Do you ever look in the mirror and wish you could change things about your appearance? Well, if you wanted to step up your makeup game, you might consider highlighting and contouring. This article will focus on the basics of highlighting and contouring to help you enhance your features and learn how to look your best.
I. Unlocking the Art of Highlighting and Contouring
Highlighting and contouring can be daunting tasks for those who haven’t tried it before. But, with a few tips and tricks, the art of facial sculpting is totally achievable. Here are the basics to get you started:
- Choose a light and a darker shade – when it comes to highlighting and contouring, colour choice is key. Choose two shades of foundation – one a few shades lighter than your skin tone, and one a few shades darker.
- Highlight Your Cheekbones – using a highlighting brush, apply the lighter shade of foundation along the tops of your cheekbones, chin, nose and forehead. This is to create a natural-looking shimmer and glow.
- Contour Your Face – using a contouring brush and the darker shade of foundation, create shading along your forehead, sides of your nose, hollows of cheeks and jawline. This is done to give the illusion of higher or more prominent cheekbones, a smaller nose and a narrower face contour.
When it comes to powder highlighting and contouring, it’s all about creating a subtle finish. Instead of packing on the powder, use a light layering technique which gently builds and blends the product in for seamless results.
Making sure you have the correct tools is also key. Tapered highlighting and contouring brushes are designed to fit the contours of your face, with a round head for precision. Highlighting and contouring sponges are also a great way to get a smooth application.
To finish the look, make sure you’re blending it all together with a beauty blender or soft brush. This is important to ensure there is no harsh lines, and it all looks natural.
Highlighting and contouring is an art form, and with practice, anyone can master it. So don’t be afraid to experiment, and enjoy the process of transforming your features. With the right tips in hand, you’ll be a pro in no time.
II. Get that Glow with Liquid and Powdered Highlighters
Illuminators
No look is complete without that downright dazzling and dewy glow. Sculpt, define and radiate your look with chromatic highlighters. Get your gleam on with liquid or powder to brighten up your facial features for that natural luminescence.
Liquid
Subtly enliven your skin tone with liquid highlighter, blending the elixir into any skin type with a few drops. Its light-as-air consistency carries a whisper of luminosity that is easily buildable to create a soft, sheer finish. Get heads turning with a gentle application on the cupid’s bow, chin, temples and collarbone.
Powdered
- Lift up your look with a feather-light application of a powdered topper
- Unlock your inner light with the reflective particles in a crystalized formula
- Bestow your complexion with an ethereal radiance
If glittering glamour is more your style, then powdered highlighters are the formulation for you. Brush, swirl or press onto the apples of your cheeks, bridge and tip of your nose for a vivid lustrous look. Use either alone or layer with other matte formulations for a multidimensional effect, and guarantee that your visage is always illuminated.
The Duel-Sided Approach
Take your highlighting artistry to the next level by combining both liquid and powder on a single canvas. Blink out an ombré effect with liquid highlighter along the cheekbones and Set with a powder hue for a multidimensional pop. The diamond-like dust will add dimension with its cool, crisp finish.
For best results, apply in the areas of the face where natural light would strike. Give your features a hit of luscious glow with well-integrated liquid and powder highlighters. Get ready to bathe in radiance and shine bright like a diamond.
III. Sculpt Your Features with Contouring Techniques
Achieving your desired facial features is now easier than ever with contouring. Contouring is a makeup technique used to reshape features and add definition or give the illusion of more symmetrical facial features.
What You’ll Need
- Makeup brush set
- Foundation that’s two shades lighter than your natural skin tone
- Concealer two shades darker than your natural skin tone
- Setting powder
Once you have your supplies, you can start contouring. Start by using a damp makeup sponge and blend the foundation evenly on your face. This helps create a natural base. Then, use the darker concealer in the area you want to create a shadow. This should be on the edges of the forehead, sides of the nose, hollow of the cheeks, and jawline. Find the areas in which a natural shadow would be formed if the light were to hit them. Use the makeup brush to blend the special concealer on the stone gently and evenly.
Contouring can also be done on your nose to give it the appearance of being slimmer. Begin by creating a V shape at the end of your nose bridge, and then blend the concealer down from the top of the V, following the sides of the bridge. Additionally, the concealer can be blended upwards, following the sides of the bridge and onto the tip of the nose to create a more defined shape.
Once you’ve highlighted and contoured your face, use a setting powder to lock in the look. Finish with a light dusting of setting powder to seal the contour and help it last throughout the day.
With practice and patience, you’ll be able to master the art of contouring and look like a glamorous movie star.
IV. Taking Your Look to the Next Level – Blending and Bronzing!
When it comes to take your look to the next level, blending and bronzing are two techniques that you can use to make sure you look your best. Here’s how to do it:
- Blending: When blending, use two separate colours of foundation to achieve the perfect smooth finish that gives your complexion a natural finish. Start by choosing a lighter colour foundation, and apply this as a sheer layer to your face and neck. Then, take a slightly darker colour foundation and blend it around the perimeter of your face and into your neck. This is how you create that ever perfect sun kissed glow!
- Bronzing: When it comes to bronzing, you want to use two separate products – one to create the golden glow on your face, and one to add shimmer and contour. Start by applying a light dusting of a matte bronzer to the areas of your face that the sun would naturally hit – forehead, nose, cheeks, chin and neck. Then, use a shimmery bronzer to contour and highlight the areas of your face, such as your cheekbones, and the bridge and tip of your nose.
Blending and bronzing are two essential techniques to take your look to the next level. With the right amount of product and effort, you’ll be sure to achieve a flawless complexion and truly radiant makeup look!
There are plenty of makeup and makeupbrush sets available in stores that make achieving perfect blended and bronzed looks a breeze. With myriad of shades and hues at your fingertips, you’re sure to find the right colour palette to address all of your beauty needs.
Finally, remember to play around with the products to find the combination that best suits your face and looks natural. Every person’s face is unique, so you’ll need to experiment until you find the right combination of shades and tones to get the perfect blended and bronzed finish.
Highlighting and contouring are certainly two makeup techniques to take your look to the next level. With practice, you can achieve the perfect balance between light and shade; the results will be flattering and glamorous. Now that you’ve learned the basics, it’s time to bring out the beauty that’s always been in you and get out there looking like the star you are.
