The 5 Most Important Tips to Contour like a Pro

 

Today we are discussing CONTOURING!  Contouring has changed the makeup game within the last few years and it's momentum hasn't slowed.  New to contouring?  Need some refresher tips?  Here are my top five contouring basics that you need to know now.

On a separate note, I am back again blogging with more enthusiasm than ever!  I have felt so ready to get back to my normal schedule of posts, and I have plenty of ideas in the works.  After traveling across the country, visiting places I never thought I would see in my lifetime, I am refreshed and ready to get back to blogging!

Brandon and I have been in Portland approximately one month and we are absolutely loving it.  Oregon is a gorgeous state and Portland has so many unique qualities as a city.  It has already begun influencing new and fresh ideas I have for makeup, beauty and style.

The 5 Most Important Tips to Contour like a Pro

1. Use Powder Over Cream

When first embarking on your contour journey, you will find that working with powders are much easier than working with creams.  If you begin with creams you will find yourself frustrated (and possibly a looking little draq-queen-esque) because creams are much less forgiving than powders when you make a mistake.

Powders are easy to apply and easy to blend.  You can place a small amount of product onto the desired area of your face and lightly blend until it looks like a natural shadow.  If you need additional product it is easy to add more and blend evenly.  If you make a mistake, such as applying too much product in one area, simply use a dense brush to move the product and blend away.

Once you have mastered the perfect powder contour, grab some cream contour and go for it!

2. Practice With Different Lighting

We have all had that moment when we finish our makeup and head outside, only to discover that different lighting has revealed a much less appealing makeup look.  Often makeup will even look off in different indoor lighting, varying types of light bulbs, and different lighting designs.

The best way to solve this problem is to practice contouring in different lighting.  As you are applying your counting take a hand mirror and head to the window.  See any splotches or areas that need to be blended more?  This is the time to fix it and learn from your mistakes.  Soon you will learn how much to apply and where to apply it to keep your contour appearing as natural as possible.

One helpful addition is to make sure you are using a proper makeup application mirror and proper lighting.  If you do not have a vanity with all-around lighting, consider investing in a medium or large lighted oval mirror, such as this one from Conair.  You'll find that your indoor makeup application will start looking just as natural in the outdoor light.

3. Blending, Blending, Blending

One of the biggest mistakes first-time contour-ists make is they do not blend enough, or blend in the wrong manner.  They forget that powder is very movable and can easily be blended into foundation or other powders.  Too little blending can have the opposite effect of what you are trying to accomplish with contouring, which is to diminish certain parts of the face while making other parts pop.  For example, if you do not blend well enough in the hollows of your cheeks you will end up with a very dark, harsh line.  This will do nothing to help you in making your cheekbones stand out and look more defined, which is the ultimate goal.

Blend, blend, and blend.  Think you're done blending?  Go ahead and blend some more.

Using the proper tools will also help in making sure your contour is properly blended.  My favorite contouring tool is the Real Techniques Sculpting Brush.  I use this to both apply and blend my contour in the hollows of my cheeks, temples, forehead, and jawline.  The bristles are very densely packed, which makes it perfect for moving product and blending.

4. Know Your Face Shape

Contouring your face incorrectly for your face shape often has the opposite effect of what contouring is all about: it could possibly emphasize the parts of your face that you wish to minimize.

A diamond shaped face should be contouring below the cheekbones and up to the temples; a heart shaped face along the forehead, below the cheekbones, and beneath the chin; an oval face on the sides of the forehead and below the cheekbones; a round face along the temples, sides of the forehead, below the cheekbones, and along the jawline; and a square shaped face along the top of the forehead, jawline, and below the cheekbones.

My best advice: practice!  You know your face shape better than anyone else.

5. Warm vs. Cool Tone Shades

Everyone has different undertones to their skin, no matter the complexion; most fall into the categories of cool, warm or neutral undertones.  Knowing the undertone of your skin type will not only help you choose the best contouring shade, but will also help you when choosing most other types of makeup products.  Best of all is that it can prevent you from making many makeup mistakes and give your makeup a more natural appearance.

Makeup Geek has one of the most diverse ranges of contour tones that I have ever seen.  They have eight different shades, four warm and four cool, all with varying tones from fair to deep.  I have neutral undertones and love mixing Infidelity, a cool fair, and Bad Habit, a warm fair.

Cool Undertones: if your skin is more likely to burn than tan, you most likely have a cool undertone.  Another way to know if you have cool undertones is to check out the veins on your wrist, which would appear blue or purple beneath natural light.

