Beginner's Guide to Contouring and Highlighting



Photo by Samer Khouzami, makeup artist and master of the contouring and highlighting technique!
 

Hey Glams and Geeks! Today’s post will be focusing on a very popular technique that will help you define your facial features: Contouring and Highlighting! Contouring is such a great technique because it allows you to sculpt your face, making the bone structure appear more prominent and chiseled. Highlighting compliments this technique, making the face seem more lifted and supple, as it makes your face appear more youthful and defined. Once you’ve mastered these two, you are on your way to beautifully defining your face!

Choosing your Products: Natural and Full-On Contour/Highlight

Kim Kardashian is a perfect example for this topic as she is well known for having her face contoured and highlighted by her makeup artists. On the left, she is wearing minimal to no makeup, allowing you to see her natural facial definition and bone structure. On the right, she is obviously contoured and highlighted and we can see where her face has been defined: Nose, cheeks, and forehead.

First, I wanted to talk a bit about the difference between natural and full-on contouring and highlighting. For everyday makeup, I’d suggest opting for nice, natural contouring and highlighting. What I mean by this is that when going for this method, try using powder products rather than liquid or cream. Liquid and cream products may be heavier, or best used for an event, photographic purposes, or for those who prefer fuller coverage. For full-on contouring and highlighting, I definitely recommend using cream or liquid based products to achieve a more flawless, photo-ready face. So if you’re in the mood for that “No Makeup” makeup look, but would like to incorporate contouring/highlighting to your routine, go for light and easy powder products. If you prefer fuller coverage, or you’re going to a wedding, special event, or will be taking photos, go for the cream-liquid products!

Choosing Your Color

For this technique, it is best to select a shade that is at least two to three shades darker than your complexion. The reason for this is that when blended out, the darker shade will help to define the bone structure in your face, making your features appear prominent and well-sculpted.

When selecting a highlight color, opt for a shade that is two to three shades lighter than your complexion. This will help with the “lifting” of the appearance, making you look more youthful, awake and refreshed. Next, it is up to you to decide whether or not you would like to use other highlighting products to emphasize other facial features. For example, you can use a powder product that contains a light gleam to give a nice, velvety inner glow upon the cheek bones and the bridge of your nose. That would best compliment matte makeup looks. You can opt for a cream highlighter with minimal shimmer to enhance your cream-based look, making your cheeks, nose, and chin appear very luminous and dewy. Or, you can choose a liquid highlighter with tiny flecks of glimmer to create a natural, “naked skin” makeup look, by applying a few drops along the cheek bones and bridge of the nose.

Remember, when choosing your shades, go 2 to 3 shades darker for contour, and 2 to 3 shades lighter for highlight. Going any darker will make the face appear too dark or unnatural, and will not blend well.

How to use Powder, Cream, and Liquid Products

When using powder products for this technique, start by applying your primer, followed by your foundation (preferably powder foundation, loose or pressed). Once this is done, apply your contour color onto the regions depicted in your designated face chart below. Apply the powder product in swiping motions, using a light hand as you do so. Next, apply your highlighter, applying it the same way as you did with the contour color.

When using liquid products, the application process becomes a bit more involved on your behalf. Start by priming the skin, followed by your foundation (only if using cream or liquid). Once foundation is well blended on your face, start applying your contour color to the regions depicted on your designated face chart below. Then, using a blending brush, buff the contour color into the skin, working it in circular motions. Once this is done, apply your highlight color under the eyes, down along the sides of the nose, and outwards onto the apples of your cheeks, and up towards the temples. Envision a right-triangular shape under your eyes, and on your cheeks. Now, with your clean blending brush, buff this out, starting from the sides of your nose, and outwards towards the temple, using circular motions. For this process, you may also use a blending sponge to create a more natural coverage and to lessen the appearance of lines or streaks. This last step is optional depending on the look you’re going for, but set your contour with a nice bronzer, using a light sweeping motion, and set your highlight with a loose translucent setting powder.

Identifying Your Face Shape

It’s been said that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes and for this technique, it is important to know the shape of your face. Using the diagram above, try to observe and identify the shape of your face in order to know where to apply your contour color as well as your highlight!

Diamond Shape

Features: Pointed/Oval chin, High, prominent cheek bones, and a narrow hairline.

Contour: Using your contour brush, use a light, sweeping motion to apply your contour color along the hollows of your cheeks, in a slanted motion, and onto the edges of your jaw. This will define your cheek structure and emphasize the shape of your jaw.

Highlight: Starting at the center of the forehead, apply your highlighter in a swiping motion, and then bringing it down along the bridge of your nose. You may also apply highlighter just along your cheek bones and up towards your temples to create some dimension for your cheek bones. If you’re going for a dewy look, you may apply a bit of highlighter along your cupid’s bow, just above your lip, and also on your chin. If you prefer a matte look, only apply the highlight on your forehead and the bridge of your nose.

Heart Shape

Features: Long pointed chin, cheeks are a bit wider than the hairline, hairline may come into a pointed tip (a.k.a. widow’s peak), jawline is a bit narrow, slightly curved into the pointed chin.

Contour: Using your contour brush, start at the hollows of the cheeks, using a light, sweeping motion. Slowly, work your way up along your hairline towards the temples. This will define the cheeks, and emphasize your heart shaped face.

Highlight: Begin at the center of the forehead, applying your highlighter in a circular motion, then bringing it down along the bridge of your nose. You may also apply highlighter just along your cheek bones and up towards your temples to define your cheek bones. If you’re going for a dewy look, you may apply a bit of highlighter along your cupid’s bow, just above your lip, and also on your chin. If you prefer a matte look, only apply the highlight on your forehead and the bridge of your nose. 

