How to Contour

Contouring can be tricky. knowing what products to use, how and where to use them. Contouring use to be for runway models, celebrities and fashion photo shoots, but these days contouring is used in many peoples daily makeup routine. So for those who are still confused about contouring let me explain briefly.

 Contouring is about creating shape to the face and enhancing your facial features. So by using a dark shade it will recede areas and make them look smaller (nose, forehead, double chin) and by using lighter shades it enhances them (cheekbones, centre of nose, under the eye) The whole reason makeup artists contour their clients is to achieve the "perfect" oval face.

Here is my guide to contouring

I start with a fresh cleansed face. Apply primer all over and then my chosen foundation.
The highlighting and contouring part is different for everyone there is no correct product to use. All I can suggest is use a product a few shades lighter for highlighting and a product a few shades darker for contouring.

I personally like to use Maybelline Fit Me concealers. They are easy to use and the colours are great for me.

I start with applying light concealer (I use shade 15 Fair) and I apply this under my eyes, on my cheekbones, down the centre of my nose, on my cupids bow and on the centre of my forehead and chin and blend.

Next I apply the darker concealer (30 Cafe) to the hollows of my cheeks, the sides of my chin, temples and my hairline and the side of my nose. Blend

For some people this is enough but I like to do more.

I apply Physicians Formula Mineral Glow Pearls in Translucent pearl over my cheekbones and under my eyes.

Then I apply Revlon Matte Bronzer 035 Sun on the hollows of my cheeks. By doing this it adds shimmer to my cheekbones and highlights them more, especially when the light hits my face. The reason I like using a matte bronzer is because I am wanting my contouring to look natural.

Following the bronzer I then set my foundation and contouring with Face of Australia translucent loose powder and lightly dust my whole face with it. For my end look I kept it simple and went for a bronzed eye and bold lip as I wanted my base to be the focus.

Same makeup but lighting was different... sorry

hope you found this helpful. 

Until 

New Revlon Blushes, Bronzers and Highlighters: First Impressions

I was so upset when Revlon discontinued their Photoready matte bronzer and was worried about the new bronzer and highlighter palettes they would replace it.
They have hit Priceline stores this week and the new palettes are stunning.

The new bronzer is matte and basically the whole palette is filled inside with product (Yay no wasted space) its highly pigmented as well so you will get sufficient product on the brush with one light tap of the brush on to the bronzer.

I was never a fan of the old blushes. I guess they weren't my colour of choice for a blush but these new shades will suit a lot of people from a light pink for fair toned skin, a deeper pink for darker tones and then there is a coral shade. I'm sure there is a shade for most people. They apply better to skin that has a foundation already applied then to natural bare skin.

Revlon have also released another cream blush......... I love a good cream blush. Revlon's old cream blushes were bright colours and looked lovely on, but they weren't for me. This new shade is a darker pink and looks beautiful on the skin.  I wore it today and it looked natural on, lasted all day and the colour stayed true.

Last but not least, the new highlight palettes.  The colours in these are so pretty.

Rose Glow Palette:
 The colours vary from pinks to rose golds. It has a slight shimmer but doesn't look that shimmery one. It looks more like a blush with various colours blended together.

Bronze Glow Palette:
This palette could be used for 2 purposes. The colours can be used alone and worn as eyeshadows, or blended all together they make a very nice shimmery bronzer. As i have fair skin I find the colours a bit to dark for me but I think they would look great on someone with medium to darker skin.

Peach Glow Palette:
Is a yellow based palette with soft yellow gold and bronze tones. This would be my favourite out of the three

Basic Contouring

Contouring the face can be scary.......When I first started getting into makeup a few years ago I avoided it like the plague. I then became confident contouring others just not myself, but I have slowly got there and now I am obsessed with blushes, highlighters and bronzers.

Bronzers: I haven't always been a fan of bronzers. I think that came down to incorrect colour and application. After trial and error on a few different types (powders, liquids, creams) I am more comfortable now with them.

I like using a matte powder bronzer. I apply with it with an angled brush (I get a nicer definition) 

I suck my cheeks in and apply to the hollows of my cheeks and blend up to my hairline and around my temples.

Blush: I apply my blush on the apples of my cheeks (you can find your apples by smiling and it's the chubbiest part of your cheek) then blend it up between the hollows of the cheek and the cheekbone. It's important to apply this lightly and correctly. You don't want to look like you have stepped back to the 80s with strong harsh blush line up the side your face (YIKES). Blush is meant to look soft and natural like you have a natural glow

Highlighter: I use a powder highlighter but i also like a liquid one. I wear a highlighter on my cheekbone. You can apply ii on areas where the sun would naturally hit, but I am keeping this post sweet and simple and will do another post soon on contouring the whole face.

Until next time xoxo