Use this guide to change your natural glow and make your face chiseled.
Contouring is a revolutionary makeup technique that shapes the face, enhancing the quality of your natural features and defining structures. Knowing how to outline can improve your makeup skills and draw attention to your best features while subtly concealing others. In this article, you will learn the basics of facial contours, from placement to finding contours for different face shapes. By the end of this article, you will have a thorough understanding of contours and how to contour faces.
What Is Contouring
Contouring is a well-known art form that transforms the face, improving and defining its natural structure through the delicate application of makeup.
At its core, contouring is about playing with light and shadow to reshape and resize features, creating the illusion of depth and clarity. The secret to successful facial contouring is knowing where to contour. Proper contour placement can enhance the appearance of your cheekbones, slim your face, and give your overall appearance a more sculptural appearance.
Balance light and shadow contours
To contour effectively, one must understand the balance of light and shadow. Use lighter, brighter products to highlight the areas you want to emphasize and make them stand out even more.
In addition, deeper outline shadows are applied to add depth, sculpting the face in areas where shadows naturally occur. This trick is essential to achieve the desired effect without overdoing it. It is necessary for faces like rectangles, as too much contour can make them too sharp and look old.
Contouring vs bronzing
While both contours and bronzers can adjust the size of the face, they serve different purposes. Bronzers can add a warm, sun-kissed shine by using warm tones, often with a hint of shimmer or matte finish.
However, the contours use cool tones to create natural shadows and are dominated by matte finishes to enhance the face’s structure.
Prepare your skin contour.
An effective facial contour begins with a solid skin care regimen.
Hydrated, happy skin provides the perfect canvas to make makeup smoother and more effective. Start with a double cleanse to unclog pores and promote a glowing complexion, followed by a liquid exfoliation to remove dead skin cells.
The next step is moisturizing, locking in moisture, before applying serum to address specific issues like dryness or fine lines. Remember, SPF is the last step to protect your skin in the morning.
Cream or powder contour
Using a frosty or powdery outline depends on your experience level and desired finish.
Creamy contours are ideal for beginners and those seeking a natural, blended look. They are easier to use and blend seamlessly with the skin without aggravating dryness or fine lines.
Powder contours, while providing a matte finish, require a more skilled hand to ensure a perfect blend and avoid an incomplete look.
How do you outline your face?
Here is a step-by-step guide to achieving a sculpted, natural look to your face using contours.
Step 1: Set the base material
First, apply moisturizer to a clean canvas, then primer to smooth out the skin texture.
Choose a foundation that suits your skin type and complexion and apply it evenly with a makeup machine or brush. This step ensures a perfect base for the contours, making it easier to blend seamlessly.
Step 2: Outline your forehead
Begin to outline your forehead, which will be the key to creating balance in your facial outline.
Use a frosty contour for more effortless blending and apply along your hairline and temples. This technique creates the illusion of a short forehead that enhances the natural contours of your face. Use light hands and gradually increase the intensity.
Step 3: Shape your cheekbones and jawline
Next, highlight your cheekbones to make your face look straighter.
Inhale to find the hollows in your cheeks, and draw a diagonal outline from your ears to your mouth, stopping halfway.
For the jawline, an outline is applied below it to create shadows, increasing clarity and developing a natural bone structure. Blend thoroughly to avoid rough lines and ensure a natural transition between light and shadow.
Step 4: Outline the nose (optional)
For those who want to improve the shape of their nose, gently draw two lines along the sides of the nose, blending them to create a subtle outline.
This step is optional but can significantly affect the symmetry of the face. Use a small brush precisely and blend outward for a natural effect.
Step 5: Highlight and bronzer
Complete your contouring routine by using a highlighter on the higher points of your face, such as the cheekbones, the bridge of your nose, and under your brow bone, to highlight these areas.
Then, apply bronzer to areas where the sun naturally hits your face, such as the forehead, cheeks, and chin, to add warmth and sun-kissed shine. By doing so, you can use contours to create a balanced, radiant look on your face in all its surroundings.
