Special Event Mini Series : Contouring and Highlighting

by MakeupbyMaame - 5:00 PM

Hello Dolls and Gents,

This is the last installment of my mini series for special events. The last thing I will discussing is contouring and highlighting. If you do not know what contouring and highlighting is then, you have been living under a rock, cause everyone is doing and to extremes. From cheekbones to butt lifts to bigger boobs.

Contouring and highlighting is super important especially for special events. There is going to be flash photography and the harsh light, takes away the shadows and light from your face. Contouring and highlighting gives your face more of a 3D dimension.

There are different types of products to use to contour and highlight. There are cream palette, sticks, and powder, it can be a little too much for beginners. Now, what is contouring and highlighting.

Contouring is add back the definition to your face. When you use a foundation, it evens out your complexion, but your face looks flat. Contouring bring back the shadows in your face that the foundation covered up. Highlighting is bring forward features on your face.

Now, for the most important thing like ever is contouring and bronzing are NOT the same thing. This is a misconception that contour and bronzing are the same. The purpose of bronzers is to bring warmth to your face. Bronzers are usually more warm and orange.

Also, make sure that your highlighting is matte not shimmery. In the makeup industry, there are two types of highlighting. The one that is associated with contouring, which is generally matte for a more natural look and the other is associated with glow to your skin, this is usually called a powder highlight or illuminators.

Now, where do you apply these products on your face. If anyone you remember, I did a whole post on contouring and highlight for your face shape. It is important to note that not everyone face is the same, so you have to find what your face shape and adjust how you would like to contour and highlight your face.

Now, let's me explain cream and powder highlight and contour.

Cream : Using concealer is a two in one when it come to highlighting. Find a concealer that is two to three shades lighter than your skin tone and apply is to under your eyes, down the bridge of nose, forehead, cupid's bow and chin. It is important to realize it is up to your personal decision on what you want to bring forward. IMPORTANT TIP : APPLY CONCEALER UNDER YOUR EYES IN A UPSIDE TRIANGLE TO LIFT YOUR CHEEKBONE AND HAVE A BRIGHTER LOOK OVERALL.

Cream and Powder Contouring: Using a concealer is a two in one when it comes to contouring. Find a concealer that is two to three shades darker than your skin tone. This is the same for powder contour. Apply the contour to the hollow of your cheeks, make sure to blend up and not down. Now, you can contour your jawline, nose, temples and forehead, again this is on dependent on you and your face shape.

Now, which one for a special event?

I would recommend doing both, just to make sure you blend it all out properly. Spending more time make sure your highlight and contour is blend out, so it look good. If you are beginners or have oily skin, I recommend doing a powder contour. Powder helps reduces the chances of a cakey look. Just make sure you tap off the excess powder off your brush before applying it to your face. Start will a little and work your up. It is easier to start with a little product, rather than a lot and have trouble blending it out. I also recommend for my oily dolls and gents, that you can use cream contouring and highlighting and set with your powders. Now, there are some advantages to cream contouring, especially dry, normal and combo skin. Cream are easier to blend out, if you apply too much. I recommend using a synthetic brush or a damp sponge. Cream contouring and highlighting allow to give a more natural appearance.

Cream or Powder Highlight : Use both, you are already using both. Cream highlight is achieved with concealer and powder is used to set it. You always need to set your cream with a powder, a translucent powder is the best to set, it won't change the colour of your contour or highlight.

I also recommend baking for special event. You would bake after you apply your cream highlight. You would set your cream highlight with a translucent powder and knock off rest of the powder with your powder highlight. I wrote a post about baking.

If you want to ensure no movement, you can go over your cream contour with powder contour after you set it will translucent powder. You can do the same with your illuminator, using a liquid highlight to give you a glow. Avoid using a glitter or chunky shimmer illuminator.

Drugstore Powder Highlighter....Setting powders or baking usually work the best for this!

Drugstore Illuminators ( or Highlighting) Powders

Wet n Wild Megaglo Highlighting Powder

NYX Strobe of Genius Illuminating Palette

e.l.f Baked Highlighter Powder

Higher end products are going to be easier to find cream contour and highlight especially in palette form. Here is some high end cream and powder contour and highlight palettes:

High end Cream Palette

Anastasia Beverly Hills Cream Contour Kit

Laura Mericer Flawless Contouring Palette

CoverFx Contour Kit

High end Powder Palette

Kat Von D Shade + Light Palette

Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit

Too Faced Cocoa Contour Chiseled to Perfection

High end Cream Highlighters (Individuals)

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer

Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer

High end Contour Powder

BECCA Lowlight Sculpting Powder

Kevyn Aucoin The Sculpting Powder

Benefit Hoola Bronzer

It is the same for drugstore highlight powder...setting powder usually work best. Check out my baking post.

High end Illuminators (or Highlight) Powder

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder

Bobbi Brown Highlighting Powder

BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector

Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kit

I hope that this mini series for special events was helpful to many of you. I hope you all have fun in any major event that is coming up in your life, from prom to graduation (high school, college, and university),wedding, formals and much more. I hope you learned something new. Don't forget to become a followers, it's free!

See you in my post!

Tags : makeup

Special Event Mini Series : Contouring and Highlighting

Drugstore Cream Contour

Drugstore Cream Highlighters

Drugstore/Affordable Contour Powders