As the name suggests, contouring is a make-up technique that involves sculpting the contours of the face. Do you want to hollow out your cheeks or slim down your nose? The good news is that there is no need for surgery—contouring can help.
By playing with shadows and light, it’s possible to modify the volumes of a face: to slim a round face, to soften the angles of a square face, to rebalance its shape and thus to highlight it. You will need 3 products:
A fluid or compact foundation in the colour of your skin.
A dark compact foundation to create hollows.
A very light compact foundation to increase volume.
For natural contouring, you should carefully blend the light and dark shades. But things aren’t that simple. After applying foundation in your skin colour, where should you apply shadows and which areas should be made brighter? It all depends on the shape of your face. Whether round, long or square, we explain everything.
How to reshape your face?
Whether you have a round or square face, it’s possible to redefine it in small steps.
How to slim down a round face?
Your face is wider at the cheekbones and cheeks and you have a smaller jawline. Your objective will be to reduce the volume of the cheeks and to lengthen the face. To do this, apply the darker shade to the vertical edges of the face, from the sides of the forehead to the jawline and from the cheekbones to the corners of the lips. Then apply a light shade to the centre of the forehead, under the eyes, on the bridge of the nose and on the tip of the chin.
How to soften a square face?
Your jaw and forehead are wide and your chin is quite short. Your face therefore needs to be refined and lengthened. To do this, apply the darker tones to the edges of the forehead, below the hairline and on the temples. Then from the cheekbones to the corner of the lips, and from the ends of the jaw to the chin. This will give the illusion that your face has "shrunk". Then apply the light shade from the forehead to the bridge of the nose, not forgetting above and below the lips.
I like contouring to sculpt and refine my face as I find my cheeks to be a bit round
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If you find that your forehead is large and your chin a little long, try reshaping the volumes of your face a bit. To do this, you need to reduce the length of the face and soften the contours. Apply a foundation a shade darker than your skin tone to the top of your forehead and the tip of your chin, or simply apply the sun mosaic powder. Then accentuate the centre of the face by adding touches of light, in a diamond shape from the centre of the forehead to the centre of the eyebrows, a bit on the bridge of the nose and a final touch between the mouth and the curve of the chin.
To complete your contouring, use the strobing technique
As you can see, contouring will help you accentuate or diminish certain facial features. Strobing will illuminate the complexion in certain strategic areas so that the skin appears more radiant. To do this, set the foundation with a veil of Translucent Mosaic Powder. Then illuminate the desired high points – brow bone, cheekbones, bridge of the nose, tip of the chin – with the Brightening Mosaic Powder using a medium-sized brush.
The right gestures for quick and easy correction
If you don't have time to contour with foundation, there’s another option: contouring with powder. It’s simpler and faster. Instead of dark and light foundations, use the Sun Mosaic Powder for areas where you want to reduce volume, and the Translucent Mosaic Powder for areas that need to be brightened, in order to create volume.
Our solutions for successful contouring
Couvrance products designed to contour
Thermal Spring Water Spray
Soothes - Restores the skin barrier - Calms
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