How to Contour Your Face for Beginners: 6 Simple Steps
Learn how to highlight and contour with these simple steps!
Be honest with us for a moment: how many contouring tutorial videos have you watched, and how many times have you successfully recreated that sculpted makeup look on yourself? Don’t worry, this is a judgment-free zone – we’ve all been there. And all ended up looking like our little niece tried her makeup skills on us, trying to follow this huge makeup trend!
Highlighting and contouring can seem very intimidating at first, and it does take a little practice to master. It’s all worth it though, as contouring done well can add another dimension to your everyday look and make your face look more defined and slimmer.
If you’re still new to contouring, we’re sharing our tips and tricks to help you get from newbie to pro in just a few steps.
How To Contour Your Face In 6 Simple Steps
1. Bring Out The Concealer
Start by applying a little concealer to areas you’d like to hide. But don’t just settle for one color — try green concealer for red spots and stubborn blemishes, pink to brighten your eyes, yellow to conceal dark spots and visible veins, or orange to mask blue hues.
2. Build Up Coverage
When choosing a foundation for contouring, think of something that’s easy to blend and isn’t too thick (like our compact cushion foundation!). Build up the desired coverage to add smoothness to your complexion and prep it for contouring.
3. Go Easy On The Bronzer
Next, choose areas of your face you would like to define, like your cheekbones, jawline, and hairline. Sweep the bronzer brush very lightly, as too much bronzer can give your face that orangey fake tan look.
4. Light Up Your Face
Now it’s time to illuminate your face and highlight areas that naturally reflect light. Usually, it’s the bridge of your nose, chin, cupid’s bow, and middle of your forehead. Feel free to experiment and see which technique defines your features the most.
5. Add Some Pink
You’re almost there! You can skip this step if you don’t usually use blush, but adding some color to your cheeks adds to the contouring effect and makes your face appear more natural.
6. Blend It Out
Whether you’re using a fluffy blending brush or a makeup sponge, make sure you blend all the products in well to give your face a fresh and natural look. When you’re done, finish off the look with setting powder to set your makeup for hours to come!
Practice Makes Perfect
There are certainly plenty of tutorials to help you learn how to contour your face, but most of them miss the mark in one way or another. With this simple 6-step process, we hope to give you all the resources you need to get started with contouring or just learn a few new tips and tricks.