Contouring Without Caking it On

Contouring is a makeup technique used to define one's facial features by accentuating highlights and shadows. If Pinterest posts are any indication, this technique has become extremely popular. The problem? Most tutorials encourage you to cake on makeup to the point that you look like you're wearing a mask. We want to highlight the beautiful features God gave us - not cover them up!

The following is a simple, step-by-step tutorial of contouring that only requires a little makeup. I focus on accentuating my cheekbones - 'cuz I think they're cute! - but if you have other features you want to draw attention to, just darken the shadows and lighten the highlights. Use this tutorial as a starting point; experiment to find the look you want.

You'll Need:
A bronzer (or if you're not a fan, a darker blush - matte if possible)
a highlighter, preferably cream (alternatively you can use a light, shimmery blush)
brushes
powder, to set the final look

How To:

#1
Apply foundation as you normally would.

If your foundation is lighter than your skin tone, you may want to apply a little extra on top of your cheekbones. Blend it in.

 #2
Apply highlighter in a line along your cheekbones - just follow the direction of the bone. Blend this in by smudging it in a semi-circular motion, outward and downward along your cheekbone.

#3
Repeat along brow, nose, above lips, on chin, and any where else you'd like to draw the eye to.

#4
Make a fishy face! Apply bronzer along the indent created by your fishy face all the way out to your ear. Be generous with the bronzer if you want a more pronounced look. Then blend.



I use a big fluffy blush brush, but you can also use a angled brush or smaller flat blush brush - whatever you're comfortable with.

# 6
Apply bronzer in the crease of your eyelid. You may also want to experiment with adding some around the edges of your face, along the sides of your nose (makes your nose look skinnier and more pronounced), and along your temples.

<This is what it looked like when I was finished, you cant see of a difference until I went in to the bathroom where there's much better lighting............>






How does it look?
A. "It's not very noticeable...." Solution: repeat steps, adding more makeup.
B. "I have stripes on my face" Solution: blend! a lot. Use a makeup sponge, stippling brush, or fingers.
C. "Perfect! Just the look I wanted!" Good! Apply powder to set the makeup in place. To make this last a long time, you want to press or tap the powder into your skin, not just lightly dust it on top. Keep in mind that using a matte powder could dull the look of your highlighter.

Finish your makeup and go rock your new look!







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