HOW TO...
Contour & Highlight Like a Pro
Years ago, make-up techniques like contouring
and highlighting were only used by those
working in the beauty industry. Now, thanks
to celebrities like the Kardashians, using
make-up to sculpt the face is an entire industry
in itself. Here’s how to get it right every time.
In simple terms, contouring and highlighting
is the art of adding shadow and light to key
areas of the face to enhance and define your
facial features. Start by blending a dark, matte
brown powder or cream (no more than two
shades darker than your skin tone) into the
hollows of your cheeks. This will slim your
face and give it a more angular shape. If you
haven’t seen your cheekbones since 1993, find
them again by sucking in your cheeks and
applying product to the sunken gap this ex-
pression creates. To blend your contour effec-
tively, buff it into the skin using circular
motions, working up and out instead of down,
to prevent the colour from looking messy.
You can then contour any other areas of the
face you think need additional shaping, such
as the sides of the nose, on the temples (to
shrink a wide forehead) and along the jawline.
Now you n eed to reintroduce light to the face,
to stop it from looking one dimensional and
flat. This is where highlighter comes into play.
It can be matte or glowy, just make sure it is
slightly lighter than your skin tone and has
undertones that complement it, so if your skin
is pale or has cool undertones, opt for a pink
shade or pearly shimmer. If your complexion
is warm and deep, go for yellow or peach
shades and golden shimmer.
Apply your chosen highlighter onto the high
points of the face, above any areas you have
contoured, to create a more noticeable contrast
between light and dark. Usually that’s along
the top of the cheekbones, down the centre of
the nose, along the Cupid’s bow, and on the
centre of the chin.
Finish off the look with a pop of colour on
the apples of the cheeks and blend all three
shades so that there are no streaks or harsh
edges. And remember: if it looks like you’ve
contoured, you’ve applied too much. Unless
you are a stage performer, contouring and
highlighting should whisper its presence, not
shout it from the rooftops. Selfie, anyone?
ISSUE #05 | 2017 | SkinHealthMagazine.com 13