The secret to flawless, glowing skin lies in two little words: contour makeup. A technique once reserved for Hollywood starlets has now trickled its way into mainstream beauty. While stunning, the red-carpet look is a little over-the-top for daily wear, so we stripped down the process to three easy steps. You’re welcome!
Step 1: A Clean Palette
Wash face with a cleanser to gently remove dull skin cells and follow with a moisturizer for fresh, hydrated skin. Add a light base with a liquid foundation or tinted moisturizer that is as close to your skin tone as possible. To find the perfect shade, match to the skin along the jawline. At this stage, don’t waste time caking on product or covering every imperfection.
Step 2: Define and Highlight
Take a liquid foundation or concealer that’s two shades darker than your skin tone and trace underneath cheekbones, around the top of the hairline, above eye ows, and around the lips and nose. If you’re using a liquid foundation, stick to a concealer ush for application; sponges tend to soak up the product. Next, take a liquid foundation or concealer that’s two shades lighter than your skin tone and highlight areas above cheekbones, under the eyes, around the jawline, and along the T-zone.
Step 3: Blending In
Using a concealer ush, begin blending foundation with upward strokes toward the hairline. To blend color into the neck, use downward ushstrokes along the jawline. Your fingers are also a viable blending tool, but stick to small, circular motions with your middle or ring fingers. Keep blending movements the same throughout the entire process to ensure radiant, even-toned coverage without harsh lines. Finish with a light layer of foundation—powder for a matte finish; liquid for more dewiness—applied with a buffing ush.
From Day to Night
Add a little eyeliner and mascara, some eyeshadow—we opted for a peach hue with pink highlighting on the ow—and a solid lip color, like this berry matte shade, and you’re ready to hit the town!
Products We Love
01. Brightening Foaming Cleanser // $30 - Equitance-us.com
02. Brightening Toning Lotion // $50 - Equitance-us.com
03. The Sculptor: Double-Ended Contour & Highlighter // $26 - Tartecosmetics.com
04. Park Avenue Princess: Contour Palette Volume II // $34 - Tartecosmetics.com
