How to use the facial contouring kit. Correct contouring for different face types step by step How to properly design a face

Cosmetics can work wonders! Every day, millions of girls around the world apply a variety of decorative products to themselves and become participants in a delightful transformation. Most often, makeup is used to disguise imperfections and highlight advantages. In the process of development of the beauty industry, new techniques have appeared that have made it possible not only to improve natural beauty, but also to change natural forms! So, by making a few successful strokes, you can visually reduce your nose, highlight your cheekbones and hide your cheeks. What is it?

Contouring is a technique of applying cosmetics of different shades to give contours relief. The main principle of sculpting is the play of light and shadow. Bright colors, meeting dark ones, can visually change the shape of the chin, eyes, lips and other parts. Initially, this method was used by make-up artists in the theater. The actresses had to look impeccable so that the viewer would notice them from anywhere in the hall. Over time, make-up specialists mastered the technique and used it during preparation for photo shoots or fashion shows. In 2010, the well-known diva Kim Kardashian literally opened sculpting to ordinary girls. Since then, contouring has gradually become part of the everyday makeup routine of many girls.

Preparing for proper facial contouring for beginners (photo)

Even if the most technical makeup artist in the world does your makeup, you won’t do anything good without preparatory steps. In order for the base to lie evenly on the skin, you need to take good care of it.

• Cleansing. Using foam, special oil or lotion, wash off the remnants of the old cosmetic product. Even if you are no longer wearing makeup, this point should still not be ignored. The cleanser will help remove excess sebum and impurities.
• Toning. Immediately after washing, wipe the skin using a cotton pad soaked in toner. This will make the skin fresher and prepare it for further actions.
• Hydration. Whatever the dermis: oily, dry or normal, it still needs moisture. The fluid that enters the body is not always enough for health. That is why after the toning stage it is necessary to apply a moisturizer.
• Toning. After completing the full range of mandatory care procedures, you can begin makeup. Apply a primer or base: this will make the makeup last longer. After that, use any foundation that is convenient for you. You can also use BB cream or powder. It is important that the product is suitable for the type of dermis and is combined with other cosmetics.

Textures

To understand them, it is important to have an idea of ​​all the products used to perform makeup. There are several types of correctors.

Dry

They are somewhat reminiscent of eye shadow. In the manufacture of such cosmetics, pigment and mineral substances are combined with each other under the action of a press. Loose contouring products provide a very natural effect due to the fact that they are applied in a fairly thin, weightless layer. It is most convenient to apply them using special brushes. If they are not there, you can use your fingertips.

Cream

Such correctors have a very dense texture. They last well, but need to be blended carefully. If the product is not distributed well enough, you may end up not with shadows, but with very inappropriate rough streaks. It is best to distribute with a sponge or stiff brush.

Liquid

They are similar to foundations. To understand how to properly contour your face in this way, it is only important to remember the mechanics of applying foundation. You simply squeeze a little liquid onto a sponge or thick brush and then spread it out. The result is a natural and lasting effect.

Friable

This is a professional version of cosmetics. This corrective product is a simple pigmented powder, not mixed with additional binders. This texture allows the makeup artist to independently determine the degree of saturation of the application.

Sculpting Tools

They are selected depending on the purpose of makeup and the structure of the means with which it is performed.

Beveled brush

It's perfect for using dry or loose bronzer. It is usually used for blush, but it is also suitable for darkening the cheekbone area. It is convenient to distribute the cream over the skin and naturally shade it.

Sponge

The porous “egg” appeared on the cosmetic market not so long ago, but quickly managed to win the hearts of all girls. It helps distribute the tone evenly. You can also create amazing sculpting using a sponge and gel or liquid correctors. The contents of the jars can be either “driven in” with patting movements, or simply smeared.

Kabuki

This is a very thick and dense brush. It doesn’t take a lot of intelligence to understand how to properly apply facial contouring liquid when applying it. Kabuki takes on both dry and creamy textures well. A straight cut allows you to draw sharp lines and at the same time shade them so that they are not visible from the side. It is most convenient to apply the pigment, taken on a brush, by driving it in.

