What Makeup Do I Need To Contour

Ah, contouring. It's the makeup fob that has us all painting our faces with tribe-similar designs, hoping that it volition result in a bone construction that even Keira Knightley would envy.

When washed correctly, contouring can requite the illusion of chiselled cheekbones, a pinched olfactory organ, smaller forehead and divers jawline. It's the clever way to enhance or change your face up shape, as information technology allows y'all to highlight your favourite features and hibernate your not-and then-fave.

If you're new to the world of contour, take a few unanswered questions or simply want to pick up some tips and tricks, yous've come up to the right identify. We've put together a stride-past-step guide that covers all areas, so that you tin larn how to contour like a pro.

What does contour practice?

Contouring is a great way to raise natural features and sculpt the construction of the face up. It's a makeup method that helps to illuminate the loftier points of the face, such as the cheekbones and the bridge of the olfactory organ, and shadow areas such every bit the jawline and brow. Ultimately, it adds shape and definition to the face, besides as other parts of the body such as the décolletage.

Do you lot profile earlier or after foundation?

Contouring makeup is commonly applied after foundation and concealer. Cream, liquid, and stick contours can exist practical directly on top of foundation and and so blended out for a seamless cease. Sweeping a light layer of translucent powder over foundation before applying powder contour products can help to create a smoothen, patch-free awarding.

Earlier contouring, utilize a foundation that is the aforementioned shade or a close friction match to your natural pare tone, equally this helps to fifty-fifty out the complexion and create a flawless base.

What is the difference between contour and bronzer?

The divergence between contour products and bronzer is minimal as both are designed to add depth to your face up and makeup look. However, bronzer is mainly used to add warmth to your complexion and is merely applied in areas that the sunday would naturally hit. Contouring, on the other hand, is a makeup-artist approved method that is less subtle. Not only does it add together depth but it defines, structures and shadows your confront.

Yous should avoid using bronzers to contour every bit this can leave your complexion looking super warm and possibly orange, rather than defined and sculpted.

How do y'all contour your face?

The first step to contouring your face is to map out the areas you wish to shadow. Popular areas to darken or contour include along the hairline and jawline, nether cheekbones and along each side of the nose. Accept a damp beauty sponge or a contouring brush and alloy the contouring cream, liquid or pulverisation into skin.

To highlight, employ a formula that is one or ii shades lighter than your natural pare tone to areas such equally the centre of your forehead, chin, span of nose and under middle. If you are using a cream, stick or liquid texture, take a damp dazzler sponge or confront brush to blend it into peel. If you have used a powder, gently sweep the product over skin and dust away with a fluffy makeup brush.

What are the best contouring products?

With everything from cream contour to contour sticks upward for grabs, it's difficult to know which products are going to give you the results y'all're looking for. To save y'all from some trial and fault, we've highlighted the best contouring makeup products below, so that you lot tin can enjoy a seamless, sculpted look, each and every time.

HD Brows Sculpt Stick

£xx.95

Contour sticks are the quick, easy and fuss-costless mode to sculpt, ascertain and chisel your cheekbones. Observe out more about the best contour sticks.

This contour stick from Hard disk drive Brows makes it easier than ever to enhance natural shadows. Just a few swipes over your forehead, cheekbones and jawline and y'all're on your style to a supermodel-like bone structure.

Inglot Cosmetics Freedom System HD Sculpting Contour Powder - 503

Inglot Cosmetics Freedom System HD Sculpting Contour Powder

£7.08

We love this sculpting powder from Inglot Cosmetics as it provides a warm, natural and buildable colour that never looks orange or over-washed. That means yous can intensely contour cheekbones or requite skin a subtle sweep of definition.

Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Glow Powder - Deep

Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Glow Powder

£27.58 £35.00 (22% off)

Lay downward an undetectable profile with the Sculpting Glow Powder from Kevyn Aucoin. Grey tones are utilised and then that you can create a fool-proof finish. The natural shade and finely-milled texture makes it super easy to chisel, sculpt and accentuate your favourite facial features.

Illamasqua Gel Sculpt

£19.79

For a subtle shadow event, try Illamasqua's Gel Sculpt. Featuring a water-based formula, information technology offers a soft definition that tin can be blended easily to attain a flawless contour with no harsh lines.

Benefit Hoola Bronzer Powder

Benefit Hoola Bronzer Pulverization

£12.75

Benefit is all-time-known for high-pigment, stand up-out makeup products and the Hoola Bronzer is no exception. This pulverisation formula doubles up as a profile and bronzer so that you tin lay downwards a definition that looks natural. Boasting a sweat and water-resistant finish, plus blending like a dream, yous tin can sculpt, snatch and chisel your face with minimal effort required.

Charlotte Tilbury Contour Wand

£29.00

Etching out killer cheekbones is made easy with this Contour Wand from Charlotte Tilbury. Designed to take years off of your advent, the wand delivers a natural-looking liquid contour that'south blendable, buildable and lightweight. The like shooting fish in a barrel-to-use cushion applicator dispenses just the right corporeality of product then that you can sculpt your favourite features, fuss-gratuitous. Pair information technology with the much-loved Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Light Wand and you've got mega-watt cheekbones in minutes.

Not really what yous're looking for? Fear not, equally there'due south one last option. Contour kits are the all-in-one product that never disappoint. Equally a cheat-sheet to a sculpted, chiselled complexion, they boast a range of shades that help you contour, highlight and bronze your face. With a plethora of kits and palettes for y'all to cull from, all with different shades to suit your pare tone, y'all tin mix and friction match your favourites to fit your complexion perfectly.

How do you employ a profile palette?

First with your foundation and concealer as y'all commonly would. So with the darker contour shade use an angled makeup brush to apply the product under your cheekbones, along your forehead and the jawline. Alloy into the peel using a damp beauty sponge, a buffing brush or a stippling brush.

To highlight your face, apply the lighter shades on the tops of the cheekbones, downwardly the bridge of the nose and on the chin. A profile palette often has two or more than shades, which ways you lot tin alloy colours together to notice the perfect match for y'all skin tone. This is the best way to create shadows and lite to sculpt and define your confront.

Should I get a cream or powder contour palette?

This all depends on your skin type, your makeup concern and fifty-fifty the time of the year. Cream contour products are all-time for dry peel types. They have a more natural looking cease and help you achieve a soft sculpted look in the summer months. Powder profile palettes on the other hand are slap-up if you want to create a more dramatic defined look. They are a long-lasting option, making them ideal for oily peel types or for special events.

What is the best profile kit for beginners?

If you lot're a newbie to the contouring world, we recommend sticking to a contour palette with a minimal number of shades. Palettes are easy to apply as they include all that you lot need (no more than, no less) to conceal, contour, sculpt and highlight your complexion like a pro. Discover some of the best contour kits for beginners, below.

Sigma Beauty Sculpt Highlight & Contour Palette