How to Choose Your Contour Shade, According to a Makeup Artist
Probabilities are you’ve listened to contouring at one time or another, yet your strength finds yourself never having tried it for yourself, or maybe you’re a seasoned pro. Contouring the face is a widely used method when involving makeup, yet occasionally the technique leaves many of us wanting additional support as well as expert direction.
When accomplished correctly, contouring can improve your already gorgeous features and bone structure and may demonstrate to be quite transformative. Whether you’re just beginning out, or need a refresher approach to contouring, one question stays crucial when starting your journey: How do you go about selecting the right shape shade for your skin tone? Whether you’ve been accomplishing deep dips on YouTube tutorials or are just beginning to contour, we’ve got you covered. We sourced Indian makeup artist Glam stories by Himanshi to give us her take on contouring and share tips to get to the bottom of it all. Ahead—our assembled list of tricks and tactics you can use to find the right contour shade.
01 It’s All About the Shadows
First off, if you require a basic refresher class on contouring, you’ve arrived at the right place. To contour the look is to simply darken specific areas that you like to add more definition. The multiple familiar spots on the face to contour are your cheekbones, forehead, nose, jawline, and even the chin. No case your face shape, contouring is something you can use to enhance, define, or even decrease your own facial characteristics, yet it’s certainly not required to do every single day.
Delivering engagement to the color of the shades on your face is key when selecting the right shape shades to use, and suggests using colors that imitate or closely compare said shadows. Your foundation is a great position to start when beginning your contouring journey. “Think the exact tone family as your foundation, while one to two shades more inexact than your skin; that’s about as shady as you should go. Remember, you can always create a by-product to achieve the wanted result.” Counting a little at duration is great guidance for those who need to start with a slight contour and work their way up to something more outstanding.
02 Skin Tones Aren’t One-Size-Fits-All
The undertones of our skin represent something when selecting the correct contour shades, and since skin tones are widely ranging and beautifully amazing, it’s excellent to be knowledgeable about your separate skin tone to then learn what contour shades fit you best. Himanshi recommends that “if you have fair to medium skin, judge of neutrals, taupes, and contour shades that rely on the cooler side. For more additional tan/olive faces, you can till to go a small more golden, as these tones naturally keep more warmth in the skin. For dark skin tones, attach with something additional neutral that has the right balance of blue and red undertones.” Testing out contouring products on the inside of your arm is an easy method to give you a concept of how a contouring outcome will look on your natural skin, and what might not work at all if you’re unable to test out shades directly on your face.
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03 Use the Right Blending Tools
No matter what makeup look you’re creating, utilizing the right brushes and combining tools are important, as they can greatly enhance your look and help apply your by-products seamlessly. Brushes can play a giant role in how your contour looks, so there are a few things to keep in mind when utilizing the right tools. Himanshi offers fluffier brushes for a more natural look. “Using a smooth brush will keep the contour soft and diffused,” she says. For a more defined face, you’ll want to opt for a separate brush: “If you like a more sculpted look, reach for a smaller, more dense brush,” Himanshi says. Beginning gradually with contouring products is the best way to use them. Himanshi suggests that when looking to start your outline, think of all the raw places the sun hits your face and be sure not to forget your forehead and temple.
If you’re not certain where contouring falls in line with the procedure of involving your makeup, you’ll want to note that the best method for contouring is after you’ve involved your foundation and concealer. This way your complexion is set and you can begin to introduce other effects. You can definitely go back after contouring and add more concealer if need be, and if you like wearing blush, apply it after you’ve completed contouring. Applied too much? Don’t fret. You can buff contour out to look more natural by using your foundation brush with a little product on it. And you can always start over if you have to.
04 Cream vs. Powder Contour
Because cream and powder live in two very distinct textures, you will desire to get familiar with each kind and see which one you like more for contouring. Powder contours can help with oilier skin kinds and provide more of a matte finish, while creams can aid with more dehydrated skin styles and give a better luminous finish. You can actually use your regular bronzer to contour if you want to utilize what’s already in your cosmetics drawer and don’t feel the necessity to shop for anything new. Himanshi advises Benefit Cosmetics Hoola Bronzer ($30) for powder. It’s a nice balance for a bronzer and is not extremely warm but still offers you a sun-kissed look.
05 Have Fun With Contouring
The numerous crucial tip? Have fun. There shouldn’t be any stress surrounding contouring, and the better you rehearse, the addition you’ll find what operates and doesn’t function for you. Test with different outgrowths, textures, and mixing tools until you realize what suits you best, and you’ll evolve into a contouring pro in no time at all.