Fan brush

The fibers of this instrument form a fairly wide area. This allows you to paint as accurately and naturally as possible. The “fan” is convenient for contouring the forehead, cheekbones, areas under the eyebrows, as well as the collarbones and chest (if necessary).

Silicone sponge

In its shape it resembles a petal. This beauty product does not absorb the cosmetic product and allows you to use it completely. The sponge can be twisted or bent in order to draw contours of a certain width.

Small flat brush

Step-by-step photo instructions for facial contouring for beginners will tell you how to properly apply cream from the palette with this tool. We advise you to focus on small details: the corners of the eyes, the tip of the nose and the bow of the upper lip. The most convenient way to do this is with small brushes. They are also suitable for using shadows.

Contouring based on skull shapes

The main point that is the same for all types is an even tone. Before you start sculpting, you need to prepare the skin well; this was described in detail in one of the previous paragraphs.

Circle

The main goal of makeup in this case is to make a round face more elongated.

• Darken the hairline well without affecting the temple area.
• On the sides of the lower jaw, apply a dark shade to visually narrow them.
• Use a sharp line to highlight the cheekbone area: they should be quite rough and sharp.
• Apply highlighter to your chin area.
• Add light pigment to the corners of the eyes, upper lip, forehead and apples of the cheeks.

Square

The photographic scheme for contouring the face in this case involves adding smooth lines and smoothing out all angular contours.

• Emphasize the line of the cheekbone with large triangles.
• Apply thin black or brown stripes to the top of your forehead.
• Add some dark color along the lower jaw line.
• Lighten the forehead slightly.
• Draw long highlights on your cheekbones.
• Use highlighter to highlight the inner corners of your eyes, chin and bridge of your nose.

Triangle

For girls with a triangular type, when applying makeup, it is important to balance all proportions.

• Apply highlighter along the edges of your jaw.
• Add a dark spot to the center of the chin and blend it well.
• Draw a wide dark line along the hairline to the temples.
• Highlight your cheekbones using a play of light and shadow.
• If necessary, add glitter to the remaining protruding parts.

Oval

How to use the palette to contour a long face? Follow the basic rules. The oval silhouette is considered ideal among makeup artists. There is no need to change anything in it, just highlight all the features.

• Add bronzer to the bottom of your chin.
• Use an arc to darken the upper part of the forehead.
• Emphasize the cheekbone.
• Add highlighter under the eyebrow, on the tip and bridge of the nose, on the top of the lip and forehead.

Lip correction

In this matter, you may have several goals, and for each of them there is a special method.

• Visual increase. To visually enlarge your lips, you need to take a little concealer or light corrector without a shimmer in the composition. A thin white pencil is ideal for this task; otherwise, you can use a thin brush. Use a light or nude cosmetic product to outline the outline. Next, you can apply lipstick or gloss on top of this, slightly going beyond the edges and creating the desired shape. You can also take a darker color and use it to paint perfect lips.
• Adding sensuality and relief. Many videos on how to contour your face include lessons on how to highlight your lips. To give them a plump and sultry look, you need to put a little emphasis on the top “bow” using a highlighter. This is done with a brush, sponge or (in the absence of these) with a fingertip. Finally, you can give your lips some color, but you can also leave them natural.

After designing this area, the contour can be outlined with light powder: this way it will appear more even.

Selection of cosmetics according to skin types

No matter how expensive the beauty products you buy, they won't be of any use if they don't suit you. Some of them fit perfectly on one type, but slide off on another and just look disgusting. The dermis, which is characterized by normal subcutaneous fat secretion, generally responds well to all textures. What to do for people with other disabilities will be described below.

Oily skin

This material has repeatedly spoken about the importance of selecting suitable skincare products. Contrary to all prejudices, girls with an increased amount of sebaceous secretions on the skin should not dry out the epidermis at all. All you need to do is choose the right palette. So, cleansing should be done with foams, and moisturizing with a cream that provides a mattifying effect. You can choose powder over foundation, or dust it on top. As for contouring tools, in this case it is better to give preference to dry textures. You can choose bronzer or loose pigment. It is important that all cosmetics create a mattifying effect. Liquid and cream textures may bleed or add undue shine. We also recommend using highlighter carefully. To avoid the “oil pancake” effect, apply it only to the tip of the nose and the corners of the eyes.

