Don't freak out, I know the word contour is a bit makeup artist-y but most of you are probably doing it already with your bronzer. I was using my NARS Laguna to contour my face long before I even knew what the word meant. If you're happy with your 3-shaped bronzer application then keep going with it, but for something a bit more sculpted and defined, contouring is for you!
In non-technical talk contouring adds shadow to the parts of your face you want to sink back, compared to the highlighted parts which will be brought forward. Adding dimensions to your face helps if you don't have cheekbones, if your face is quite round or if you are filming or taking photos. I like to contour on my filming days because without it, sometimes I can just look a bit flat.
The places I usually apply product are below my cheekbones from my ear to my non-existent dimples, on my temples and sometimes along my jaw. Contouring can also be used to narrow your nose and change your eye shape... but let's leave that to the pros, yeah?
I have two very different products that I contour with, Illamasqua 'Hollow' which is a cream pigment and Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder which is of course a powder.
For this one I use my fingers and the Real Techniques Contour Brush. At first the product is quite hard so I use my finger to warm it up and then apply it with my finger directly onto the skin. From here, I then use the contour brush to blend away until it looks more like a shadow than a line. 'Hollow' is a great shade for those with pale skin as it is grey-toned and shows up very light on the skin. It can be used almost anywhere on the face, although I didn't really rate it as an eyeshadow.
This one is more like an ashy bronzer and I use a small fluffy brush like the Charlotte Tilbury Powder & Sculpt to apply it. As it's a powder you can easily get a good amount of product on the brush, but because of this you can also easily over do it. I like to take the product off on the back of my hand before applying it and I find it blends out really nicely into a defined but realistic shadow. It's definitely darker than 'Hollow' but is in no way orange so would work on most lighter skin tones too.
My pick for every day use would be the Kevyn Aucoin as less blending work is required but for those with pale skin and a little extra time, the Illamasqua cream pigment is a fun option to play with. Do you ever contour and what's your favourite product to use?
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