I am a big makeup enthusiast but something that I’ve never been able to do very well is contour my face. My knowledge in this department is pretty basic and I’ve always wanted to know the right technique of highlighting and contouring to make my face look thinner and much more defined. I’m sure you remember Gwen from Makeup Toys, who shared a few of her favorite things with us last week? Gwen is a professional makeup artist in Singapore and someone who is very good at what she does. Well, I asked her for help and she being a sweetheart, agreed to share her knowledge on contouring, shading and highlighting with us. The below article has been written by Gwen.
Ever wondered why celebrities and models always look picture perfect from all angles?
When I was learning makeup, I remember how happy I was to learn how to achieve a sharper nose and make my square face look more oval! There are many ways to contour your face. Iβm going to share with you the technique I have learnt and some tips. Hopefully the next time you take a picture, you can look good from all angles!
Face Map For Highlight and Contour |
The general rule here is βHighlight what you wish to show, shade what you wish to hide.β
- Cleanse and prep skin with a primer/makeup base.
- Allow 2 to 3 minutes for the primer to settle onto the face. If necessary, you can blot off any excess with some tissue paper.
Step 2
- Apply your normal foundation shade onto your whole face. Remember to blend it well.
- Following the face map above, apply your darker foundation accordingly and and start blending with your buffing brush.
- The darker foundation should be at least 2 to 3 shades darker than your normal foundation and they must have the same base tone. I recommend buying foundations of the same brand and same texture. In that way, you will be sure they are really at least 2 to 3 shades apart and have the same base tone.
- When Iβm using liquid foundations, I use my buffing brush or stippling brush to blend the foundation
- If you are using creme foundations, the best way to apply and blend is to use a sponge. Some creme foundations require you to wet the sponge a little before any application. Make sure you check with the beauty advisers before you make your purchase.
- If the weather is humid or you have oily skin, you might wish to have a more matte finish. Apply the contouring powder onto your face, still following the face map. You can use a Non Shimmer bronzer or a darker shade loose powder. If you prefer a more natural finish, you can skip the powder.
Step 4
How do you contour your face? Did you learn anything new from this post? Do share in the Comments below.
Bhumika says
perfecto..loved the article..to the point !
Gwen@Makeup Toys says
Oh my, Sorry for the typo error. I mean I’m glad to be able to help as man woman as I can to look and feel beautiful! π
Gwen@Makeup Toys says
Hi Swati! No worries at all! Glad to help as many as I can to look and feel beautiful! π
Pout Pretty says
All thanks to Gwen for sharing her tips:))..Glad you liked girls
Swati R says
Hey Gwen nice to hear it from you π
thank you for such a nice advice π
shruti lakshman says
M a noob to makeup:)very useful tips..
RAY says
Hi…..nice post!!!
I like contouring & highlighting my face & like to read all articles about it.
Thanks for writing this post π
Gwen@Makeup Toys says
Hi Swati! Its Gwen here! Yes you are right, having 2 foundations also allow you to mix the shade you desire because our skin tone do change from time to time!
Swati R says
It is really useful… I actually do not include bronzer a lot when I do make up… I will definitely try using one to see the difference. But the idea of using a foundation 2 shades darker is also nice.. π
Because many of us might be having the foundations which we considered the wrong shade or just left them because they made us look dark,… right???