Dry

Hydration! This is the main thing in caring for this type. For washing, it is better to choose a special oil or gentle milk. There probably won’t be any issues with cream: it’s better to choose something very fatty and nutritious. All cream textures, from standard “foundation” to BB creams, are suitable as a foundation. Powder in these conditions will not be entirely appropriate. The corrector palette must contain gel or liquid cosmetic products. By choosing something nourishing and oily for yourself, you will restore balance, because of this, your entire skin will look healthy and beautiful.

How to properly contour your face: step-by-step tips from makeup artists with photos

• Shading! Don't forget to blend the pigment thoroughly. Otherwise, you risk becoming the owner of unsightly rough stripes that have nothing to do with the shadow effect.
• Be original: many decorative products can be used in different situations. Brown shadows can become a corrector and vice versa, and a highlighter can become beautiful shimmering shadows.
• You can contour your entire body. Among popular bloggers, a trend recently appeared to draw the contours of the abs and even the chest. By the way, everything looks quite natural, and therefore this method works!

Cosmetics can work real miracles! The material on the topic “How to do face contouring for beginners step by step” will help you understand the basics of this technique. Experiment and train: everything comes with experience. And any look will be emphasized by good perfumes, which you can choose for yourself in our online store.

19.06.2018

Sculpting – modeling the oval of the face using light and dark correctors. These can be either dry or cream sculptors. In this article, we will tell you how to choose the color of the product, which brush is best to apply it with, and also analyze the most common contouring schemes.

What do you need for contouring?

The ideal palette for contouring the face should consist of 4 shades.

• Warm sculptor (this can be peach blush or bronzer) - the color should match the shade of your tan.
• Cold sculptor is the color of your natural shadow (pay attention to the shadow near the wings of the nose, nasolabial hollows).
• Light sculptor - it can be matte or with a slight satin shine. After all, correct facial contouring is not only about placing dark accents, but also about highlighting certain areas. Using a light sculptor or a delicate highlighter, you can reduce or increase the size of the highlight in certain areas of the face: make the nose narrower, raise the cheekbones or push the chin forward.
• Blush – ideal if the shade of the blush matches the shade of your lips. If you don't use blush, the contouring palette can include a highlighter (a brighter glow than a light sculptor).

Your sculpting palette may contain more shades, because... Skin color changes depending on the season. A concealer that was suitable in winter may look like a cold gray spot on tanned skin. A too dark sculptor, chosen in summer, will end up with an orange stripe in winter and will be difficult to shade. There are a lot of ready-made contouring palettes, but everyone has different skin tones and some shades are completely unnecessary. Thanks to INGLOT's Freedom System, you can create a palette of only those HD Sculpting powder shades that you know you will use.

Cream facial correction is suitable for dry and dehydrated skin, it is more stable than dry skin, many women want to introduce it into everyday use. For this purpose, the FOUNDATION STICK sculpting stick was created. INGLOT has 4 shades for this purpose.

• 118 – for snow-white skin with cool undertones
• 119 – cool sculpting for light to medium skin tones.
• 120 – looks good on skin with a warm almond undertone, and is also ideal for creating a tan effect due to its golden tint.
• 121 is the darkest, suitable for dark-skinned girls, or for those who like bright facial correction.
• To highlight light areas on the face, you can use AMC Under eye corrective illuminator 51,52.
• AMC's long-lasting tanning cream for face and body works great as a warm sculptor.

If your skin is prone to oiliness and the durability of your makeup is not always the best, it is better to seal your facial contouring with cream products with translucent dry ones.

Face contouring brush

You will need 2-3 brushes. If you use dry textures, give preference to natural brushes. When working with cream correctors, shade the edges with a sponge or brush 01; you can use natural brushes or very soft artificial ones to smooth out contouring.

• A large fluffy brush with soft long bristles (1SS, 25SS, 36BJF) is necessary for applying warm sculptor or bronzer. At this stage of face sculpting there should be no bright spots.
• A medium natural blush brush, preferably angled or oval shaped (3P, 24SS, 38SS). She will apply the sculptor locally and intensely. Apply blush to her.
• A small brush for modeling the nose or eye shape. Flat, tightly padded, natural (27P, 7FS, 5FS)

Step-by-step instructions: How to contour?

