This Is The Right Way To Contour For Your Face Shape

The use of contouring isn’t a new thing. It recently exploded onto the beauty scene (apparently thanks to Kim Kardashian), and now well, almost everybody uses it in their make-up routines in some form. Previously reserved for model shoots, it’s now the norm in everyday beauty. Just in case you need a refresher, Contouring is giving shape to an area of the face and enhancing the facial structure through makeup, emphasising various points using powders or cream.

For best results, contouring is generally used alongside highlighting, and there is a difference between the two. To contour, you would normally use a matte product on the face, and to highlight (also known as ‘strobing’), you would accentuate areas of your face with light concealer or highlighter. To properly highlight or strobe, use a concealer that’s two shades lighter than your skin tone.

Though you might not think it, there is a “correct” way to contour and highlight your face, depending on your face shape, according to Cosmopolitan. You’ll either have a Diamond, Heart, Oblong, Rectangle, Square, Round or Oval-shaped face, and should you want to try this yourself, this is the best contouring plan for each. These are also great for those new to contouring:

Diamond:

You’ll know you have a diamond-shaped face if our hairline is more narrow than your cheeks, your chin is slightly pointed, and your face is longer than it is wide. You should contour the area below your cheekbones starting from your ears and ending in the middle of your cheeks.

You should highlight under your eyes in an upside-down triangle shape and along your brow bone to brighten your eyes, and in the middle of your forehead and the middle of your chin.

Heart:

If you have a heart-shaped face, your cheeks will be wider than your hairline and your chin will be narrow and pointed. You should contour along the sides of your forehead and temples, the area below your cheekbones starting from your ears and ending in the middle of your cheeks and the small area right below your chin.

You should highlight under your eyes in an upside-down triangle shape (this will brighten your eyes), and also in the middle of your forehead and chin to help broaden these naturally narrow areas.

Oblong:

If you have an oblong face, it will be almost twice as long as it is wide, and you’ll have no major points along your jaw, chin, or hairline.

You should contour along your hairline, under your chin and the area below your cheekbones starting from your ears and ending in the middle of your cheeks.

You should highlight under your eyes in an upside-down triangle shape to brighten your eyes.

Rectangle:

If your face is shaped like a rectangle, the width of your hairline and jawline will be fairly even, and your face will be longer than it is wide. You should contour the sides of your forehead, along your hairline, under your jawbone and the area below your cheekbones starting from your ears and ending in the middle of your cheeks.?

You should highlight the middle of your chin, under your eyes and along your brow bone.

Square:

If you have a square-shaped face, your face will be about as long as it is wide, and the width of your hairline and jawline will be about even. You should contour the sides of your forehead, under your jawbone and the area below your cheekbones starting from your ears and ending in the middle of your cheeks.?

You should highlight the middle of your forehead and the middle of your chin and under your eyes and along your brow bone.

Round:

If your face is round, it will be as wide as it is long, and you’ll have no major points along your jaw, chin, or hairline. You should contour the sides of your forehead and along your temples, the area below your cheekbones starting from your ears to in the middle of your cheeks, and then curving down to your jawline (this lengthens the face).

You should highlight the middle of your forehead and the middle of your chin and under your eyes in an upside-down triangle shape.

Oval:

Finally, if your face is oval, chances are it is around 1.5 times longer than it is wide, and again, you’ll have no major points along your jaw, chin, or hairline. You should contour he sides of your forehead just slightly, the area below your cheekbones starting from your ears and ending in the middle of your cheeks.

You should highlight? the middle of your forehead and the middle of your chin and under your eyes and along your brow bone.

Via Cosmopolitan