Chic Conviction | Contour Your Faith Pt. 2
1. OPT FOR MATTE CONTOURS
Contours are meant to exaggerate the natural hollows of the face to create a more sleek and defined look. To ensure the contour is natural, it’s best to opt for a matte ( non-shimmer ) shade. Most contour options you’ll find will be matte, but it’s important to recognize those as opposed to other options.
2. PICK THE PERFECT SHADE
Us brown girls have so many options when it comes to contour shades! New contour palettes come out just about every month now that cater to our skin tones.
A general rule of thumb is to avoid any contour shade that does not have a warm base. Anything that is more gray and cold than orange and warm will do more harm than good as a contour. Go for a shade that is about 2 - 3 shades darker than your foundation color.
For lighter days, I personally contour with the Bare Minerals All Over Face Color in 'Warmth'. It provides just enough shade for me to exhentuate my cheek bones for a daily look.
For more dramatic, nighttime looks I utilize the LA Pro Girl Concealer in 'Beautiful Bronze' and then set with the NYX contour and highlight kit. Depending on how dramatic of a look I want I will alternate between the 3 darkest shades in the palette.
A good tip here is to color correct under your foundation before you get into you highlighting and contouring if you have problematic skin ( hyperpigmentation especially). This way your foundation is literally a flawless base for you the build the perfect contour. I use the LA Pro Girl Orange Corrector for my problem areas.
A good tip here is to color correct under your foundation before you get into you highlighting and contouring if you have problematic skin ( hyperpigmentation especially). This way your foundation is literally a flawless base for you the build the perfect contour. I use the LA Pro Girl Orange Corrector for my problem areas.
3. GET THE RIGHT TOOLS
In order to ensure precision for sculpting, chiseling and shaping the face, it’s definitely investing in a nice set of brushes. To define and blend with ease I would suggest the ELF Cosmetics or Real Techniques contour brush.
4. USE THE BEST TECHNIQUE
When creating a nice natural look to your contour, your application is the first step to perfection.Tap your contour brush after dipping in your powder remove the excess. Pack and push the powder into the bristles and keep tapping until most of the color is off to allow for greater control of the amount of pigment applied.
This "building" technique is perfect to ensure you don't do too much too soon. You can slowly build your contour to what you want it to be to precisely applying the product.
This "building" technique is perfect to ensure you don't do too much too soon. You can slowly build your contour to what you want it to be to precisely applying the product.
5. BEAT AND BLEND
Push the powder into the skin by softly pressing and pulling it into the skin for the most natural finish. Start by applying to the hollows of the cheek, towards the temples and along the hairline.
You can never blend enough when it comes to contour, especially if you’re going using a more pigmented contour shade. Once you have applied the color to the hollows of your cheeks, temples, below the hairline, along the peak sides of the nice and chin (optional), use your blending brush to go in! I recommend the Real Techniques buffing brush. It’s super dense and distributes product effortlessly.
6. USE THE HIGHLIGHTING TRINITY
Highlighting is used to accentuate the prominence of your cheekbones, bringing an overall “lifted” look to your face. Highlighting is three-fold.
1.) Your cream highlight used on top of your foundation. This is usually done with a concealer that is 2 - 3 shades lighter that your foundation. Place this under your eyes, along the bridge of the nose and in the small center of your forehead. Blend using your favorite technique, for me this is with a warm, damp beauty blender. I use the LA Pro Girl concealer in Fawn.
2.) Set your concealer/highlight with a translucent setting powder. I use the Sacha Buttercup setting powder. Honestly, the best investment I’ve made. It adds another layer of color and brightness to your highlight all while providing a flawless finish.
3) Finish your highlight with a shimmer highlight cream or powder placed strategically at the top of your cheekbones. To apply this finishing highlight, take a look at the curve of your cheekbone from the lower to the middle to the top, and think about where the light naturally falls on it.
Quick tip: aim to sweep across the cheekbone and towards the temple. Look to provide an unexpected spotlight that’s natural, unforced, soft and barely there.
Quick tip: aim to sweep across the cheekbone and towards the temple. Look to provide an unexpected spotlight that’s natural, unforced, soft and barely there.
Cream highlights are my current fave. I swear by the Smashbox foundation illuminator as a nice cream that I finish off with a powder highlight like the NYX Illuminator.
7. ADD COLOR
Once you’ve completed your highlight and contour, finish off with your favorite blush! What really makes a highlight and contour combination pop is the warmth it receives from adding a bit of color. If you’ve opted for a super shimmery highlight, trying utilizing a more satin finish color for your cheeks. Be sure to place your blush right above your contour and below your highlight. Blend into both areas for a flawless finish.
My favorite all time blush is this super old Tarte blush and the closest thing I can find to it now is their Amazonian Clay Blush in 'Tipsy".The one I have is a peachy tone that is simply gorgeous on brown skin tones. Orange based shades are also a great everyday choice for more deep skin tones as well.
You can take a peak into how I do my contour and highlighting here!
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