Proper facial contouring begins with skin preparation. If you don't use foundation, concealer or concealer powder, contouring your face on bare skin may not look aesthetically pleasing.

Apply skin care, primer, foundation. Mask inflammation, refresh the area around the eyes. If necessary, set the tone with powder. For beginners, facial contouring is easier on lightly powdered skin with dry products.

The above diagram is standard and applicable for contouring an oval face.

• Using the widest fluffy brush, apply the warm sculptor to all raised areas of the face. It should lie wide and translucent. Without clear boundaries, creating a light tan effect.

• Take a small, dense face sculpting brush and deepen the hollows under the cheekbone with a cool shade. Have you noticed how organically a cold sculptor blends into a warm one? Direction of the zygomatic contouring line: from the tragus of the ear to the corner of the lips (narrowing the face) or from the tragus of the ear to the wings of the nose (widening the face). Blend the sculptor horizontally and upward. Also, deepen the temporal sockets. Using a blending eye brush, completely darken the orbital line of the upper eyelid and the crease, bringing the color into the temple. This will help open and enlarge your eyes. If you are the lucky owner of wide-set eyes, apply the sculptor closer to the bridge of your nose. Contouring an elongated face involves active darkening along the hairline and chin. You often want to make such a face a little wider and more voluminous; horizontal directions help with this when applying blush and sculptor. If you want to contour your nose, choose a sculptor shade that is slightly lighter than the main one. The best option to visually narrow your nose is to apply a thin, dense strip of highlighter along the bridge of your nose. Standard three-stripe shading schemes are not suitable for everyone and depend on many features of the face.

• If you want to enhance the vibrancy of your contouring, you don't always have to go darker. Apply the light sculptor to your lower cheekbone and areas of your face that you want to push forward. This will enhance the contrast.
• Apply blush to the apples of your cheeks. Avoid blush too close to the wings of your nose, it will look like you sneezed or walked indoors from the cold. But adding blush to the orbital bone (just above the crease) of the upper eyelid can greatly refresh your makeup.

Contouring with blush is only possible if your blush is a neutral shade, like sculptor. Many brands may call face contouring products blushes, powders, or bronzers. It's not the name of the product that matters, but its color on your skin.

Round face contouring

The zygomatic correction is more vertical, tending towards the corners of the lips. This oval face is distinguished by smooth lines, therefore, the correction should also not be very rigid and clear. Do not darken the forehead at the hairline and chin too much. The cheekbone correction can be slightly rounded (to the center of the cheek, aim for the corners of the lips, and then slightly rounded towards the wings of the nose). Combine the zygomatic correction with the temporal correction. Extend the darkening slightly towards the lower jaw. Highlight the area under the eyes and extend the highlight to the corners of the lips (Hollywood triangle), center of the forehead, chin, bridge of the nose. When contouring a round face, the intensity point of the blush moves slightly towards the temples.

Contouring a square face

A square face is characterized by a wide lower jaw and sharp angles. These lines need to be softened. When contouring a square face, place the main emphasis on the lower jaw (be sure to shade the sculptor towards the neck) and darkening the side surfaces of the forehead. Zygomatic correction should not be very bright. Choose a vertical direction (towards the corners of the lips), but stop in the middle of the cheekbone, without going to the central part of the face. A refreshing blush can be applied a little closer to the nose and lightly on the center of the chin.

Contouring is a makeup technique that allows you to correct the relief of your face, distract attention from its shortcomings and emphasize its advantages.

• For example, with the help of contouring, you can visually lengthen or, conversely, shorten your nose, make your face more symmetrical, highlight your cheekbones, narrow your face, and even remove a “double chin.”
• It is noteworthy that achieving such amazing results is very simple: just learn how to correctly alternate dark and light shades of foundation.

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The canonical contouring “from Kim Kardashian” consists of as many as 50 stages, but the “light” version will require much less time, effort and cosmetics from you. And the result will be no worse. Let's figure out how to do proper facial sculpting.

