Take your make-up game to the next level and wow everyone with your look at all your festive bashes! Contouring is a subtle way to make a big difference, so if you want to try it out while party season’s in full swing, here are our top tips:
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Emphasise your favourite features using bronzer, blush and highlighter and these super simple techniques – if you remember ONE thing, you should blend, blend… and blend some more!
BRUSH:
Before you can begin, you need the right tools. An angled brush is your best bet – we recommend MAC’s 168 Large Angled Contour Brush. It works great for both blush and bronzer, so you’re really getting your money’s worth.
BRONZER:
Bronzer is amazing for contouring because it is usually a shade or two darker than your actual skin tone. Use a matte one and test them – our favourites include Benefit’s Hoola and Lord & Berry’s Bronzer in Sienna. Once you’ve picked one out, here are the places to apply:
1. Diagonally under your cheekbones or parallel to your jaw line. This will really make your cheekbones pop.
2. On the sides of your nose from the bridge straight down. This will make your nose appear longer and thinner. Blending here is key.
3. On your jaw line and under your chin, which will make your face look more elongated, and who doesn’t want that?
BLUSH:
This should go one level above where you applied the bronzer on your cheeks, so parallel to your jaw line. This will really make the apples of your cheeks stand out. Try stila’s convertible colour or even color balm lipstick – the cream textures are oh-so-blendable.
HIGHLIGHTER:
Highlighters are every make-up artist’s secret trick. We love Benefit’s High Beam – in the December Birchbox! – because of its sheer effect. Here’s how to apply:
1. Add a dab to the bottom and top portion of your lips to make their shape more prominent.
2. Cover any small bumps on top of your nose.
3. Apply to your brow bones.
4. Make your cheekbones stand out even more by adding highlighter above your blush. For extra glow, add a touch to the apples of your cheeks over your blush.
TO SUMMARISE:
Here’s where you should apply each product – white = highlighter, pink = blush, tan = bronzer. And, one last time, don’t forget to BLEND!
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– Beth Squires