Cream Contouring
Jul 01, 2016 12:10PM ● By Press Release
Contouring is a great way to define your facial features and create dimension.
You have most likely heard of contouring using powders, which is the most common way of doing it. But, cream contouring has become popular as well. Here’s how I achieve that contoured look using cream products.
Find the Hollows of your Cheeks
What you are going to want to do first is find the areas where you should apply a contour shade to create the look. A trick to do this is to use a pencil or a makeup brush and roll it down your cheek until you find the hollows of your cheek. You will feel your pencil/brush roll into that indent. The hollows of your cheek are usually found from near the top of your ear to the corner of your mouth.
Apply the Contour Products
After I apply my foundation, I apply contouring products onto where I need them. I use a concealer that's darker than my skin tone for the contour shade and a concealer that is a shade lighter than my skin tone as my highlight shade.
I apply the darker concealer to the hollows of my cheek bones, around my temple area, and to the sides of my nose to help my nose appear thinner. The lighter shade of concealer is used in the places where you would like to highlight your face to make it seem lifted and defined. I like to use the Dot Technique to apply my concealer because I find it helps to limit the amount of product used and it is easier to blend out.
Blend, Blend, Blend…
I like to blend my highlight shade out first because I find it easier to blend out the contour shade after the highlight is done. You can use a brush or a sponge for this step!
…Blend, Blend, Blend
After my highlight shade is blended, I then go in with a brush and blend out that cream contour.
Baking
Baking (see my baking article in FACE’s January 2016 issue) is crucial to contouring because it helps to clean up the contour and create a sharper edge, which really helps with the effect of a defined face. I use a dry sponge and load it with translucent powder and pat it on my face where I want the contour to look cleaner. After a few minutes, use a brush to dust off that powder and your contour will look a lot sharper.
Finish Your Look
After I bake, I go in with powder contour shades and lightly dust it right on top of where I applied the creams. This helps "set" the cream products and stops it from sweating or smearing off throughout the day!
About the author: Madelyn Meaux lives in Lafayette and has a passion for makeup. This is an edited excerpt from her beauty blog, which can be found at www.meauxbeauty.blogspot.com.
