Tips and Tricks to contouring like a pro!

Aesthetica Cosmetics Contour Kit puts everything you need to achieve the coveted contour look at your fingertips. What was once an "insider secret" of professional makeup artists is now yours to enjoy with this easy-to-use cosmetic tool kit, complete with the colors, instructions and information to highlight your best features naturally while downplaying problem areas. The smooth, flawless airbrushed look of celebrities and cover models can be easily achieved by reading the convenient booklet that arrives with your kit.

Want to know how to do facial contouring with cosmetics? Just follow the pictures, step by step, and your new, beautiful contoured look will come to life in minutes before your eyes. With Aesthetica, you are your own professional makeup artist!

The process of adding highlights and contour does not depend on the location of the colors; instead, it focuses on the appropriate color combinations. Select a contour color that is two to three shades darker than your natural skin tone. We recommend focusing on the underlying color of your foundation to determine the appropriate shade. Darker shades of the same underlying color ensure that your contouring looks natural. For Highlighting, select one to two shades lighter than your natural skin tone.

Tips for Every Face Shape

The process of contouring requires a few key factors. The basics of contouring include:

• Contouring kit helps make faces look more chiseled and structured while downplaying problem areas.
• 

Highlighting accentuates your favorite features and draws light to the center of the face.

• Contouring helps thin down and soften the face while also defining the cheekbones, jawline,and minimizing the appearance of a larger forehead.
•  With contouring you can also narrow a wider looking nose, create fuller lips, and enhance the appearance of the eyes.

Combinations of dark and light can further enhance your cheekbones, jawline or other angles on your face Depending on the impact you want, the specific placement of highlights may vary. Try different combinations of contouring and highlights to create the look that is most comfortable.

Identify the Shape of Your Face

Round Face

Square Face

Triangle Face

Rectangle Face

Heart Shaped

Oval Face

Pear Face

Oblong Face

Diamond Face

Drawing Attention to the Center of the Face

In many cases, contouring is used to highlight the center of the face while downplaying the areas of the face that are out of proportion.

No matter your face shape, the areas to highlight will always be the center of the face. Apply the highlight shades at the center of the forehead and the center of the chin to pull the eyes away from the sharper edges of the face.

In the case of square and rectangular faces, we recommend contouring the forehead at an angle and adding the darker color along the jaw and up to the ears. A rectangular face will also need some contouring at the hairline.

A heart-shaped face and a triangular face has similar concerns: The face is unbalanced at the forehead and chin. In both cases, you want to contour the area below the cheekbones, and highlight the area below the eyes. A heart-shaped face will also want to contour the temples.

In the case of a diamond-shaped face, you want to contour the area below the cheekbones to the top of the jaw. It creates a softer appearance and helps reduce the impact of the angular lines of the face.

Working with Symmetry

An oval-shaped face and an oblong face means that overall, your features are even. An oval-shaped face is already symmetrical, so it is possible to contour and highlight according to personal preferences rather than focusing on a particular goal.

Oblong faces are similar, but they need a small amount of contouring at the bottom of the chin to help balance the appearance of the face. Otherwise, a little blush across the cheeks is enough to highlight the area and provide a beautiful appearance. The blush will also help to create the appearance of slightly wider cheeks, which further balances the face.

A face that is already symmetrical has more applications of contouring and highlighting when compared to other shapes. Try out different highlights and low lights to determine the appearance that is most appealing on a personal level.

Downplaying Your Nose

Balancing the face is only one application of contouring that can help improve the overall appearance. It is also possible to make the nose look thinner with the right application strategy.

Contour along the sides and the natural hollows of the nose to help downplay those area. The highlight is added to the very top of the nose, starting up between the eyes and drawing a line downward to the tip of the nose.

Blend the colors to eliminate makeup lines, and notice that the nose will appear thinner. It also helps draw the eyes to the center of the face.

Get an Instant Lift

Eyes that look tired and worn out are never appealing. When you have bags under your eyes it makes you look older, and it can become a distraction when you want to highlight the beautiful color of your eyes or when you want to improve the appearance of your cheekbones.

Highlighting can give you an instant lift around the eyes so that you look energetic and full of life. A little highlight directly below the eyes with contouring below the cheekbones gives an instant lift that makes the eyes look younger.

Creating pouty and fuller looking Lips

Each lip shape may need a different strategy.  Keep these tips in mind to get the most from your own natural shape.

To create fuller lips, apply your lip liner just outside the natural lip line and use white highlighter on the center of your bottom lip.  This gives your lips a fuller appearance.  If you are using a matte lip shade, add a small amount of clear gloss for increased definition.

To balance uneven lips, line outside on the thinner sections of your lip, and define the natural line on the fuller half.  Fill in your lips with pencil first, then apply your lip shade for richer color

To downplay fuller lips, use your lip liner just inside the natural outline.  If possible, choose an opaque shade of lip crème and cover with gloss.