Highlighting and Contouring
Highlighting and contouring is probably one of the greatest illusions in makeup. It can make you look 10 pounds skinner without you having to step foot inside a gym! The purpose of highlighting and contouring is to make your face look thinner, add warm and definition back into face after foundation washes you out, and to change your features if you’re going for that look.
When doing your face makeup you usually tend to start with your foundation. When you put it on it looks good because it covers up all of your flaws, but on the other hand you look washed out because it’s taken all of your features and color away.
To add the features and dimensions back, you would start off by highlighting the parts of your face that light or the sun tend to hit with a concealer or powder that is 2-3 shades lighter than your foundation. That would be under your eyes, the center of your nose and forehead, on your cupid’s bow and your chin. You highlight those places because those are the places that naturally catch the light and protrude forward on your face. This also helps to add the dimension back in your face.
Contouring is where the adding warmth and slimming affect comes into play. You contour your face because it’s three-dimensional. It has curves and angles that get washed away with foundation. When you contour, you use a concealer or powder that is 2-3 shades darker than your foundation.
The places you contour are the temples and/or forehead, the sides of your nose, your cheekbones, and your jawline. You contour those places because those are the parts of your face that naturally recede and when you add contour, they make you look even smaller.
Highlighting and contouring is a great makeup trick when executed the correct way and can turn any makeup into a red carpet ready look!
For more information about highlighting and contouring, check out these videos:
