How to Contour, Highlight & Apply Blush For Your Face Shape
On Monday I had the pleasure of hosting a virtual workshop with celebrity makeup artist Jackie Gomez. She taught hundreds of VIP guests not only how to find their face shape, but how to contour, highlight & apply blush to frame our faces. She took the time to answer questions, and everyone learned so much! Did you miss it? Don’t worry, I recorded it, and also thought I’d do a recap just for YOU!
Determine Your Face Shape
Before you get started, make sure know what face shape you have. Most really have never thought of this, but it really is something that you should know. If will help you determine not only where to contour, highlight and apply blush, but it will help you pick out the best hairstyles too. See how I did that? I had to throw a hair tip in here too, it’s the cosmetologist coming out in me.
If you don’t know your face shape, I have an entire article with the steps to help you determine your face shape that I think you’ll find very helpful.
The Right Brush
Choosing the right brushes will make contouring, highlighting and applying blush so much easier. And just as important is the quality of the brush. This is one of the things that my clients notice right away during a makeup lesson, it truly will help you in the long run. If you are looking for one brush to do it all, you can apply your contour, highlight and blush with a “contour brush”. Yep, it’s named after it’s job. They are angled just enough for you.
Contour
Once you determine your face shape, your next step will be to contour. Contouring is a makeup technique that uses cosmetics to define, enhance and sculpt the structure of the face or other body parts, such as breasts (that’ll have to be discussed on a different day…).
Contouring is usually produced by placing a warm or cool toned color that is one or two shades darker than the skin color in areas such as in the hollows of the cheeks, on the side of the nose, and on the temples to give a shadow and slimming effect.
You can use cream or powder products to contour. If you are a beginner, or if you’re looking for a less dramatic look, powders will be so much easier for you to use. They blend very easily and if you use too much or it’s too dark, it can be easily corrected.
You’ll want to apply your foundation first. And if you are using a liquid foundation, be sure set with a translucent powder before you apply your contour. This is a step that will make it easier to blend.
I am seriously in LOVE with the new Shape Up Palette we used in the virtual workshop. It has just the right shades for all areas of your face. The pressed powders are so silky and not heavy.
Highlight
Your next step will be to highlight your face. Highlighter is a type of cosmetic product that reflects light. It is applied to the face or other parts of the body to brighten the skin on a given area to complement the contour to create the perception of depth and angles. It helps define facial features like cheekbones, nose, and jawline.
One of the easiest ways to remember where to apply your highlight is, think about what features you want to bring out. Contour pushes back, highlighter pushes forward.
That Glow Tho Palette is perfect for highlighting. Blinging with six ultra-fine pressed powders that will give your skin a soft, illuminizing glow. Completely versatile, this palette is beaming perfection for the natural beauty or glow getter; lightly sweep across or pack on layers for a look catered just for you. Light diffusing pigments help blur imperfections and refine the skin leaving behind a flawless, second skin finish.
Blush
Once you have your contour and highlight in check, you are ready for your last step. How and where you apply your blush will depend on your face shape.
The Get Cheeky Blush Palette is going to be your secret solution to keeping naturally flushed, sun-kissed cheeks alive all year long. A little goes a long way, these weightlessly soft shades will wear playfully on their own or will mix and blend effortlessly for your next blush crush. Offering a flirty variety of matte, shimmer and pearlescent shades for unlimited color combos. Pair up with the Shape Up Contour Palette and That Glow Tho Highlight Palette for a full on, heartbreaker look.
Face Shapes
Now that you know your face shape, and which brush and palettes to use to contour, highlight and your blush, use the diagrams that Jackie shared to direct you where to apply.
Loren’s VIP Beauty Lounge-Frame Your Face
In case you missed it, or want to watch it again, you can catch the replay.
Key Takeaways From Jackie
- Set the areas you want to brighten and enhance with the lighter colors in the Shape Up Contour Palette. You can also do corrections and clean ups with these lighter colors.
- When applying blush on the apples of the cheeks, contrary to popular belief, don’t smile! It’s best that you apply the blush on a relaxed face to ensure that the blush does not sit lower on the face.
- Whether it’s contour, highlight or blush, always start light and build.
Practice
If you are new to contouring, highlighting and using blush, keep practicing. Print off your face shape and keep it with your makeup for reference. I know it’ll get easier.