Oblong Shape

Features: Elongated face, prominent cheeks, narrowed jawline and chin

Contour: Because this face shape is so long and narrow, contouring along the cheek bones is optional, but not necessary as they are already prominent, and may appear sunken into your face. You can, however, contour along your chin to create a more oval-like shape/appearance.

Highlight: You may apply highlight to your forehead, along your nose, and cheek bones, lips and chin are optional. Begin at the forehead, applying the highlight in a small triangular shape, bringing it down onto the nose, cupid’s bow and chin.

Blush: Apply blush ONLY on the apples of the cheeks. If it is applied too high up along the cheek bones, this could create a narrower shape for your face, making it look too elongated/thin.

Oval Shape

Features: Face shape is well proportioned, forehead is typically wider than rest of face, narrowing chin, and prominent cheek bones.

Contour: Because this face shape is so well proportioned and the cheek bones typically protrude, contouring is more optional than necessary. If you choose to contour, start at the hollows of the cheeks, using light, swiping motions, and bring the contour up towards the temples.

Highlight: Start by applying your highlighter in circular motions on your forehead, and bring it down onto the bridge of your nose, and under the eyes. You may apply it to the cheek bones and chin to emphasize the cheek structure and to give the appearance of dimensional features. Upper lip is optional. This will create a lit-from-within glow.

Rectangular Shape

Features: Has wide cheek bones and jaw structure, jaw typically is the widest part of the face, the length of the face is usually longer than the width.

Contour: Start by applying your contour in a swiping motion along the temples, bringing it down into the hollows of the cheeks, and work your contour color downwards along the jawline. This will make your face appear well proportioned all around rather than elongated.

Highlight: Highlighting is optional for this face shape, but it will help to create a more proportional appearance. Apply highlight along the bridge of the nose, cheek bones, and just above your contour color along your jaw bones.

Round Face

Features: Is well proportioned all around, jaw is rounded and less structured, cheeks are fuller, forehead and jawline are the same width, and hair line is rounded.

Contour: Begin contour along the temples, using light, swiping motions, working your way down into the hollows of the cheeks, and along the jaw line. This will help create some dimension, as well as give the appearance of prominent features.

Highlight: Begin applying highlighter in circular motions on the forehead, working it down onto the bridge of the nose, and also on the cheek bones and chin. This contributes to creating dimensional face features.

Square Face

Features: Has sharp, prominent jaw bones, forehead and jawline are evenly wide, cheek bones are sharp and protruding.

Contour: Just like the rectangular face shape, start applying your contour color along the temples, and using a light hand, bring it into the hollows of the cheeks, and down along the jaw bones. This will create the same effect for the square shape, as for the rectangular shape, creating a more proportional appearance.

Highlight: Start by applying highlighter in circular motions on the forehead, bringing it down along the bridge of the nose, and also on the cheek bones and chin. This contributes to creating dimensional face features.

Features: Long face shape, chin is square/flat in shape, cheekbones are straight and taper off from the jaw to the forehead, the jaw is the widest section of this face shape. 

Contour: Begin by contouring at the temples, lightly buffing your contour shade onto your skin, and bringing it down along your cheekbones in a sweeping motion, followed by sweeping the brush back up along your cheekbones, then downwards along the jawline. This 3 shape along each side will help to create the appearance of a more slender, well-proportioned face shape.

Highlight: Start by applying your highlighter on the center of the forehead, buffing it in light, circular motions. Along the under eye area, apply the highlighter starting from the inner corner of your eye bringing it down along the bridge of the nose, and extending it outwards towards your temple. This right-triangle shape will help to create a slimmer effect and contribute to evening out face-shape proportions. Lastly, dab highlighter on the center of the chin. 

 Nose Contouring

Here you can see the difference between before her face was 

contoured, and after. Focus on how her nose was defined. You can see

where the contour color was placed, as well as the highlight.

If you would like to define the shape of your nose, use a small fluffy brush and your contour powder. Using a light hand, start at the inner edge of the brow, working the product onto the skin in a swirling motion, working your brush down the side of the bridge of the nose, and out over the top curve of the nostril. This will create a slimming effect on your nose, and will define the shape of it as well. Then, using your highlight and your highlighting brush, apply your highlighter starting at the tip of your nose, and softly blend it upwards towards the forehead, stopping just between the brows. Make sure your nose is not too shiny, as this will look poorly done, and very obvious.

 Products

In my previous post, Makeup Brush Guide- Face Brushes, I listed which brushes to use for which makeup processes, and there you can find which brushes I recommend for contouring and highlighting. 

Contour/Highlight- Powder

E.L.F Studio Baked Bronzer $3

Eyeslipsface.com

Sephora Collection Micro Smooth Baked Luminizer $12

Sephora.com

Contour/Highlight-Liquid

Nyx HD Concealer Wand $5

NyxCosmetics.com

Nyx Born To Glow Liquid Illuminator $7.50

NyxCosmetics.com

Contour/Highlight- Cream

Flower Beauty

-Skincognito Foundation Stick $8.98

FlowerBeauty.com

-Glisten Up! Chubby Highlighting Stick $9.98

FlowerBeauty.com

Contour/Highlight Palettes

Sleek Makeup’s Face Contour Kit ($9.99) and Face Form ($14.99)

SleekMakeup.com

Nyx Highlight and Contour Powder $9

NyxCosmetics.com

Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit $40

Anastasia.net

Thank you so much for reading my Beginner's Guide to Contouring and Highlighting! I hope this post has been helpful for anyone who has been wanting to try this technique but did not know where to begin. As always, feedback is appreciated and be sure to follow me on Instagram to find out about upcoming blog posts, beauty tips, product reviews, and much more @TheGlamGeekConfessional