Contouring for a More Oval Face Shape: The Definitive Guide
Achieving a perfectly sculpted, oval face shape is a sought-after beauty goal, and contouring is the key. While the oval face is often considered the ideal, contouring isn’t about transforming your face into something it’s not. Instead, it’s about using light and shadow to enhance your natural features, creating the illusion of that balanced, symmetrical oval. This guide will walk you through the precise, practical steps to master the art of contouring for a more oval-like appearance, moving beyond basic principles to give you actionable, expert-level techniques.
Understanding the Oval Face Blueprint
Before you even pick up a brush, you need to understand the ideal oval face shape. It’s characterized by a forehead that’s slightly wider than the chin, with the cheekbones being the widest part of the face. The jawline is softly rounded, and the overall length is about one and a half times the width. Your goal is to use contouring to bring your unique facial structure closer to these proportions. This isn’t about changing who you are; it’s about subtle, strategic enhancements.
The Essential Toolkit: Your Arsenal for Success
You can’t build a masterpiece without the right tools. Here’s what you need, and why each item is critical:
- Contour Product: Choose a matte product two to three shades darker than your natural skin tone. Avoid anything with shimmer or glitter, as this will reflect light and defeat the purpose of creating a shadow.
- Powder: Ideal for beginners and those with oily skin. It’s easy to blend and buildable.
-
Cream/Stick: Great for creating a more dramatic, long-lasting contour. Best for dry or normal skin.
-
Liquid: Provides a very natural, skin-like finish. Requires a bit more blending skill.
-
Highlight Product: This is just as important as the contour. A matte highlight two shades lighter than your foundation will work best for creating defined light planes. A subtle shimmer can be used sparingly for specific areas, but avoid an all-over frosty look.
-
Brushes and Sponges: The right application tool makes all the difference.
- Angled Contour Brush: Perfect for creating precise lines under the cheekbones and along the jaw.
-
Fluffy Blending Brush: Essential for diffusing harsh lines and ensuring a seamless transition.
-
Small, Tapered Brush: Ideal for precise work on the nose and temples.
-
Beauty Sponge: Excellent for blending cream products and pressing powder into the skin for a flawless finish.
Phase 1: The Foundation of Your Canvas
Before you begin contouring, a flawless base is non-negotiable.
- Prep and Prime: Start with a clean, moisturized face. Apply a primer suited to your skin type to create a smooth canvas and help your makeup last.
-
Foundation: Apply a medium-coverage foundation that perfectly matches your skin tone. Blend it evenly across your face and down your neck. The goal is to even out your skin tone, not to create a mask.
-
Concealer: Apply a small amount of concealer to any blemishes or under-eye circles. Blend well. This ensures a uniform base, so your contouring efforts are focused on sculpting, not on covering imperfections.
Phase 2: The Art of Strategic Shadowing
This is the core of contouring. The following techniques are tailored to different face shapes to bring them closer to the oval ideal.
Technique 1: Defining the Cheekbones
This is the most impactful step. The goal is to create a subtle shadow that makes your cheekbones appear more prominent and defined.
- Find Your Line: The easiest way to find the correct placement is to find the hollow under your cheekbone. Place your fingers at the top of your ear and move them forward, feeling for the natural hollow. This is where your contour line should go.
-
Application: Using your angled contour brush, start the line at the top of your ear and lightly trace it towards the corner of your mouth. Stop the line at the outer corner of your eye. A common mistake is to bring the line too far in, which can make your face look gaunt.
-
Blending: Blend the contour product upwards into your cheekbones. The shadow should be darkest at the hairline and fade towards the center of your face. Blending downwards will make your face look droopy. Use your fluffy blending brush in small, circular motions until there are no harsh lines.
Technique 2: Refining the Forehead
The goal here is to create the illusion of a slightly narrower and shorter forehead, which is a key characteristic of the oval shape.
- High Forehead: If you have a high or broad forehead, apply your contour product along your hairline, blending it down into the temples. Focus the darkest pigment right at the hairline. This creates a shadow that makes the forehead appear shorter and draws the eye to the center of your face.
-
Narrow Forehead: If your forehead is already narrow, you can skip this step or apply a very light wash of contour at the temples to add a touch of warmth and dimension. Avoid applying it to the hairline, as this can make your forehead appear even smaller.
