Learn how to properly contour your face, and you can secure a sculpted look in about five minutes flat. Ahead, find our guide to help you place those precise lines, plus all the makeup artist tips you need to know. Now, you can use a proper contouring stick or palette to trace your facial features, but you can also contour with a cool-toned bronzer or even blush. “Contouring” really just means carving out certain regions of your face, which you can accomplish with a variety of makeup products. Although, a cream stick might be best for precise contouring, as you can use the edge of the product to trace defined lines—we adore this Milk Makeup Matte Cream Bronzer Stick. The Saie Sun Melt Natural Cream Bronzer is another buildable creamy option you can use with a fluffy blending brush, or if you’re looking for a powder number, we love this pressed No Limits Matte Bronzer from LYS Beauty. As for the shade? “Choose a shade that is no more than two shades darker than your natural skin color,” advises Khan. When blending, buff the product upward. “Blending the product up will help to lift your features, while blending downward will appear to drag your face down,” notes Khan. Or if you’d like to shorten the face, swipe your contour across the top of your hairline in an upside-down “U” shape, and skip the lines on the temples. (You’ll also want to add a short line on the bottom of your chin, but more on that in a moment.) That way, you can create shadow on the lengthiest parts of your face and focus the attention center. Again, here’s a video demonstration if it helps to see her blend in real time. As for highlighter: “You simply want to add light to where you’re trying to draw attention,” celebrity makeup artist Mary Irwin tells mbg about applying the product. Dust a pearly number on your temples, your cheekbones, the bridge of your nose, and on your Cupid’s bow to create the illusion of fuller lips.
