Welcome back! :)
I feel as if I should be welcoming myself back because it's been so long since I've written a blog post! The Leaving Cert really took over and I just didn't have a second to myself. It's all over now thank goodness so I can focus on the blog and having a good summer :)
So today's blog post is probably my favourite thing to talk about:
contouring and highlighting
There are a lot of misconceptions and myths when it comes to contouring and highlighting but I'm here today to answer your questions that were sent in on Snapchat the other day! (Make sure to add us: SandS_blog) Hopefully by the end of this blog post you can avoid looking like this:
or this:
What is contouring?
"Contouring is giving shape to an area of the face and enhancing the facial structure through makeup"
says Beau Nelson, Kristen Stewart's longtime makeup artist.
All you're doing is adding subtle definition to the face! I normally describe it to people as adding shadows to your face to shape it the way you like. It is however different from bronzing.
Why should you contour?
You don't necessarily need to contour but I love to because it changes the shape of my face. I personally feel it finishes a makeup look. It's all about creating an illusion.
What products are best to contour with?
It's all down to personal preference really. You can contour using cream,liquid or powder products. If you want a strong contour you can apply your foundation,then apply a cream contour product and then set it with a contour powder but if you're starting off,begin with powder. It's less messy and you'll have more control.
My favourite powder products:
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| Inglot Sculpting Powders €10 Buy here. (Picture source: inglot.ie) |
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| SO SU Complete Contour Palette Both cream and powder €29.95 Buy here. (Picture source: sosueme.ie) |
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| Seventeen Cream Bronzer €8.49 Buy here. (Picture source:boots.ie) |
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| Maybelline Fit Me anti-shine stick (In the darkest shade) Under €10-unavailable online (picture source: whatshaute.com) |
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| Bourjois Bronzing Primer €12.99 Buy here. (picture source:boots.ie) |
You can also use darker shades of concealer,they will blend just as easily and may be a good one to start out with!
What is highlighting?
Highlighting is drawing attention to the high points of your face. To me, there are two types of highlighting:(i)using creams/concealers/light powders around the face and (ii) using highlighters on the cheekbones (sometimes slightly in the tip of the nose). You are trying to attract attention to these areas,where light would naturally hit.
Why should you highlight?
My answer would be why the hell not? This is definitely my favourite part of doing makeup. It pulls the whole look together and who doesn't love a bit of sparkle in their life? ;)
What products are best to highlight with?
For highlighting like so:
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| Picture source:sosueme.ie |
I would generally draw a triangle shape under my eyes and continue it up my cheekbones,apply some product underneath where my contour will be,the centre of my forehead and down the centre of my nose.
My favourite cream products:
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| Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer Shade fair neutral €22.00 Buy here. (Picture source:Pinterest) |
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| NYX HD concealer shade CW01 €7.75 Buy here. (picture source:Pinterest) You can also use a darker shade of this concealer to cream contour like me!Just be careful not to use too much,it's very pigmented. |
I also love using shade 1 from the So Su contour palette!
For highlighting like so:
My favourite powder products:
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| Sleek Highlighting palette in Solstice €14.49 Buy here. (Picture source:boots.ie) |
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| MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Soft and Gentle €31.00 Buy here. (Picture source:temptalia.com) |
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| Topshop Glow pot in Gleam €12 Buy here. (Picture source:feelunique.com) |
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| Benefit High Beam €27.50 Buy here. (Picture source:Benefitcosmetics.com) |
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| Sleek Barekissed Iluminator in Monaco €13.99 Buy here. (Picture source:sleekmakeup.com) |
Do I need to use both cream and powder highlighters to highlight properly?
There's no need to use both. If you want a sunkissed-glow, just use liquid/cream alone. If you want a strong highlight you can use liquid/cream and then set it with a powder highlight. I would generally do this on a night out where I want it to last a long time.
Can I only use cool tone products to contour?
It looks better on lighter skin tones but on darker skin tones, you can find warmer contour shades. Makeup Geek do a fabulous contour shades that cater for all skin tones. Here's a link to a video where the owner of Makeup Geek Marlena explains contour shades for all skin tones.
What brushes can I use to contour with?
There are loads of different brushes you can use to contour. Some are very expensive and do the exact same job as some of the cheaper ones so it's all about knowing where to look!
My favourite contouring brushes:
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| Sigma F40 €22.95 Buy here. (Picture source: sigmabeauty.com) |
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| Real Techniques Contour Brush Unsure of price because I think it only comes in one of the collections (Picture source: beautetude.com) |
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| The brush that comes with the Hoola bronzer by Benefit Loads of dupes available online! |
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| Blank Canvas F28 €8.99 Buy here. (Picture source:blankcanvas.com) |
Do I need a contour kit?
If you're starting out I would say no. You can get cheaper kits,like the Sleek one that are very good if you're set on getting a kit. Don't think you need expensive kits like the one from Anastasia Beverly Hills, I would start out by getting an Inglot Sculpting powder and go from there!
Can everybody contour their face the exact same way?
While the techniques you use will be the same, the way in which you approach your face will be different because everyone's face is different. I know that won't really make sense until you look at your own face but if you roughly follow this chart you can't go wrong.
So there we have it! Hope you have learned something from this blog post. Let's be real, we all want to look like this when we're older ;)
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Stay Sparkling,
Edel and Tess x