Dry or creamy? Choosing facial contouring products

There are two main types of facial contouring: the first is created with products with a dry texture, the second with creamy textures. What is the difference?

Dry contouring

As the name implies, this sculpting is done using dry products - blush or powder. They are usually applied with brushes. Powder products are most suitable for girls with oily skin (they provide a mattifying effect) and makeup beginners: they are the easiest to apply.

Contouring with powder

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Contouring with blush

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Cream contouring

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Cream contouring is done using denser products, the most popular of which are a contouring stick, corrector, and foundation. Cream products are most suitable for dry skin, but today they also produce cream sculptors with a matte finish: they are ideal for oily skin. However, if you are still on the “you” level with makeup, it is better to give preference to powder: cream is more difficult to shade.

Pencil or stick for contouring

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Sculpting by proofreaders

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If you don’t have a special sculpting product at hand, for this purpose you can easily use one or two shades lighter or, conversely, darker than your skin.

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For dark or tanned skin, you can use bronzer instead of powder. But make sure that it does not contain shiny particles - this will not be able to imitate a “shadow” on the face.

For very dark skin, a dark highlighter with reddish pigments is suitable, but in general it is better in this case to get by with just one highlighter.

Apply highlighter to those areas of the face where the light first falls: the top line of the cheekbones, the center of the face, the center of the chin, the bridge of the nose.

And, again, consider your skin undertone: if it is reddish or pinkish, a silver highlighter will suit you, and for olive skin, a golden one.

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Contouring Brushes

What kind of contouring brush should be and in what cases is it especially useful? Let's figure it out!

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A soft fluffy brush (the kind usually used when applying blush) will come in handy when working on the sub-cheekbone area. Place a little bronzer or powder sculpting product on your brush, apply lightly to the skin and blend well.

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Cream or liquid textures are more convenient to distribute with a sponge, but in some cases a straight cut can be an excellent alternative. Apply the product using a tapping motion and do not forget to blend it properly.

Dry highlighter is most conveniently applied with a wide fan brush, which will ensure even application and a translucent layer.

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You can also distribute cream sculpting products using a flat synthetic bristle eyeshadow brush: this will ensure the most precise application. It is most convenient to “use” an eyeshadow brush with a slightly pointed tip.

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Contouring kits and palettes

In order to do proper contouring, a sculpting product of one shade is usually not enough. In addition, over the course of the year, the skin changes its shade, and the sculptor, who perfectly emphasized the cheekbones back in August, already looks too dark on the skin in September.

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To simplify the task, beauty brands produce special contouring palettes with several shades at once, which are designed to solve different problems. In this case, the product can be either powdery or creamy.

The basic palette contains two shades: a dark sculptor that helps create natural shadows on the skin and “sharpen” facial features, as well as a light highlighter that can be used to highlight certain areas.

More “advanced” versions of the palettes (for example, Highlight & Contour Pro Palette, NYX Professional Makeup) contain eight different shades that can be mixed together to get the perfect color.

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How to do facial contouring? Step by step

To understand the nuances of contouring, use our photo and video instructions.

Contouring with a creamy texture

A basic face sculpting scheme that every girl will need – and detailed video instructions.

Preparation

Before proceeding directly to contouring, it is necessary to properly prepare your facial skin. Apply primer and moisturizing makeup base to your skin, or mix your regular moisturizer with foundation and spread the resulting mixture over the skin. If necessary, disguise “bruises” under the eyes, minor redness, pimples and other skin defects.

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Highlighter

There are two basic rules associated with cultivation techniques - and each of them is worth adhering to.

The first piece of advice is this: darken everything that needs to be “hidden”, lighten the rest. The second important point is the order of application: first use the highlighter, and then apply the dark sculptor.

• For a cream correction, choose a shade one or two shades lighter than your skin tone.
• Give preference to a highlighter with a matte or satin texture. The one with shimmer is not suitable for contouring.
• If you don't have a highlighter, use a light corrector or concealer one or two shades lighter than your foundation instead.

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  A dark-colored sculpting product should be two to three shades darker than a regular foundation. Apply it along the hollows of the cheeks, on the cheekbone, under the chin and around the perimeter of the forehead along the hairline.

