How to Contour and Highlight

Important: CHOOSING YOUR PRODUCT

The most important part of contouring is picking colors that match your skin tone.  You always want to choose shades of brown, not pinks or purples (or any other colors for that matter!).  Ideally, the contouring shade should be the color of your skin when your skin is tanned.  You will also need a highlighting shade that isn’t too light.  Contouring products come in creams and liquids, such as concealer or liquid highlighter, or in the form of powders, such as bronzers or highlighting powder.  Choose whichever product tends to work best with your skin.  You will also want to invest in brushes designed for the type of product you choose.

FOREHEAD

You will want to contour the sides of your forehead and highlight the center.  This creates a slimmer forehead.  It is important to blend the contouring product into your hairline down the sides of your face to continue the slimming effect.

CHEEKS

To make your cheekbones appear more prominent, apply contour in the hollows of your cheeks.  Then highlight just accross the cheekbone.  Be sure to blend the products where they meet to create a seemless flow.

EYES

For your eyes, apply highlighter underneath the eyes and contour in the crease of your eyes.  Then apply highlighter just under eyebrows.  This will make them appear bigger.  Follow the natural shape of your eyes.

NOSE

To make your nose appear longer and more even, apply contour down the sides of your nose.  It might be best to use an eyeshadow brush for this.  Then apply highlight along the top of your nose.  If you have a long nose, applying contour just under the tip can make it appear shorter.  Stay concise with your applications.

MOUTH

If you have want to thin full lips, wear a dark shade all over with little to no shimmer.  To plump thinner lips, apply a light shade with gloss or shimmer.  Then highlight the between the peaks of the upper lip and below the bottom lip.  This will create a pouty look.

JAWLINE

If you want to make your jawline appear stronger, apply contour below your jawline all the way to your shirt.  Then highlight your jawbone.  If you want to make a strong jawline appear stronger, continue the contour along your jawline instead of highlighting it.

Find suitable tools for this technique and more at PrettyandCute.com