Spring 2009 Makeup: Highlights & Contours

Tuesday, January 6th, 2009 | Beauty

highlighting and contouring your face with makeup

Contoured skin is in! Lately beauty brands have been creating palettes and products that make it easier than ever to feign perfect cheekbones, a svelter nose, and a deeper eye crease for your next makeup look.

You can buy contouring/highlighting products separately or in palette form. When searching for a contour shade, I recommend purchasing a matte brown eyeshadow that is two shades darker than your skin tone. This way you can get multiple uses of one product and save money.

Suggested Products

	Drugstore	High-End
Highlighter	Fair skin: Use a bit of shimmer eyeshadow that is close to or lighter than your skin tone Dark skin: Black Radiance Velvet & Glow in Modern Glamour	Fair skin: Clinique Up-Lighting Liquid Illuminator in Natural Dark skin: Clinique Up-Lighting Liquid Illuminator in Bronze
Contour shade	Fair skin: L’Oreal Eyeshadow in Smooth Latte Dark skin: Revlon Matte Eyeshadow in Rich Sable	Fair skin: MAC Eyeshadow in Wedge Dark Skin: MAC Eyeshadow in Mystery
Palette	Physicians Formula Organic Wear Face Sculpting Trio	Stila Contouring Trio

How to Contour Your Face with Makeup

First, prep your cleansed, moisturized, and primed face by applying concealer and foundation.

Contouring and highlighting your cheeks: Find the hollows of your cheeks (by sucking in) and apply the dark shadow shade into those contours of your cheeks with a soft blush brush. Take your favorite blush (a sheer coral or berry shade is recommended) and apply that to the apples of your cheeks. Use a large powder brush or a kabuki brush to softly blend both your blush and contour shades together. Apply a highlighter to the tops of your cheekbones, blending back toward the outer edge of your eye area.

Contouring your nose: Using a soft eyeshadow brush, take up your dark shadow shade and run it lightly down the sides of your nose starting from your eyebrows. These faint lines should not be too thick. Blend well.

Contouring and highlighting your eyes: Using a soft eyeshadow brush, apply your contour shade in sweeping motions across your eye crease to contour your eyes. Apply highlighter to your browbone and the inner corners of your eyes for a brightening effect.