Alright, let’s talk contour! Everyone’s talking about it, right? But like… when exactly do you do it in your makeup routine? Like, do you jump in after foundation? Before? Somewhere in the middle? Girl, I got you. Today we’re gonna break it down all smooth so you’re never out here wondering, “Did I do this right?”
Okay, first off—contouring isn’t just for Insta-baddies or beauty gurus. Whether you’re creating those sharp, model-like cheekbones or just adding a little dimension to your face, contouring can take your whole look up a notch if done at the right moment in your routine!
Step One: Start With a Clean, Prepped Canvas
Before even thinking about picking up that contour brush, let’s start with the basics. You need to make sure your skin is all set for makeup. I’m not gonna lie: skincare is always the first step. Use a good moisturizer and primer that fit your skin type. If your skin isn’t looking its BEST, your contour is gonna struggle to look clean. Trust, it makes a difference.
After helping your skin get all primed and snatched, pull out that foundation. Your foundation should even out your skin tone, give you that base you want, but still look like YOU. This is the step where you’re like, “Yup, I’m cute.” 😎
Step Two: Conceal to Brighten Things Up
Okay, we got the base down, you’re looking flawless but where’s the dimension? Where’s the oomph? Cue concealer! Your concealer adds brightness under your eyes or anywhere else that you want to make pop. Usually, that’s the center of your forehead, under the eyes (of course), and a little chin situation. You don’t want your makeup to just be one shade—that’s where contouring comes in next.
When in doubt, remember:
Concealer comes *BEFORE* contour when you wanna brighten! Concealer comes *BEFORE* contour
Step Three: Enter the Contour!
Now this is where it gets exciting. Once your skin’s set and that concealer brightened those key spots, it’s time to contour. Contouring is like that cool cousin at the family party: it just makes everything more interesting.
So, now you’re looking at your face like, “Where do I need to snatch things up?” Generally, the go-to places to contour are your cheekbones, jawline, and sides of the nose (if you wanna get fancy). Press pause and check yourself for shadows—those are your contour spots!
Basically, contour helps fake shadows, so it’s gonna create definition in those areas. If the sun hit your face in a certain way and the light made a shadow, you’re copying that vibe with your contour stick or powder.
Pro Tip: Use a blending brush or beauty sponge! I’ve seen so many people do beautiful contouring but like… girl… blend! You don’t wanna look like you’ve got Sharpie lines on your face.
Blend until your wrists hurt. No lines allowed around here!
Step Four: Set It So It Stays!
After you lay down that perfect contour, don’t just leave it hanging. Nope, we gotta lock it in! Break out your setting powder and lightly dust that over the places where you tend to get oily. Not all over your contour—just enough to avoid shifting your hard work.
Honestly? If your makeup tends to slide throughout the day (we’ve all been there), a setting powder can be your BFF here. It really helps keep that contour looking sharp and snatched all day. Like, we can’t have your cheekbones start lookin’ smeared by lunchtime, right? 😜
Step Five: Add a Little Highlight for Drama
So you’ve contoured; now let’s bring a little LIGHT into the situation. Highlight and contour are like the PB & J of the makeup world. The highs and lows in your makeup create that dimension that makes you catch EVERY light when you’re flexing with those selfies. 🌟
Key spots to hit with highlight:
– The high points of your cheekbones (where the light naturally hits)
– The tip of your nose (just a little—don’t go overboard!)
– The inner corners of your eyes
If you’re feelin’ extra—and trust me, get extra when you need to—dab a little on your brow bone and Cupid’s bow to make your lip gloss situation pop.
Step Six: Lock It All in With Setting Spray
Don’t let that hard work just slide away throughout the day… or night. Setting spray is basically magic in a bottle! It holds EVERYTHING in place and keeps your makeup looking fire all day. Give your face a nice mist and you’re good to go.
Bonus? It helps your skin look even more dewy, so if you’re after that soft glow, spray a lil’ more. Just don’t overdo it or your face will go from dewy to literal puddle real quick.
A Quick Recap of When to Apply Contour So You Never Forget:
Let’s keep this simple:
- Prep your face with moisturizer and primer (healthy skin is the real star).
- Apply foundation to create that even base.
- Conceal the areas you wanna brighten up (under eyes, forehead, etc.).
- Now, contour, buddy! The cheekbones, sides of your nose, and jawline are the power players. Here’s where you create shadows and give your face some structure.
- Blend and set that masterpiece with setting powder.
- Highlight the places where you wanna GLOW (cheeks, nose, inner eyes).
- Lock it all in with setting spray and you’re ready to rule the world!
Contouring can feel a bit scary if you’re new to it, but girl, it’s not. Trust me, with the right tools and a little practice, your contouring skills are gonna leave people shook.
Here’s one thing I’ve learned:
“Practice creates confidence. Confidence empowers you.”
– Simone Biles
Like anything, doing your contour over and over will have you leveling up your skills. If you don’t get it perfect the first time, don’t stress! Makeup is art. It’s about experimenting, playing around, and finding what works best on YOUR face shape.
Honestly, just have fun with it! Makeup is supposed to be one of those things in life that doesn’t feel too serious. We’re all just getting glam and trying to feel fab, right? So next time you’re about to beat your face into perfection, just remember to keep chill, grab your favorite contour product, and follow these steps!
Now go out there, snatch those cheekbones, and drop the best selfies of your life. You’re welcome. 💁♀️
