chin, also blending downwards in swift motions to create a flawless shadow.
To create the illusion of a slimmer, smaller nose, dip the Pro Eyeshadow Blending Brush lightly into the bronzer and apply down the sides of the nose and over the tip. (This is an old Hollywood trick!)
Using the Soft Highlighting Powder Brush, dip into the highlighter, tap off any excess, and sweep along the tops of cheekbones to catch the light and bring them forward. Also apply to the inner corners of the eyes, over the browbones, down the bridge of the nose and across the Cupid’s bow to illuminate the complexion.
For a dewier, longer-lasting finish, opt for more pigmented, creamier textures when contouring, as they tend to last longer on the skin. The key thing to remember: apply lightly and blend, blend, blend.
in Champagne
in Soft Brown and Rich Chocolate
in Santorini
in Illuminati and Astrosurf
in Golden Whirl
To contour and highlight the high points of the face
To emphasize the apples of the cheeks
To define cheekbones
After cleansing, moisturizing and applying foundation, choose a contour colour that complements your skin’s undertone (cool, warm or neutral) and is two shades darker than your base. Then opt for a concealer that is one shade lighter to highlight.
Start with the lighter shade and apply to areas you’d like to soften, brighten and slim down. To create dimension, apply concealer under the eyes, down the bridge of the nose and to the centre of the forehead - an inch short of your hairline.
To create the illusion of defined, sculpted cheekbones, move on to the darker shade. Starting at the top of your ear, draw a line down your cheekbone, stopping in-line with your pupil to avoid an overly heavy look.
Blend everything together lightly and quickly with the Seamless Foundation Buffing Brush. Start with the lighter shade using gentle tapping motions, then move on to the darker, contouring shade to bring out your features.
Wherever the light naturally hits your face – so the tops of cheekbones, browbones, the bridge of the nose and the Cupid’s Bow – blend in your chosen highlighter with your fingertips. The warmth from your fingers will help to create a seamless, radiant finish.
– Match your skin’s undertone with the undertones in your bronzer, highlighter and concealer.
– Choose powder bronzer and highlighter if you are new to contouring.
– Use the right brushes to blend, buff and create a natural finish.
– Apply sparingly and know which areas you want to sculpt, shade and highlight.
– Contour if you don’t need to – just conceal and highlight instead.
– Be too heavy-handed – less is more.
– Mix powder and cream textures together – the finish may look too overdone.
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