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Face contouring is an element of makeup that aims to emphasize the advantages and cover any imperfections using concealer, powder, blush, bronzer and highlighter. Properly done contouring slims the face, emphasizing the cheekbones. With face contouring, it is possible to shorten the long nose, optically enlarge the lips, lower the forehead and much more. How to make face contouring so that the make-up does not become marred?
Face contouring and face shape
The first step before contouring your face is to determine your face shape. Each face shape has different contouring requirements and until you are familiar with this, you will never be able to get the results you want. Let’s see how to contour the face according to its shape.
Round face
A round face is one where the forehead, cheekbone, and jawline are of the same dimensions. To contour a round face, aim to emphasize the sides of the forehead, the cheekbones and the jawline for a more “angular” look.
Square face
A square face is similar to a round face. Contouring techniques for a square face are to give the edges a softer appearance.
Oval face
An oval face is a perfectly formed face where the forehead is larger than the cheekbones and the face is long with an angular jawline. People with oval faces should take a look at fine-tuning small details by contouring the face.
Heart-shaped face
The heart-shaped face has a wide forehead and a pointed chin. Heart-shaped face contouring is all about smoothing and softening the chin point to make it look smoother.
Oblong face
A person with a long face has an even forehead, cheekbones and jawline, but the face is longer. Contour makeup techniques for an oblong face involve making the face smaller by contouring around the forehead and the jawline.
See also: Permanent makeup – what is it and for whom?
Principles of face contouring
Before proceeding with the proper makeup, it is necessary to determine:
- face shape,
- color
- imperfections that we want to hide,
- strengths of the face to be emphasized.
After getting the basics, you should also get to know the most important color trickswhich are the basis of proper and effective face contouring. Meaning:
- brightening a given part of the face creates an emphasizing effect,
- dark colors create depth and reduce,
- diagonal and vertical lines create the optical effect of elongation, and horizontal – widenings,
- for a fair complexion, it is worth using a cream and pearly color, which will be the best highlighter when combined with a light skin tone; cool browns falling into gray will be the best for tinting,
- for dark complexion, gold and copper shades are used to illuminate, and for depth – warm, dark browns,
- for face contouring, it is best to choose a color palette that is closest to the natural skin color – this way you will avoid over-colored, caricatured make-up.
Check: Type of beauty – how to define it and emphasize its qualities?
Face contouring – cosmetics
There are two ways to contour your face: wet and dry. Depending on which technique we choose, cosmetics will be different.
In the case of dry face contouring, you will need: light BB cream, loose transparent powder, blush, bronzer and stone highlighter. Dry contouring is best for everyday make-up, lighter but also less durable than evening make-up.
In the case of wet face contouring, you will need: a foundation matched to the type of skin, liquid correctors – under the eyes and covering any imperfections, as well as illuminating – a tone or two lighter than the foundation. For this you will need a bronzer, e.g. in a mousse or crayon, blush in a cream, as well as a liquid highlighter. As in the case of dry face contouring, transparent powder is necessary.
It is worth choosing cosmetics that will have care properties, which is why we recommend Indeed’s cream-concealer for skin imperfections. There are four colors to choose from.
Cosmetics are the basis, but all application accessories are equally important. When contouring the face, regardless of whether you choose the dry or wet method, must have: a sponge for applying foundation (with a precise tip that will make it easier to tap the concealer under the eyes, as well as the highlighter), an oblique brush for loose blush and bronzer, a wide brush made of natural bristles – for applying powder, and an additional sponge for dabbing in the bronzer (it is important not to apply the concealer and bronzer with the same sponge, otherwise dark bronzer stains may appear in the wrong place!).
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Face contouring at home step by step
First of all, buy a good quality foundation whose shade is closest to your natural skin tone. You can choose Embryolisse caring foundation available on Medonet Market. Also buy a concealer, a bronzer that is two tones darker than your natural skin tone, and a highlighter that is two tones lighter than your skin tone.
After preparing these products, you can start by contouring your face. As a first step, apply the foundation evenly on your face using a makeup sponge. A foundation is applied to give the face a clean and uniform appearance.
Second, if you are still able to see any blemishes or blemishes on your skin, hide them with a good concealer. The concealer comes in various shades of colors, red, green, peach, orange and yellow. The yellow shade best hides dark spots, and the green one neutralizes facial redness. Peach and orange concealers are used to cover the shadows under the eyes.
Then comes the most important stage of face contouring. As a rule, bronzer should be applied around the hairline, temples, cheekbones and for a perfect nose contour. Depending on your skin type, you can use a contouring powder or a creamy bronzer. It’s recommended to use a powder-based bronzer if you have oily skin and a creamy bronzer for contouring if you have normal to dry skin. After selecting, the bronzer should be combined with the foundation using a makeup sponge.
Also read: Dry skin – causes, types and methods of care
The forehead bronzer should be combined with the hairline to avoid pronounced wrinkles. Also, the best place to contour your cheek is below the cheekbone.
Once you’ve blended the bronzer with your skin and foundation completely, it’s time for the highlighter. While the bronzer is used to contour the face, the highlighter highlights its features. A bit of highlighter in the center of the forehead, above the cheekbones and below the jawline should be enough to bring out the glow of the face.
To complete the look, apply some blush to the cheeks to add some color to the face. The blush should be a shade lighter than the contouring powder.
At the end of this process, finish your look with some loose face powder. This helps to hold all the contour makeup applied to the face.
Face contouring – brushes
Well, now we know that highlighting and contouring your face is not rocket science, but that doesn’t mean we can use any brush to make our face expressive. Use a thin bristle brush to contour the nose, while the cheekbones and forehead can be contoured with a wide brush. For contouring the chin, the brush should be held in a “V” shape.