Contour

Contouring is a big part of a daily makeup regime for nearly everyone now. Not only does contouring help you to define the shape of your face (or completely change it!), it helps you stay looking fresh and youthful all day long and also helps you to stand out and look absolutely fabulous in every photo from candid snaps with friends and family to those curated selfies you take to look like they’re just casual moments throughout your day. It’s finally time to master the contour and it couldn’t be easier when you’re shopping online at Cosmetic Capital.  We’ve put together some general guidelines for anyone looking to introduce a new contour regime into their daily regimen.

How to contour your face?

Mastering the contour can look intimidating when you first start out but it’s worth practising until you start to perfect it because contouring can do some serious magical transformations, hiding all manner of sins and highlighting the best and most alluring aspects of your face. You can really achieve anything from entirely redefining your look to gently sculpting your face to produce a flattering style that you quickly don every morning before you head out the door.

#1 – Mapping your face and its natural contours

The first step towards learning how to effortlessly contour is mapping your face – its shape and its natural contours.

From the top - temples

Start with tracing the temples with a dark foundation stick, marking lines where shadows naturally fall on your face (or for anyone looking to detract from some unwanted holiday weight in the face, where the shadows should naturally fall).

Forehead

For anyone with a larger forehead, trace the temple contour line right up the hairline to exaggerate the line and create more vertical length, effectively reducing the width of your forehead.

Cheekbones

To bring out your cheekbones, allow your fingers to find the natural dips and hollows of your face. When you have found them, use your dark foundational stick to trace the lines just above the natural dips and hollows. You want to draw attention above the shadows that you’re creating – essentially highlighting the natural bony structure of your face underneath the skin to give greater definition to your natural lines.

Nose

A lot of people feel self-conscious about their nose, whether that’s the size or the shape. When you contour, you can effectively change the shape of your nose and make it look any way that you want. For anyone with a broad nose, you can create length and narrow your nose by tracing slightly narrower than natural lines at the tip. If you have a short nose and want to increase the perception of length, then trace the line all the way to the eyebrow.

Chin

Avoid that jaw-strap look by placing your bronzer just beneath the lines of your chin to define your jawline. Making it look natural comes in at step #2.

How to contour with bronzer and highlighter?

#2 – Blending

Once you have traced out either the natural lines of your face or the lines as you would prefer them to exist, then it’s time to start blending. When using a beauty blender, always dampen it first to ensure that it blends smoothly and that it doesn’t take away the product from your skin. Don’t be tempted to swipe when you blend. Instead, dab lightly, experimenting with the pressure that you need to achieve a flawless and natural-looking colour.

Each beauty blender is a bit different and you can always increase pressure so start gently and take your time while you find your rhythm and which type of dab works best for you. Use the bigger, more bulbous end of the blender on larger surfaces like your temples, tapping in small and circular motions to ensure even coverage. For the finer details like the lines you have made around your nose, use the narrow end of the beauty blender and dab in quick, even taps.

How to make contour look natural?

#3 – Highlighting

The key to ensuring that your contour looks as natural as possible is in where you place your highlights. Your lighter foundation colour should be used under the eyes, over the bridge of your nose and a little bit on the top of your chin. You don’t want to go crazy here, though. Unnatural contouring happens when the highlights and lowlights (what you have used the bronzer for) are too starkly different and your face starts to look shiny. You want a gentle glow but ultimately more of a matte finish for general day looks like everyday wear. Use a fresh damp beauty blender for blending your lighter foundation in the same perfect little dabs as you did your darker bronzer.

How dark should your contour be?

#4 – Dusting it off with a flourish

The darkness of your contour is really up to you. There is no one true way of contouring but if you want to achieve a gentle and natural daywear look then finish off your contour with a light dusting of translucent powder. This gives you that soft and dewy look that looks fresh and amazing all day, no matter how long it’s been.

Can you contour without highlighting?

A contour will only work when you have both lowlights and highlights. The two types of colour on your face is what achieves those lines and lightness that gives your face shape a stronger definition. Like any masterpiece, there must be both light and dark to define depth.

At Cosmetic Capital, we stock the world’s best skincare, hair care and makeup products starting from L'Oreal to Revlon and every other brand in between. We are committed to ensuring that everyone has access to the best and latest in makeup, night cream, cleansers, makeup brushes, hair care treatments like Olaplex, all at affordable prices. Why are our prices so consistently low across our entire range of products? Because we have taken the time to build strong relationships with the brands that we carry like Maybelline and Sally Hansen, NYX Australia and Fanola. We secure only genuine mascara, eyeshadow, eyeliner, nail polish, lipstick and other toiletries directly from the source at the lowest possible cost. This ensures that we can pass those savings directly on to you, our treasured customers.

Ready to give it a try? Of course, you are! Buy everything you need online at Cosmetic Capital now.