How To: Contouring For YOUR Face Shape!

Welcome to the 5th part of my perfecting base/skin blogs.

Before beginning your highlight and contouring, first you should definitely determined your face shape guys, otherwise this could be a disaster!!

An overly contoured face can sometimes be a nightmare!! Drag Queens made this look what it is.. Now Queens I LOVE you guys, but us girls don't want to look like guys in makeup!! The point is to enhance those feminine qualities so it doesn't look badly applied but effortlessly!

One thing about social media I HATE especially seen on Instagram is that every one contours their face the same!!

What's the secret to Kim Kardashian's prominent cheekbones, Keira Knightley's defined jawline and Michelle Williams' dainty nose? It's not all genetics. With the flick of a brush, celebrity makeup artists can sculpt cheekbones, redefine a jawline and shrink or enlarge features. That's right, we're talking about the life-changing magic of a good contour brush. However, if you've ever followed along with a contour YouTube tutorial, you know that the strong stripes of bronzer and highlighter that work for a photo shoot or red carpet event look downright freakish at the grocery store or dinner table. You have to use the right contouring techniques for your specific face shape.

To determine your face shape, pull all of your hair back tightly and examine your face in the mirror, looking for the following attributes. A measuring tape may be used to measure the length and width of the face for a more precise determination.

Face Shape - Heart

Heart-shaped faces usually have prominent cheekbones and chins Reese Witherspoon is the classic example, it's important not to over-contour, which will make your face look pointier.

Face Shape - Oval

If you have an oval face like the contour queen herself, Kim K, you don't really need to "correct" anything. But you can bring out your cheekbones and slim other features like the nose, for example

Face Shape - Square

When contouring on a square face shape, like Olivia Wilde's or Nicole Richie's, focus on softening and rounding the jawline, it helps to contour the forehead to give it more of an oval shape.

Face Shape - Round

Round-faced gals & guys, you're in good company. Celebs like Emma Stone and Cameron Diaz have circular visages, too. When contouring a round face, shade around the edges of the face to minimise the fullness, then highlight the centre to create balance.

Face Shape - Oblong

The main thing to keep in mind with an oblong face like Liv Tyler's is to shorten the length of the face by minimising the chin and emphasising the cheekbones.

Heart Shaped -

Use a contouring product that's one - two shades darker than your natural skin tone, apply product right under your cheekbones and on your temples. Blend downwards from that point, at an angle.

Apply the contouring shade along the sides of your nose, under the tip of your nose and in the crease of your eyelid. Use your fingers to apply. The warmth from your hands will warm the product and allow it to glide on smoothly.

Apply a highlighting product or a foundation a shade or two lighter than your skin tone to the bridge of your nose, just above your cheekbones, your chin (to make it look a little more round), right above your lips (to make them look more full) and along your jawline.

Blend the darkest parts of your face first. You can use your fingers or apply setting spray to your brush before blending for a dewy finish. Blend downward from your ear toward your jawline, then blend downward on your nose and temples.

Apply highlighter on your lids to lift your eyes and brows. Then apply white eyeliner on your lower rim to open and brighten your eyes. This is a handy trick if you're short on zzz's and need to look more awake. Smudge under your lower lid with your contouring shade to finish your eyes.

To finish, dust blush across the apples of your cheeks for some colour.

Oval Shaped –

Apply contouring product under your cheekbones. When shading outward, do not go further than the outer edge of your brow.

Put contouring product down the sides of your nose and streak highlighter down the middle (use the same techniques as the heart-shaped face). If you have a long nose and want to make it look shorter, only apply highlighter at the bridge of your nose, not all the way down.

Apply highlighter to the following areas: above your lips, above your cheekbones, on your eyelids.

Apply blush to the apples of your cheeks (in between the contouring and highlighting stripes).

Finish by blending all the stripes of highlighter and contouring product so there are no telltale lines.

Smudge the contouring product underneath your eyes, along the lower outer rim. Line the lower inner rim with white eyeliner to make your eyes stand out.

Square Shaped -

Apply contouring product to these areas: under your cheekbones and around your jawline but skip shading your chin, your temples, the sides of your nose, the tip of your nose, and the top of your eyelids.

Apply highlighter to these areas: the bridge of your nose, just above your cheekbones, and the centre of your forehead.

Blend the contouring and highlighter stripes with a brush. Pro tip: Apply spray primer to the brush to help blend the product.

Dust cheekbones with blush, but only do a light coating. Too much will accentuate your jawline and the angles of your face.

Finish by defining your eyes: Apply highlighter to your lids and contouring product in the crease and smudged along your lower lash line. Apply white eyeliner on your lower inner rim.

Round Shaped –

Apply contouring product to the following areas: under your cheekbones, along your jawline, your temples, along the sides and tip of your nose and the crease of the eye.

Apply highlighter to these areas: underneath your brow bone, your eyelid, the bridge of your nose and your cheekbones. Tip: highlight the centre of your face as much as possible in order to draw attention to the middle of your face instead of the roundness of your jawline.

Blend all contouring and highlighting with a brush. When blending your cheekbones, blend both upward and downward so the product looks even and there are no obvious lines. When blending your eye area, go side to side ?think: windshield wiper motion?.

Define your eyes by applying contouring product along your lower lash line and white eyeliner in your inner rim. If you have a round face, skip blush or highlighter on the apples of your cheeks (it will just make them look rounder). Instead, apply it just above your cheekbone to bring out your bone structure.

Oblong Shaped –

Apply contouring product to these areas: the chin, underneath cheekbones, around the edge of your entire face

Apply highlighter to these areas: the eyelids, halfway down the bridge of your nose, cheekbones, centre of your forehead and brow bone

Using your fingers or a brush, blend all the contouring and highlighter stripes on your face.

Apply additional highlighter or shimmer power to your eyelids and the bridge of your nose, but skip your chin, since that will make your face look longer.

Finish your look by applying white eyeliner to your lower inner rim and contouring shade under your lower lash line