4 contouring hacks for beginners4 contouring hacks for beginners
Contouring has become a revolutionary beauty hack because it helps to reshape, resize and define your facial framework. The idea is to apply lighter and brighter products to appear more prominent where needs be, and in the places that you apply a shadow or darker shade of contour, it will achieve more depth and definition.
Contouring can be a tricky business, as contouring in areas that don’t need it could create the opposite effect of what you were trying to achieve. If you’re a beginner when it comes to contouring, then follow these four hacks to avoid any mistakes.
Hack 1: Darker shades
The most familiar technique of contouring involves using a darker shade and using it to create a shadow effect under your cheekbones. This can easily be done by pouting or sucking in your cheeks and then running the contour shadow product along the hollows of your cheeks.
Ideally, you would follow the natural line of your jawline, sometimes you may need to place the product higher than you think is necessary to create a lifting effect. Have an experiment to find the best placement for your face shape.
On top of this, you can also contour your nose if this is something you wish to look more defined. Play around with different lines and sculpt your face with shadows until you find your desired look.
Hack 2: Lighter shades
Whilst the idea of contouring tends to bring with it connotations of using darker shades, the use of lighter shades and highlighter is just as important when it comes to your contour look. Start by applying your lighter shade to the areas of your face that reflect natural light such as your forehead, the bridge of your nose, your cupid bow and around the eyes.
Your concealer should be a little bit lighter than your natural skin tone. Finish up by popping some highlighter above the darker shades on your cheekbones to add that glow.
Hack 3: Blush
Blush is significant when it comes to contouring because it can act as a bridge between your intense dark areas and light areas. Ensure that you select a blush colour which suits your skin tone as the wrong shade can ruin your look.
For those with fair skin, you could opt for light pinks for a pretty flush of colour that won’t overpower your skin tone. For light-medium skin, choose a peachy pink, whereas, for more olive skin tones, you can go for a brighter pink. Darker skin tones can opt for warmer undertones, for example, a bright apricot. Apply the blusher in a “C” shape to the apples of your cheekbones.
Hack 4: Blending
Arguably the most important beauty hack when it comes to contouring is blending. When contouring you are working with shades that don’t match your skin tone which makes blending essential.
Whether you use a beauty blender, or a makeup brush ensure the darker and lighter shades are properly blended to create a natural-looking effect.
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