Contouring and Highlighting Techniques for Different Face Shapes

Alrighty, babes! Let’s talk about something every makeup lover should know and slay: contouring and highlighting. I know, I know, these two words might give some of you kind of a spooky feeling. Like, does anyone else have flashbacks to those tutorials where it looks like people are putting war paint on their faces? LOL. Fear not, because once you get the hang of it, it’s actually super fun and pretty straightforward.

Here’s why contouring and highlighting are low-key everything: with just a little bit of blending magic, you can play with shadows and light on your face, giving it more dimension and enhancing your features. It’s kinda like art, but instead of a canvas, you’re working with your beautiful face. 💁‍♀️ Trust me, once you figure this out for YOUR face shape, it’s game over. You’re gonna level UP your makeup routine.

So, let’s break it down together. We’ll cover all the essentials of highlighting and contouring for different face shapes so that whatever face shape you’ve got, you’ll know exactly where to work those shades and shines. Let’s jump in! 💥

How Contouring & Highlighting Change Your Makeup Game 👑

Okay, let’s cover this real quick for those still asking, “Why is contouring even a thing?” Contouring and highlighting have been around for a minute, but they really hit their peak when the Kardashians started showing us their secrets, amirite?

Contouring is all about creating shadows, which, in human terms, means making certain parts of your face look chiseled or smaller. You’re using darker shades (like powders or creams) to make areas recede. Highlighting is the opposite: you’re adding brightness to bring features forward and make them pop. Think of it like putting a spotlight on your best angles. ✨

But just remember:

Contouring isn’t a “one size fits all” kind of thing. You gotta cater to your face shape.

Why? Because not everyone has the same cheekbones, forehead, or jawline—and that’s precisely what makes this fun! Ready to find out where YOU should contour and highlight? I gotchu.

The Different Face Shapes: What Are You Working With? 📏

First up, you’ll need to figure out your face shape. Knowing this will change everything. Here are the most common face shapes along with their defining features:

1. Oval: Your forehead is a little wider than your chin, and your face is longer vertically than it is wide.
2. Round: Almost the same width and height with soft, full cheeks.
3. Square: Your forehead, cheeks, and jawline are pretty much the same width, with a sharp or flat jawline.
4. Heart: Your face is wider at the forehead and more narrow at the chin, like an upside-down triangle.
5. Diamond: Narrower at the forehead and chin but wider at the cheekbones.
6. Long (Oblong): Your face is noticeably longer than it is wide with an elongated forehead, nose, or chin.

Don’t worry, face shapes aren’t set in stone, and most people are a combo of a few. But once you identify your general shape, let’s tweak those techniques so you’re snatched AF.

Contouring Techniques for EACH Face Shape 🎨

1. Oval Face Contouring & Highlighting 🎯

Lucky you, oval babes, because this shape is often considered the “ideal” in beauty. That doesn’t mean other faces are less beautiful at all, but oval faces naturally have balanced proportions. Your goal is just to maintain that beautiful symmetry.

• Contour: Apply contour to the hollows of your cheeks (starting from your ears and blending toward your mouth). Don’t forget a little contour on the perimeter of your forehead and along the sides of your jawline.
• Highlight: Add highlight to the center of your forehead, the bridge of your nose, and just above your jawline. Oh, and don’t forget a little glow on your cheekbones to make them pop!

Feel free to use this tip: for an oval face, you’re just enhancing what’s already balanced!

2. Round Face Contouring & Highlighting 😘

Round faces are all about achieving that definition and creating shape where it’s a bit softer.

• Contour: Apply contour on the sides of your forehead and along your temples, then sweep some under your cheekbones to define them. Don’t stop there: also add contour along your jawline to give it a bit of structure.
• Highlight: Highlight the center of your forehead, the bridge of your nose, your chin, and definitely along the tops of your cheekbones to bring attention back to the middle of your face.