  

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  Feathering

  This stage is key in the entire contouring procedure. If the boundaries between the highlighter and the dark product (or foundation) are too noticeable, then the desired effect of a chiseled face will definitely not be achieved. Shade the lines with a sponge or brush, turning halfway to the mirror. First, use light shades with mascara and only then move on to dark ones, so that there are no dirty streaks left on your face.

  In the area under the cheekbones, the dark sculptor should be shaded according to the following scheme: first horizontally, and then slightly upward.

  

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  Final touches

  To prevent your face from looking unnatural, be sure to use blush (it will add volume to your cheeks that was lost during the contouring process). Then apply a light layer of regular powder to your face.

  

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  Contouring with a dry texture product

  To do the correct contouring with a powder sculptor, use our simple video instructions.

  Do you want to cheer yourself up and try on a truly unusual make-up? Do clown contouring like beauty blogger Alina Fly Cloud.

Facial contouring, when used correctly, can work wonders: highlight cheekbones, reduce the appearance of a forehead and oval face. Thanks to contouring, it is quite possible to radically change your appearance. As a matter of priority, stylists advise those representatives of the fairer sex who have an extremely high forehead or full face to resort to this technique. Even girls with regular facial features resort to this procedure, for example, to veil dark circles under the eyes or highlight cheekbones.

What is contouring?

Face contouring refers to its correction using cosmetics. It helps to veil problem areas of the skin, highlight the advantages of the face, correct its shape, and give expressiveness to facial features. With its support, it is quite possible to decorate quite serious imperfections, for example, facial asymmetry. If there are practically no problems with the skin, facial contouring can help give expressiveness to the appearance, skillfully highlighting its advantages.

In order to master this technique, you need to study your face well. Determine what shape it has and what features require slight correction, since contouring a round face is different from contouring a triangular or elongated one. You will also need products for sculpting, they can be dry or cream, choose them based on your skin type and the desired result. And of course, as a real artist, you will need tools - brushes and sponges, without which you cannot make high-quality facial contouring. Step-by-step instructions to master this makeup technique will be presented below.

The disadvantage is considered to be the maximum amount of time required to contour (sculpt) the face than to apply daily makeup. Based on this, this makeup technique is used when the most perfect makeup is needed. Events such as: Birthday, New Year, photo shoot, video shooting, but the result will please not only you.

What do you need to contour your face?

The methods for creating an ideal image are not complicated, and you don’t have to study long to master them. However, you will need special cosmetics to contour your face. This list includes:

1. makeup base that matches your skin tone;
2. lightening powder (highlighter);
3. blush; foundation;
4. concealer - a palette with several light and dark tones.

In addition, you will need additional devices, without which facial modeling will not work:

• sponges;
• angled contouring brush;
• blush brush.

Face contouring palette

Concealer or a palette of correctors for the face is the main component of sculpting. With its help, you can darken bad places and highlight advantages. There are different types of palettes in cosmetics stores. They differ from each other in the number of colors. The most budget-friendly ones are presented in two contrasting tones; the more complex ones include up to 18 skin tones in the palette. Among the most popular palettes are products from Smashbox and Nyx. Warm or cool tones are often combined into one concealer so that a girl with a certain skin color can buy the right one.

Step-by-step facial contouring

Before applying makeup, you need to properly prepare your skin: cleanse and moisturize. If the skin is very dry and dehydrated, then you can first apply a moisturizing mask, otherwise the foundation will emphasize flaking and fine wrinkles. If the mask is oily, then after the cleansing ritual you need to apply a mattifying moisturizer. This way the makeup will not “float”, but will be neat and durable.

If the skin texture is uneven, there are enlarged pores or acne marks, then you can apply a primer or makeup base. This product evens out the texture, allowing the foundation to lie smoothly, without stains, and also increases its durability.

Now apply foundation to the entire face. This can be done using your fingertips, a brush or a beauty blender. The latter will make the coating thin and light, the first two methods will give a denser layer. To problem areas - redness, dark circles under the eyes, acne - you need to apply concealer or corrector.

