A Definitive Guide to Contouring for Every Face Shape
Mastering the art of contouring can seem like a daunting task, but it’s a skill that can transform your makeup routine. The secret to a successful contour isn’t about following a one-size-fits-all tutorial; it’s about understanding your unique facial structure. This comprehensive guide will teach you how to sculpt and define your features, creating a look that is natural, flattering, and customized to your specific face shape. We’ll go beyond the basics, providing you with actionable techniques, product recommendations, and step-by-step instructions that will empower you to create a flawless finish every time.
Understanding the Fundamentals: Tools and Techniques
Before we dive into the specific face shapes, let’s establish the foundational knowledge and tools you’ll need. Contouring is essentially an optical illusion created by playing with light and shadow. Darker shades recede and create depth, while lighter shades highlight and bring features forward.
The Essential Tools:
- Contour Product: This can be a cream, powder, or liquid. Cream and liquid formulas are great for a natural, dewy finish, while powders are easier to blend and build, making them ideal for beginners. Choose a shade that is two to three shades darker than your natural skin tone and has a cool, greyish undertone. Avoid products with red or orange undertones, as these will look unnatural and muddy.
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Highlight Product: This can be a matte or shimmery shade. A matte highlight (also known as a concealer that is one to two shades lighter than your skin tone) is used to brighten and lift, while a shimmery highlight (like a highlighter stick or powder) is used to catch the light and create a glow.
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Brushes and Sponges: The right tools are crucial for a seamless blend.
- Angled Contour Brush: Perfect for applying powder contour with precision under the cheekbones.
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Fluffy Powder Brush: Ideal for blending out harsh lines and applying a finishing powder.
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Small Detail Brush: Excellent for precise contouring of the nose and smaller areas.
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Beauty Sponge: A damp sponge is a fantastic tool for blending cream and liquid products, giving a soft, airbrushed finish.
The Golden Rules of Application:
- Start Light: It’s always easier to build up color than to take it away. Begin with a small amount of product and add more as needed.
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Blend, Blend, Blend: Harsh lines are the enemy of a good contour. Use circular motions or a tapping motion with your brush or sponge to blend the product seamlessly into your skin.
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Know Your Angles: The placement of your contour is everything. We’ll cover this in detail for each face shape, but a general rule is to place the contour in the hollows of your cheeks and the perimeter of your face.
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Set It: If you’re using cream or liquid products, setting them with a translucent powder or a powder contour will help them last longer and prevent creasing.
The Oval Face Shape
The oval face shape is often considered the “ideal” shape because of its balanced proportions. It is characterized by a forehead that is slightly wider than the chin, with high, prominent cheekbones.
The Goal: The primary goal for an oval face is to simply enhance the natural symmetry and define the existing bone structure. You’re not trying to change the shape, but rather to bring out its best features.
Contouring Application for Oval Faces:
- Cheekbones: Apply your contour product directly under your cheekbones, starting from the top of your ear and blending it towards the corner of your mouth. Stop the contour about midway down your cheek to avoid making your face look too narrow. The key here is to create a subtle shadow that accentuates the natural hollows.
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Forehead: If your forehead is proportional to the rest of your face, you may not need to contour it. However, if you want to create a more balanced look, you can lightly apply contour along the hairline to add depth.
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Jawline: A light application of contour along the jawline can add a subtle definition. Start from the ear and blend downward.
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Highlighting: Apply a matte highlight under your eyes in an inverted triangle shape, down the bridge of your nose, on the center of your chin, and on your forehead between your brows. This will brighten the center of your face and draw attention to your eyes. For a luminous glow, add a shimmery highlight to the top of your cheekbones, the brow bone, and the cupid’s bow.
The Round Face Shape
A round face is characterized by a similar width and length, with a soft, circular jawline and forehead. The cheeks are often the widest part of the face.
The Goal: The main objective for a round face is to create the illusion of more defined angles and to slim the face. By creating shadows along the perimeter, you can make the face appear more oval-like.
Contouring Application for Round Faces:
- Cheekbones: This is the most crucial step for a round face. Apply your contour product directly under the cheekbones, starting from the ear and blending it inward in a straight line towards the corner of your mouth. The line should be more vertical than horizontal to create a slimming effect. Avoid blending the contour too low, as this can drag the face down.
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Forehead: Apply the contour along the hairline and temples to visually shorten the forehead and make the face appear less wide at the top. Blend it well into the hair.
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Jawline: This is another key area. Apply the contour along the entire jawline, from the ears down to the chin. This creates a shadow that gives the appearance of a sharper, more defined jaw.