This will help give the illusion of a more sculpted, less round look while keeping the cuteness factor on max because, let’s be real, round faces are adorable. 💗

3. Square Face Contouring & Highlighting 🦸‍♀️

Ok, square face gang! You’re all about that strong, defined jawline. Your goal is to soften those angles and add dimension.

• Contour: Put some contour on the sides of your forehead, and just below your cheekbones. And YES, you want to contour the sides of your jawline too—but avoid the chin to prevent it from looking too harsh! Focus on just rounding out the edges.
• Highlight: Highlight down the center of your face—the middle of your forehead, down your nose, and on the middle of your chin. And, of course, brush that highlight onto your cheekbones!

Remember, bold is beautiful, and your structure just needs a little softening to balance it all out. 💋

4. Heart Face Contouring & Highlighting 💕

Heart-shaped faces have a wider forehead and cute lil’ pointed chins, so your goal is to balance the top and bottom halves of your face.

• Contour: Add contour to the sides of your forehead to soften how wide it looks. Also, work it down the sides of your cheekbones and lightly along your jawline (but avoid the chin area).
• Highlight: Apply highlight on the center of your forehead, the bridge of your nose, and, most importantly, your chin! You want your chin to look a little fuller to balance your wider forehead.

This shape screams romance and fairy princess vibes, so embrace that soft elegance. 👑

5. Diamond Face Contouring & Highlighting 💎

For my diamond-shaped beauties, the cheekbones are FIRE, but your forehead and chin are a little narrower. The key here is to soften those sharp angles and balance the width in the middle of your face.

• Contour: Add contour by blending onto the sides of your face toward your cheekbones, and a lil’ bit at the top of your forehead. Contour under your chin as well to soften the pointiness.
• Highlight: Focus on highlighting the middle parts of your face—your forehead, nose, and chin. You want to downplay the larger width of your cheekbones while enhancing your face’s length.

Tip for diamonds—and not the Rihanna song: contour the sides, bring light to the middle. It’s all about balancing those curves.

6. Long (Oblong) Face Contouring & Highlighting 🧸

Length, darling, LENGTH. Long faces are all about maintaining balance across your length by breaking it up a bit. You got height; let’s even it out!

• Contour: Add contour along the hairline at the top of your forehead and along the bottom of your chin. You want to shorten your face a smidge here. Hit the hollows of your cheeks while you’re at it!
• Highlight: Place highlight across the middle of your forehead and the tops of your cheekbones only. If you’re trying to elongate any features (like your nose), swipe some highlight down the bridge.

This technique will add some width to your face and balance out all that length. Think Zendaya vibes, okay!?

The Secret Sauce: Tools You Need 🛠️

Now obviously, babes, your contour can only be as good as the tools you’re using. No pressure to have it all, but here are some items you might wanna try using if you’re not already:

• Beauty Blender or Sponge: Your best friend for blending out cream or liquid contour and highlight.
• Angled Brush: Perfect for placing and blending out powdered contour under those cheekbones.
• Fan Brush: Your go-to for a flawless, light dusting of highlight on your cheekbones.
• Setting Spray: To lock all your hard work in place! We stan a dewy finish. 🤩

And if you’re looking for products, girl, Maybelline’s Fit Me bronzer is a budget-friendly contour that works like magic. If you’re ready to splurge a bit, try the Fenty Beauty Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter ‘cause that glow really is next level.

Practice Makes Perfect 💖

I know it might feel like a LOT at first, but the more you practice, the easier it gets! And remember:

There are no “rules” in makeup; it’s all about enhancing what makes YOU feel confident and beautiful.

Seriously, don’t stress if you’re not getting that Insta-perfect blend right away. Try these techniques, experiment, and have fun with it. Like anything in life, the more you do it, the better you’ll get.

Okay, I’m wrapped for now. Just remember, you’re already stunning, and these techniques are just here to help you elevate that beauty. And if you have any questions, hit me up in the comments! 💋