After applying foundation, the face loses volume, looks flat and unnatural. Therefore, even if you do not want to “sculpt” your face, a drop of bronzer under the cheekbones, highlighter under the eyebrow and blush on the “apples” of the cheeks will not hurt. This will give your skin a fresh, rested look and natural texture.

In addition to palettes, it is quite possible to use foundation; it should be of several colors, as well as powder of various tones. It is believed that correction made using powdered cosmetics looks more natural. It is much easier to shade and is much better suited for daily makeup. Contouring using cream-based cosmetics is quite labor-intensive to perform and is more noticeable on the face, as a result of which it is recommended to be used for evening outings, for photography and video shooting.

Important! When choosing cosmetics for this procedure, you should pay special attention to those that are not shiny and have a matte texture.

Face contouring brushes

What do you need to contour your face besides cosmetics? Of course, the tools are brushes for application and shading. What brushes are suitable for contouring?

• Kabuki. This is a round, densely packed brush with thick, short bristles. Ideal for applying dry bronzers and blushes.
• Brush with a beveled cut. Suitable for darkening the subzygomatic area, wings and bridge of the nose. It is convenient for both applying and blending cosmetics.
• Beauty blender. This sponge has long been the leader among all tools for shading correctors, foundations, bronzers and other products. With its help, you can perfectly shade dark and light correctors, without spots, streaks or sharp boundaries.

Now a little about how to properly contour your face using the cosmetics already described. Let's consider several options for sculpting different ovals of the face, as well as the nose and lips.

Contouring step by step instructions at home

1. Apply a makeup base (the one you usually use) and a thin layer of foundation or BB cream to your face. This is a mandatory face preparation before contouring begins.
2. Draw the nose. Using the corrector, draw dark lines along the sides along the nose to the very tip. Please note that the line should be straight and not slant to the side at the nostrils. If you want to make your nose visually longer, draw lines starting from the eyebrows.
3. We draw cheekbones. To do this, you need to darken the area under the cheekbone with a corrector and lighten the cheekbone itself. First, let's determine where exactly we will draw the cheekbone. Place the brush (or finger) in the direction from the ear to the corner of the lips and find the hollow under the cheekbone. This is where it will need to be darkened.
4. Darken the forehead. This step is for those who have a high forehead and who are not comfortable with this feature. The top of the forehead along the hairline and the area on the sides of the forehead should be darkened.
5. Slightly darken the areas near the upper eyelid.
6. Apply a light corrector: lighten the middle of the nose (between the dark lines), the central part of the forehead and the corners under the eyes, the cheekbone (the part above the dark line you drew earlier), the area above the upper lip, the areas in the corners of the lips.
7. The last, but not least, step is shading. You need to shade the dark and light contours you drew very carefully so that there are no clear boundaries between them. To blend, you can use a brush or beauty blender. Start shading with light areas and end with dark ones. Don’t forget to blend well around the jawline, neck, ears, and don’t leave noticeable ugly borders there. (Please note that you do this step if the face correction was performed with cream textures. If you did the correction with dry textures, then you shaded them immediately during application with a brush.)

Contouring, sculpting, or contouring - a special technique with which you can achieve an ideal face shape - has recently emerged from the backstage of fashion shows and other special events and has become one of the main trends in everyday makeup. Today, all leading beauty bloggers offer contouring lessons, and YouTube is replete with detailed video instructions.

And now not only leading makeup artists know the basic rules of facial contouring, but are also actively used by ordinary women for everyday makeup. We will tell you which cosmetic products are currently available in the range of brands for soft face sculpting, how to use them, and will also provide step-by-step instructions for beginners, following which you will not make unwanted mistakes and will look flawless.

Face contouring palette

Before moving on to the basics of contouring with a palette, you need to take care of the necessary tools and cosmetic kit

Contouring is essentially playing with light and shadow (highlighting and darkening certain areas on the face and neck). This makeup technique is performed using cream or compact bronzers, highlighters and correctors, collected in single palettes, which can be found in the assortment of almost any major cosmetic brand. It’s easy to avoid making a mistake when choosing a palette for contouring your face if you follow our small recommendations:

• the palette should not contain orange and reddish shades, which will subsequently create an unnatural effect on the face;
• Matte shades will help you achieve the most natural lines - without shimmer or pearl (but the proportion of shiny pigments is acceptable for a highlighter);
• the shade of the main corrector should be no more than two to three shades darker than the skin color;
• the texture of the products in the palette should be uniform, without large particles, which will become even more noticeable on the face after application.