Warm Undertones: if your skin takes very well to tanning and usually tans a beautiful golden brown, you most likely have a warm undertone.  Another way to know if you have warm undertones is to check out the veins on your wrist, which would appear slightly green beneath natural light.

Neutral Undertones: if you have both pink and yellow hues within your complexion, you most likely have a neutral undertone, which is in the middle of cool and warm.  Another way to know if you have neutral undertones is to check out the veins on your wrist, which would appear a mix of green and blue beneath natural light.

Contouring takes time and practice to get just right.  Utilizing these tips and tricks will help you figure out how to make contouring work for YOU.  Soon you will be contouring on a daily basis and not thinking twice about it.

What are your biggest challenges when it comes to contouring?

 
Snap Me! AshleyEBeauty

My Ultimate Top 4 Favorite Concealers

Concealer is one of those essential makeup products that my beauty routine just wouldn't be the same without.  I use it to hide under eye circles, make blemishes disappear, and highlight parts of my face.  Finding the perfect concealer for your skin tone and skin type makes a world of difference, and can brighten, lighten and enhance all the right parts of your face.  Below are my current top four Holy Grail concealers.

While three of the four are considered high-end brands, great concealers don't necessarily need to come with a high price tag.  There are concealers being sold in beauty stores twice the price of these, and they are not worth the money.  Research concealers, their specific uses and benefits to determine which one is best for your face.

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer

This concealer deserves to be mentioned first because it is quite simply my ultimate go-to Holy Grail concealer.  It is ultra creamy with a medium to full coverage that completely and easily conceals my under eye circles and blemishes with very little product.  A little goes a long way and it glides like butter onto the skin.  The application on the skin is smooth and lightweight while being comfortable and all day long-lasting.  When I use a damp Beauty Blender to apply this concealer it leaves a hydrated and slightly dewy finish to my skin, which I then set with powder for a completely creaseless finish.

This was the first high-end concealer I tried a few years ago that actually fully covered my dark under eye circles without leaving it cakey or flakey looking.  I will forever repurchase this product for as long as NARS continues to make it.

Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer

My next go-to concealer after the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer is Urban Decay's Naked Skin Concealer.  In fact, I find myself constantly pulled between the two, loving each one for both the same and different reasons.  This concealer is medium to full coverage but is extremely lightweight, very buildable, and leaves a very soft almost powdery matte finish on the skin.  Many people love this concealer because it conceals in a very natural way; in other words, it completely conceals without appearing like heavy concealer.

The formula of this product will not crease or cake when you set it with powder.  I love using the shade Light Warm on my medium skin tone to highlight my under eye area as part of my highlight and contour routine.  One of the best packaging aspects about this product is the application wand.  The makeup gods at Urban Decay created the perfect application wand that is the perfect size and perfect shape to provide smooth, even application.

Kat Von D Lock-It Concealer

I have heard several mixed reviews on this concealer in the beauty blogging world, but I have been in love with this concealer since I first purchased it a year ago.  It is a full coverage, transfer and water resistant concealer; in other words, this is a hardcore covers-everything-without-exception concealer.  The consistency of this product is very thick, ultra creamy, and highly pigmented.

I often pair this concealer with the Kat Von D Lock-It Foundation, which is also full coverage, for a completely blemish-free, non-oily and non-drying matte makeup look.  Both the foundation and concealer will crease if they are not set properly with powder.  I think the problem most people have had with this concealer is they are not necessarily looking for full coverage, or are not prepared for what true full coverage entails.  I wouldn't portray full coverage makeup as "natural" looking, because it will be fairly obvious that you are wearing makeup, however there are many people who want or need full coverage regardless.  I use this concealer with other color correcting or brightening products to create a smooth and completely dark-circle-free makeup look.

NYX HD Photo Concealer

NYX's Hi-Definition concealer was one of the first concealers I purchased when I first started becoming interested in makeup.  This product has a great range of shades and applies to a medium to full coverage consistency.  It is creamy and smooth without being too heavy, and will not cake or crease beneath your eyes as long as you set it with powder.

I use a mix of the shades Yellow and Light to correct my under eye darkness and highlight.  They also have shades in Lavender, to correct sallow skin, and green, to correct redness.  Overall, the product is easy to apply, very blendable, and covers well.  I would go as far as saying this is a great affordable drugstore dupe for the Urban Decay Naked Concealer.