Tailor-made contour technology for every face shape
Knowing your face’s shape is the key to mastering its contours. Here’s how to highlight your best features according to different facial structure contours.
The outline is an oval/oval face shape.
Oblong or oval faces are more extended than more comprehensive and often need an apparent Angle. Outline the rectangle:
- Outline along your hairline and lower your forehead to create the illusion of a shorter face. For cheekbones, the outline should start at the ears and taper in the middle of the cheeks to enhance facial size.
- Highlighting under the eyes and at the brow bone will bring the focus to the center of the face and balance out the entire length.
The outline of a diamond-shaped face
A diamond face has wide cheekbones and a narrow forehead and jawline.
Contour lines below the cheekbones, from the ears to the middle of the cheeks, enhance the natural Angle of the face.
Avoid contouring too close to your mouth to maintain the natural harmony of your face.
Highlight under the eyes, on the forehead, and under the chin to soften the prominent cheekbones and balance out the width of the face.
The outline of a heart-shaped face
A broad forehead and a narrow chin characterize a heart-shaped face.
Minimize the width of the forehead along the sides of the forehead and temples, and apply along the jawline to accentuate the delicate points of the chin.
Highlighting under the eyes, forehead, and chin helps balance the upper and lower halves of the face.
Round face contour
A round face is characterized by almost the same width and height, with soft angles.
The contours around the forehead and temples elongate the face, while the contours below the cheekbones, from the ears to the cheeks to the lower jaw, shape and define it.
Highlight under the eyes, on the forehead, and under the chin to add depth and focus to the center of the face.
Outline the square/rectangular face shape.
Square and rectangular faces are equal in length and width, with a distinct jawline.
The contours around the forehead and temples soften the edges of the face.
Apply along your hairline and the contoured line below your cheekbones to reduce forehead space and improve facial structure.
Elongate the chin by contouring it under the jawbone and protruding under the eyes, forehead, and chin to create a soft shine and balance.
Does age affect your silhouette?
Contouring isn’t just for the young; The technique can evolve with age, adapting to changes in facial structure due to the natural loss of collagen and elastin. While the shape of the face is still the guide for contouring, the method and intensity of contouring may change with age. Older people may benefit from subtle silhouettes to lift and define features. At the same time, younger users may opt for more defined silhouettes. It’s all about improving your natural bone structure and making yourself look right, regardless of age.
Mistakes to avoid
To avoid common contour errors, consider the following suggestions:
- Do not use contouring products that may appear too dark or warm on your natural skin tone. This can cause it to look muddy or unnatural.
- Pushing too hard on your silhouette can cause rough lines or streaks to appear.
- The whole face may not need contouring; Doing so may result in an unbalanced appearance.
- Use a clean brush or sponge for an even, seamless contour to prevent patches or inconsistencies.
Master how to contour the face for amateur or professional applications.
In conclusion, mastering the art of contouring and how to contour your face is about understanding your unique face shape and using strategic shading and light placement to enhance your natural features. Whether your face is rectangular, diamond, heart, round, or square, the right approach to contouring can redefine your facial structure, create balance, and highlight your inner beauty. Remember that contouring is a skill that changes with age and is a constant element in your beauty repertoire.
FAQs
How do I make my face look defined?
To give your face a contoured look:
- Use a contouring product two shades darker than your skin tone to create shadows and define features.
- Apply the outline along the sides of the forehead, under the cheekbones, along the sides of the nose, and under the chin.
- Blend the product thoroughly to avoid rough lines and create natural shadows and clarity.
In what order are the Outlines of your face drawn?
Outline your face in the following order:
- Start with your forehead near your hairline.
- Move to the depression below your cheekbones.
- Outline along the sides of your nose and finish with your jawline.
This sequence helps define and enhance the natural structure of your face.
Do you apply foundation before contouring?
Yes, you should apply foundation before contouring. The foundation creates an even base that helps contours blend smoothly on the skin. After applying foundation, you can continue contouring to define and shape your facial features.