Today, cosmetic brands present a whole list of contouring products, which are compiled from the best palettes of dry or creamy shades. Thus, NYX Professional Makeup has a palette of different palettes consisting of three, six, seven or eight tones.

But the rule in choosing a shade for a particular area on the face is one: dark ones correct the shape, give a tanning effect, light ones highlight the convex parts of the face, leaving matte glowing pigments on them. Also, you can often find in the rulers a special stick for contouring or a double pencil, consisting of universal light and dark shades. In the NYX Professional Makeup collection, this is a double-sided (highlighter + corrector) Wonder Stick.

Face contouring brush

For contouring, not only the palette is important, but also the right brushes. What basic brushes should you use to sculpt your face?

• The angled NYX Pro Dual Fiber Precision Brush helps apply bronzer evenly under the cheekbone and blends it thoroughly without leaving any harsh lines.
• Straight-cut kabuki (in the NYX Professional Makeup line this is the Pro Kabuki Brush) is suitable for applying liquid or creamy dark shades. She gently blends them onto her face.
• The fluffy NYX Pro Fan Brush is the perfect highlighter tool.
• A flat brush is useful for highlighting the bridge of the nose.

Face contouring scheme

After the working tools are put together, the question remains - how to properly contour the face. The basic rule of sculpting comes down to darkening some areas of the face and highlighting others.

Before contouring, it is better to apply a makeup base to the entire surface of the face; it will even out the texture of the skin and significantly increase the durability of the makeup. The first area to start working on is the nose. Using a dark shade, draw two lines along the sides of the nose from the eyebrow area to the tip, and separately darken the partition between the nostrils.

Next, you can proceed to the cheekbones - darken along the line running from the corner of the mouth to the ear, right under the cheekbone. On the forehead, you need to add shadow on the sides, as well as along the hairline. And the last area to darken is the lower part of the chin.

Areas that need light pigment are the bridge of the nose, the “tick” above the upper lip, the space under the eyebrows, and the upper part of the cheekbone.

The final stage of any contouring comes down to careful shading - makeup artists advise starting with highlighted areas, gradually moving to darkened areas. This scheme is universal, but you should always remember that when contouring it is better to focus on the natural shape of the face, since each has its own nuances.

Contouring a round face

A round face is characterized by soft and smooth lines, which is why it needs a little relief. The main techniques for contouring a round face come down to the following recommendations:

• you should pay maximum attention to the side zones - work well on the cheekbones and forehead with dark pigment, as if stretching out the face;
• do not forget about the light areas - triangles from the outer corner of the eye to the corner of the lips, the center of the nose. Highlighter can also be applied to the bridge of the nose;
• The chin, which is somewhat massive for those with a round face, will also require additional work. This area can also be easily treated with a dark shade from the palette. But it is worth remembering that only matte tones should be used in this area, without mother-of-pearl.

Oval face contouring

An oval face is considered the ideal shape, and therefore does not require serious contouring rules - the standard scheme described step by step above is applicable to it. But there is always room for experimentation - for example, you can further emphasize the cheekbones or add more highlighter to the corners of the eyes, or focus on the pretty shape of the nose using dark pigment.

Contouring a square face

A square face is characterized by wide cheekbones, forehead and chin. To balance the shape, it is necessary to work out the zones in such a way that eventually the face becomes narrower. This can be achieved using the following techniques:

• camouflage using a dark shade of the entering zones - the corners of the lower jaw and the lateral parts of the forehead;
• darkening of the cheekbones in the shape of a triangle is a classic line under the cheekbone, along the temple and a line running from the middle of the cheek to the top of the temple;
• highlighting the line of the nose from the inner corner of the eyes to the corners of the lips;
• When contouring a square face, it is necessary to avoid horizontal lines - they should all be vertical.