My makeup routine would not be the same without concealers and knowing which ones are the best fit for my skin.  I have tried many, many concealers over the years and these four have consistently remained my ultimate favorites.
 

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January Beauty and Style Loves and Favorites

My favorites for the month of January include both low-end and high-end products, scents, mousses, palettes, and more!  January was an amazing month for new beauty collection launches, and it's exciting to see what else will be released as we move closer to spring.

On an even more exciting note: at the beginning of next month we will be moving from New York to Portland, Oregon! It is an exciting and busy time, but don't think for one moment that means this blog will be going weeks without a post.  I am 100% committed and already have posts pre-planned and scheduled!

We will be driving across the county to out new home, stopping in places like Nashville, New Orleans, Las Vegas, San Francisco, and many National Parks and monuments in between!  In other words, you will be seeing A LOT of of journey on social media.  If you haven't already, make sure you are following me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Snap Chat (AshEliz24) to follow along with us on this amazing journey!

    
 

BH Cosmetics Foil Eyes Eyeshadow Palette

This 28 shade eyeshadow palette is filled with highly pigmented multi-dimensional metallics (or "foils") that give an amazing pop of color to any eye makeup look.  The texture is creamy and smooth, and they are a great dupe for the Makeup Geek Foiled Eyeshadows.  I have loved using the brighter colors in my inner corner or lower lash line to infuse a pop of bright color.  Even better, the price for this palette is basically a steal.

UD Gwen Stefani Blush Palette

I basically stalked the Sephora website waiting for this palette to become available.  Needless to say, it didn't disappoint.  This palette comes with three blushes, a bronzer, and a highlight shade.  One of the blush shades Angel, a champagne nude shimmer, I have tended to use as a highlight shade because it works better in that way on my olive skin tone.  The highlight shade OC, a soft peach with pink shift, has definitely been my most used pan in this palette.  It leaves a soft, glowing sheen on the tops of my cheekbones and reflects light amazingly.  I do think this palette will best fit light to medium skin tones, as the shades may not show up that well on darker skin tones.

Tom Ford Velvet Orchid

Ever since I received a free sample of this fragrance is has, hands down, been my go-to perfume.  I am not usually a fan of floral scents, but the rich spiciness counteracts most of what I don't like about fruity floral scents.  This ultra feminine scent feels seductive, empowering, and luxurious.  A classic fragrance that I will always repurchase.  Next fragrance I will be trying is Tom Ford's Black Orchid, which is more woodsy, warm and spicy, with sweet undertones.

St. Moritz Instant Self Tanning Mousse

I have been through years of self tanning products, and it has come down St. Moritz's Instant Self Tanning Mousse as being my all time favorite.  During my late teens and early college years I heavily used tanning beds (BAD!).  I started my search for self tanning products and methods when I started realizing the damage I was doing to my body through UV tanning.  I feel like I have tried every single drugstore and high end product, and so far this one has been my favorite.  I love mousses over sprays and lotions, and apply this with a sunless tanning mitt.  It gives beautifully dark, non-streaky and non-orange all over coverage.  The only con is that it is not long lasting.  I find myself re-applying after just a few days, but it is a sacrifice I am willing to make for the deep tan color payoff. 

Tarte Tartiest Contour Palette

I'll admit, I hummed and thought about this palette for a while before I bought it.  The thing that was holding me back: I LOVE Tarte, but do I really need ANOTHER contour palette?  I was still madly in love (and still am) with Kat Von D's Shade and Light Contour Palette.  Tartiest is now my absolutely favorite contour palette.  The powders are velvety soft and satiny, very blendable, and easy to apply.  The blush is a perfect muted pink, the cool tone contour shades create perfect shadows, and I am in love with the yellow correcting shade for setting my under eye area.  Also, the smell is fantastic!  It is a hard scent to describe (you will have to see for yourself), but quite possible like a candy-scented cocoa.

RCMA No Color Powder

This is the new IT powder and I feel so fortunate to have been able to grab one before they went out of stock.  Word of advice: if you have not gotten your hands on RCMA's NC Powder, STALK their website until you do because it is 100% worth the hype.  It is a comparable dupe to Laura Mercier's Translucent Loose Setting Powder, and at 1/3 of the price.  It sets my under eye concealer and cleans up my contour, leaving is flawless, soft and smooth.

I hope you enjoyed my monthly favorites! Make sure you check out my latest post on 7 Must-Have ELF Beauty Products!
 

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