I hope you’ve all been
enjoying my new Beauty Beginners series! So far, I’ve shared my basic tips for
applying lipstick and foundation. Today, we’re going to take a deeper dive as I go
over my tips for how to contour. If you’ve never tried contouring before, it’s
actually a lot easier than you might think. You don’t have to go to the extreme
and paint your entire face different shades — you can make it as simple as you’d
like. Here’s my beginners guide to contouring…
Make Bronzer Your Best Friend
Like I said above, you
don’t need to go out and buy 10 different shades of foundation in order to
successfully contour. In fact, all you really need is a great bronzer.
You can use liquid or powder bronzers, but if you’re really serious about
defining your cheekbones, nose and jawline, you might want to look into buying
a liquid bronzer. It will also blend in a little easier if your skin type is
dry. Apply your foundation as you normally would before starting (read about my beginners guide to foundation here).
Choose The Right Color
Just as choosing the
right foundation is important, choosing the right bronzer is key for a
natural, contoured look. As a rule of thumb, I always opt for a bronzer that’s
only about two shades darker than my natural skin tone. I find that
this looks most natural and actually allows me to layer without looking cakey
or orange.
Get The Correct Tools
If you’re going to use
a liquid bronzer for contouring, a makeup blending sponge works best. And, if
you’re going to use a powder bronzer, an angled or flat brush is best for giving your cheekbones that
coveted depth. Layering powder bronzer over your liquid bronzer will actually
give your skin a finished look — you just might have to practice a few times to
get the hang of it!
Ready, Set, Contour…
Once you have the
correct bronzer and the correct tools, you’re ready to contour. Start by
sweeping your bronzer where the sun hits your face — on your nose, across your
forehead, on your cheekbones, and around your jawline. Make sure to use light,
sweeping strokes so you don’t get too heavy. The darkest application of your
bronzer should start from your hairline, sweeping out toward your cheeks. Then,
sweep a lighter application across your cheek and back to your ears. My most
important tip? Don’t use too much. Bronzer looks best when it’s understated and
just gives you a sun-kissed glow.
Blend, Baby, Blend
Once you’ve swept your
bronzer on all the areas the sun will hit your face, it’s time to blend. You
don’t want your face and neck to be two completely different colors, so make
sure to sweep a little of your bronzer downward from your jawline onto your
neck to create a seamless transition. Also, if you’re wearing your hair up,
make sure you blend a little bronzer onto the back of your neck, too.
The Don’ts Of Contouring
Make sure you aren’t
using a circular motion when applying bronzer to the cheeks, as this will leave
you with a dark circle on the apples of your cheeks. Instead, gently sweep the
brush in a back and forth motion. Also, don’t get too close to your eyes, as it
will make your eyes appear smaller than they really are.
There you have
it: My beauty beginners guide to contouring. These tips are just a starting
point for getting comfortable with contouring. Once you’ve practiced a bit, see
if you can get more advanced with your beauty skills!
What topic would you like to see me cover in
my next Beauty Beginners installment?
Let me know in the
comments below.
XO Lauren