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Highlighting: Highlight the areas you want to bring forward: under the eyes in an inverted triangle, down the bridge of the nose, and a small dot on the chin. This draws light to the center of the face, making it appear longer and narrower. Apply shimmery highlight on the highest points of your cheekbones, just above the contour line, to lift the face.
The Square Face Shape
A square face is defined by a strong, angular jawline and a forehead and jaw that are similar in width. The length and width of the face are also often equal.
The Goal: The aim for a square face is to soften the strong angles, particularly the jawline and forehead, to create a more balanced and rounded appearance.
Contouring Application for Square Faces:
- Cheekbones: Apply the contour product under the cheekbones, but focus on creating a softer, more rounded line. Start from the top of the ear and blend in a curved motion towards the center of the cheek.
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Forehead: Apply contour to the outer corners of the forehead and along the hairline to soften the square shape. Focus on the temples to narrow the forehead and create a more oval-like appearance.
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Jawline: This is the most important area to contour for a square face. Apply the contour directly on the sharp angles of the jawbone, from the ear down to the chin. Blend it well to blur the sharp lines and create a softer, more oval look.
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Highlighting: Focus your highlight on the center of the face to draw attention away from the jawline and forehead. Apply it under the eyes, down the bridge of the nose, and on the center of the chin. A touch of shimmery highlight on the top of the cheekbones and brow bone will also help to lift the face.
The Heart Face Shape (Inverted Triangle)
A heart-shaped face is characterized by a broad forehead and a narrow, pointed chin. The cheekbones are often high and prominent.
The Goal: The objective for a heart-shaped face is to balance the wider forehead with the narrower chin. This is achieved by minimizing the width of the forehead and adding a subtle shadow to the chin to make it appear softer.
Contouring Application for Heart Faces:
- Cheekbones: Apply contour directly under the cheekbones, starting from the ear and blending towards the center of the cheek. A light application is all that’s needed to enhance the already prominent cheekbones.
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Forehead: Apply contour along the temples and the sides of the forehead to visually narrow the widest part of the face. Blend it well into the hairline to avoid a harsh line.
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Chin: This is a unique step for this face shape. Apply a very small amount of contour product directly on the tip of the chin to make it appear less pointed and more rounded.
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Highlighting: Apply a matte highlight under the eyes, down the bridge of the nose, and to the center of the forehead. This will draw attention to the center of the face and away from the wider perimeter. A shimmery highlight on the tops of the cheekbones will also add a beautiful lift.
The Diamond Face Shape
A diamond face shape is defined by a narrow forehead and jawline, with the cheekbones being the widest part of the face.
The Goal: The primary aim is to soften the prominent cheekbones and broaden the forehead and jawline to create a more balanced look.
Contouring Application for Diamond Faces:
- Cheekbones: Apply contour on the cheekbones, but not directly underneath them. Instead, apply the contour slightly above or on the underside of the cheekbone, blending it in a horizontal line towards the ears. This will help to minimize the width of the cheekbones.
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Forehead: Apply contour along the outer edges of the forehead and temples. This will help to narrow the forehead and draw attention away from the widest part of the face.
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Jawline: Apply contour along the jawline to add depth and make the jaw appear wider. You can also apply a touch of highlight to the chin to bring it forward.
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Highlighting: Highlight the forehead between the brows and the chin to bring those areas forward and balance the face. A touch of shimmery highlight on the brow bone and cupid’s bow will also add a beautiful glow.
The Oblong (Long) Face Shape
An oblong face is similar to an oval face, but it is longer than it is wide. The forehead, cheeks, and jawline are all roughly the same width.
The Goal: The main objective for a long face is to visually shorten the length of the face and add width.
Contouring Application for Oblong Faces:
- Cheekbones: Apply contour under the cheekbones, but keep the line horizontal. Do not blend the contour too low, as this will only emphasize the length of the face. Start from the top of the ear and blend horizontally towards the center of the face.
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Forehead: This is a critical step. Apply contour along the entire hairline, blending it down towards the temples. This will visually shorten the forehead and the overall length of the face.
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Chin: Apply a light touch of contour directly on the tip of the chin to shorten the appearance of the face.
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Highlighting: Apply a matte highlight under the eyes in a horizontal line to add width to the face. You can also apply a small amount to the bridge of the nose to make it appear shorter. Focus your shimmery highlight on the top of the cheekbones to draw the eye outward.
A Final Word on Mastering Your Contour
Contouring is a skill that improves with practice. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different products and techniques to find what works best for your face and your desired look. The most important thing is to use a light hand, blend thoroughly, and always choose a contour shade that has a cool, grey undertone. With these tips and a little practice, you’ll be able to sculpt and define your features with confidence, creating a flawless and natural-looking finish that highlights your unique beauty.