How to Perfectly Highlight and Contour Your Face in 11 Simple Steps

Five years ago, "contouring," a method for defining the face, wasn't as well-known as it is now. Today, almost every woman uses the phenomenon of highlighting and contouring in her beauty routine. But just like peanut butter and jelly, luminous highlighting must always go along with contouring.

Viseart experts have noted the magical art of enhancing your cheekbones with movie star lighting and gorgeous bone structure. Even though it may also be helpful for those looking to switch up their technique, here's a step-by-step tutorial for those who may be unfamiliar with the contour/highlight trend.

11 TIPS TO PERFECTLY HIGHLIGHT AND CONTOUR YOUR FACE IN SIMPLE STEPS:

Celebrities have recently made highlighting and contouring, a type of makeup that uses light and dark areas to sculpt and shape the face pleasingly, popular. You can change the contours of your face to make it look more sculpted by using highlighting and contouring.

STEP 1: IDENTIFY YOUR FACE SHAPE

It would be best to determine your face shape before highlighting and contouring. Rectangular, round, oval, heart-shaped, oblong, diamond-shaped, or triangular faces are all possible. Pull your hair back and examine the face in the mirror, looking for the following characteristics. For a more precise determination, use a measuring tape to measure the width and length of the face.

Rectangular: Rectangular faces have strong angles at the forehead and jawline and are about a third longer than wide.

Heart-shaped: Faces with a heart-shaped profile have a narrow to the pointy chin and the widest cheek, eye, and forehead areas. They occasionally also have a high forehead.

Oval: Faces with an oval shape have an equal width at the forehead and jaw and a length 1.5 times the width of the face.

Round: Round faces have soft, rounded edges that are as wide as long.

Oblong: Oblong faces are twice as long as they are wide. The oblong face has straight sides, a high forehead, and a larger than average distance between the tip of the chin and the bottom of the lip.

Triangular (and inverted triangular): Triangular faces are narrowest at the jawline and widest at the brow; inverted triangular faces are widest at the brow and narrowest at the jawline. Knowing the shape of your face will help you decide where to place your contours and highlights, as well as which features you want to emphasise or minimise.

Diamond-shaped: Diamond-shaped faces have a narrow chin and forehead, with the widest point at the cheeks.

STEP 2: CONTOUR YOUR FOREHEAD

To highlight and contour, you can use a highlighter contour blush palette. Use a cream, stick, or foundation to create a dramatic highlight/contour. Use powder to achieve a more natural look. Highlight colors can range from matte white to reflective gold, while contour colors can range from taupe to chocolate and should mimic the individual's natural shadow. To add dimension, use several different shades of each.

Begin by creating a triangular shape on the sides of the forehead. Use your face shape to guide the placement and shape of the contour.

STEP 3: CONTOUR YOUR CHEEKS

Contour the hollow of the cheek in a triangle shape with a blush and contour palette, beginning at the apple of the cheek and tapering off towards the hairline. If you can't find the hollow of your cheek, suck your cheeks and make a "fishy face." You may even want to contour the "sucked-in" areas below your cheekbones with a contour blush palette.

STEP 4: CONTOUR YOUR JAW

Contour the underside of the jaw by drawing a triangle with the widest point just below the ear and fading out towards the chin.

STEP 5: CONTOUR YOUR NOSE

Pick a highlighter blush and contour palette to contour on the sides of the nose in the form of stripes or triangles. This can be used to make the nose appear smaller or thinner.

STEP 6: HIGHLIGHT YOUR FOREHEAD

Start with highlighting cream, powder, or foundation. A highlight will always come after a contour and vice versa. Grab a highlighter contour blush palette and begin with a highlight above the brow, followed by a triangle with the widest part at the hairline and the point just above the brow centre.

STEP 7: DRAW ATTENTION TO YOUR NOSE

Draw a thin line from the Viseart highlighter palette down the center of the nose to make it appear thinner or smaller.

STEP 8: HIGHLIGHT YOUR CHEEKS

Add a C- or J-shaped highlight below the eyes from the highlighter blush and contour palette to create a curve over the cheeks' apples and drag it up and away toward the hairline. This should be situated just above your cheeks' natural contours.

STEP 9: HIGHLIGHT YOUR CHIN

Draw a small triangle from the Viseart highlighter palette on the chin with the base of the triangle just below the bottom lip, then place a dot of highlighter just above the Cupid's bow of the lip.

STEP 10: BLEND AND PRESTO!

Blending is the key to successful highlighting and contouring. You can achieve a beautifully sculpted and defined face by applying circular, stippling motions with a cosmetic sponge, a brush with blended bristles, or a large powder brush until the harsh lines have been eliminated.

STEP 11: USE A SETTING POWDER OR SPRAY

Apply a setting powder all over your face if you plan to spend the evening out or attend an event where you don't want to look shiny to prevent your makeup from smudging. Particularly, massage it into your cheekbones, forehead, and under-eye region. For a flawless appearance, blend the powder into your face. Alternately, lightly spritz your face with a setting spray. Go out on the town after the spray has had time to dry.

Please keep in mind that this basic highlighting and contouring guide is intended for a natural, everyday look. All of the products mentioned in this tutorial are available on Viseart's website, along with many other products for creating different looks suitable for any age and skin tone!