March: What to watch, stream, read and listen to this week
March: What to watch, stream, read and listen to this week

Sarah Finnan

‘My cup is empty’: It feels like the entire world is burned out right now
‘My cup is empty’: It feels like the entire world is burned out right now

Sarah Finnan

Supper Club: Roasted spaghetti with baby clams
Supper Club: Roasted spaghetti with baby clams

Meg Walker

Stylist Laura Jordan on her favourite fashion finds
Stylist Laura Jordan on her favourite fashion finds

Sarah Gill

3 leading Irish businesswomen on why it’s time to redefine the idea of ‘luxury’
3 leading Irish businesswomen on why it’s time to redefine the idea of ‘luxury’

Shayna Sappington

Sustainable Style Spotlight: IrelandsEye Knitwear
Sustainable Style Spotlight: IrelandsEye Knitwear

IrelandsEye Knitwear

What is the IMAGE Business Club? We answer your FAQ’s
What is the IMAGE Business Club? We answer your FAQ’s

Dominique McMullan

How to talk about money and why women need to
How to talk about money and why women need to

IMAGE

How to stop getting in your own way
How to stop getting in your own way

Niamh Ennis

It’s Aries season – your month to go harder, better, faster, stronger
It’s Aries season – your month to go harder, better, faster, stronger

Clarisse Monahan

Image / Beauty

#Ask Ellie: Can I use Bronzer to Contour?


By Ellie Balfe
05th Nov 2015
#Ask Ellie: Can I use Bronzer to Contour?

Am I wrong to use bronzer as a contouring tool?

In a word, yes. The difference between bronzing and contouring is quite vast and as a result, so are the tools and products used for the job.

Bronzing is used when you want to look more sunkissed, as though you’ve caught some rays on a summer walk if you will! It is best positioned on what we call the high points of the face – to explain, they are the bony, prominent areas of the face – the bridge of the nose, the cheekbones, the chin and the two sides of the forehead. When you are applying the product, ideally use a flat topped brush to hit the planes of the face correctly and thus distribute the colour best.

mac_sku_M40W01_640x600_0
MAC Bronzing powder

The difference in a bronzing powder or cream is that it has a more bronze/red base to mimic the shades we naturally go when we tan. If you use this as a contour under the cheekbones, along the sides of the nose and under the chin as well, the main thing that will happen will be that you have this bronze tone all over your face! Thus cancelling out your foundation tone (which no doubt, you’ve gone to great care to get right, right?)

Bronzing Brush from MAC
Bronzing Brush from MAC

Contouring products have a different purpose and a different effect. Firstly, they need to have more of a beige-y brown base – not dark brown or in any way orange – that’s what’s being used when we all react so strongly to bad contour! Dark tones, make you look like a tiger, soft beige tones work; they offer subtle shading and shaping and therefore a good effect. Brush-wise, contour brushes are best flat with a slanted or rounded edge and should be as small as a small blush brush. Any bigger and you run into the problem outlined above – product all over your face, rather than in the relevant specific area!

Callanberry Contour Brush
Callanberry Contour Brush

So, to answer the question, yes, you are wrong to contour with bronzer I’m afraid. Some things in makeup application can have multi-use but bronzing and contouring are not such an example. When done right (but separately) they can give wonderful enhancement to the face and can co-exist quite happily in a makeup routine.

Charlotte Tilbury Bronze & Glow
Charlotte Tilbury Bronze & Glow