Technique 3: Sculpting the Jawline
A soft, defined jawline is another hallmark of the oval shape. This step helps to minimize a strong or square jaw and soften the chin.
- Square/Strong Jaw: Apply your contour product along the jawline, from the bottom of your ear to the corner of your chin. Blend the product down onto your neck to avoid a visible line. This will create a shadow that visually recedes the harsh angles of the jaw, making it appear softer and more rounded.
-
Receding Chin: If you feel your chin recedes, you can skip this step. Contouring the jawline will only make it look even smaller. A better approach is to apply a touch of highlight to the very tip of the chin to bring it forward.
Technique 4: Slimming the Nose
A contoured nose can dramatically change the look of your face, bringing the entire structure into more harmonious balance. The goal is to create a more narrow, refined bridge.
- Application: Using a small, tapered brush, apply two thin, straight lines of contour product down the sides of your nose. Start at the inner corner of your eyebrows and trace them straight down to the tip of your nose.
-
Blending: Blend these lines carefully with the same small brush or a clean eyeshadow blending brush. The key is to blend the shadow into the sides of the nose, not outwards onto the cheek. Keep the lines crisp and defined.
-
Tip: If you have a wide tip, apply a tiny amount of contour product to the very bottom of the nose in a “V” shape. Blend this shadow carefully. If you want to make your nose appear shorter, apply a small amount of contour to the underside of the tip.
Phase 3: The Illumination: Strategic Highlighting
Highlighting is the yin to contouring’s yang. It brings forward the areas you want to emphasize, creating a natural, three-dimensional effect. Use your matte highlight product for this phase.
- Under-Eyes: Lightly apply a small amount of highlight under your eyes, in a triangular shape that extends from the inner corner of your eye to the top of your cheekbones. This brightens the area and lifts the face.
-
Brow Bone: A touch of highlight directly under the arch of your eyebrow will lift and open up the eye area.
-
Bridge of the Nose: Apply a thin line of highlight down the center of your nose, between the two contour lines. Keep this line narrow and precise. This draws light to the center of your face and further refines the nose.
-
Cupid’s Bow: A small dab of highlight on the cupid’s bow (the “V” of your upper lip) will make your lips appear fuller and more defined.
-
Chin: If you have a short chin, a tiny bit of highlight on the very tip can bring it forward and create a more balanced profile. Avoid this if your chin is already prominent.
Phase 4: Setting and Finishing
Your hard work needs to be set in place to last all day.
- Baking (Optional but Recommended for Crease-Prone Areas): After applying your cream contour and highlight, take a loose translucent setting powder and a damp beauty sponge. Press a generous amount of powder into your under-eye area, along your jawline, and under your cheekbones. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes.
-
Dusting Off: Use a large, fluffy brush to gently dust away the excess powder. The areas where you “baked” will be brightened, and your contour lines will appear sharper.
-
Setting Spray: Finish your entire look with a setting spray. Hold the bottle about 8-12 inches away from your face and mist lightly. This will melt the powders into your skin, giving you a more natural, skin-like finish and ensuring your makeup stays put.
Practical Troubleshooting & Refinement
-
“My contour looks muddy.” This is a common issue and usually means one of two things: your contour shade is too warm (too orange) or you’re not blending enough. Ensure you’re using a cool-toned, greyish-brown shade. Spend extra time blending, using a clean, fluffy brush to soften any harsh lines.
-
“My contour looks like a stripe.” You’re likely applying the product in too harsh of a line and not blending upwards. Remember, the goal is to create a soft, natural shadow, not a painted-on line.
-
“I can’t find my cheekbone hollow.” Suck in your cheeks. The line that appears is your guide. Another trick is to hold a credit card against your cheek, from the top of your ear to the corner of your mouth. The line you draw should go just above it.
-
“Should I use blush?” Yes, absolutely. Blush should be applied after contouring and highlighting. Apply it to the apples of your cheeks and blend it back towards your hairline, just above your contour line. This adds a natural flush of color and brings the entire look together.
The Power of Practice: A Concluding Note
Mastering contouring for a more oval face shape is a skill that takes time and practice. Don’t be discouraged if your first few attempts aren’t perfect. Start with a light hand, build the color gradually, and focus on blending. Take progress pictures to see what works and what doesn’t. Remember, the best contour is one that looks like it’s not even there—it’s just your face, but better, more balanced, and beautifully sculpted.