How to Contour, Highlight, and Blush Based on Your Face Shape

All makeup tips which teach you how to contour, highlight, and blush require you to determine your face shape. The best way to know yours is to stand in front of a mirror and outline of your face. Does it resemble any familiar shape below?

Oblong-shaped Faces

Your face is long with a chin slightly pointed and your hairline is narrower than your cheeks.

CONTOUR: Contour underneath your cheekbones from your ears to the middle of your cheeks. It will make your cheeks more prominent. Follow a “U” shape from your brows down to the sides of your nose to make it look slimmer and defined.

HIGHLIGHT: Draw an upside-down triangle shape and along the brow bone to enhance your eyes. Don’t forget to apply in the middle of your forehead down to the tip of your nose, and your chin.

BLUSH: Apply blush on the apples of your cheeks, just below where you put a highlight. Then, blend it evenly with a brush.

Square-shaped faces

Your face’s length is similar to its width. You have a striking jawline.

CONTOUR: Narrow down your face through applying contour product on the sides of your hairline. Contour your striking jaw from the area under your cheekbone down to the the middle of your cheeks. Enhance your nose to add dimension to drive the attention away from your jaw.

HIGHLIGHT: Highlight the middle of your forehead down the tip of your nose. Draw a “C” shape from the tip of your brows curving down to your eyes. Then, form the famous inverted triangle below your eyes. Don’t forget to highlight the middle of your chin.

BLUSH: Apply blush slightly below your cheekbone and blend it towards the ear. Put a little bit of blush on your hairline if you need to soften the contour you applied earlier.

Heart-Shaped Faces

They have a widow’s peak on your hairline, your chin is narrow and pointed, and your cheeks are wider than your hairline.

CONTOUR: Enhance the shadows along temples of your hairline and bottom of your chin. Contour under your cheekbones but don’t forget to smear and blend it from your ear downward. Make your nose look slimmer and structured by applying contour from your brows and down to the sides of the nose. Brush a small amount of dark powder under your chin to soften is as well.

HIGHLIGHT: Draw an inverted triangle under your eyes to brighten it up. Highlight the middle of your forehead down to the tip of your nose. Don’t forget your cupid’s bow as well as the small area part of your chin. Highlight under the brows to freshen up your look.

BLUSH: Smile and apply a small amount just below the apples of your cheeks. Sweep upwards towards your hairline. You don’t have to put much since your cheeks are already prominent.

Round Faces

The width of your face is same as its length. All are equal and there are no major points that overpower another on your face.

CONTOUR: Start contouring from the sides of your forehead down to your temples to narrow down your face. Sculpt the side of your cheekbones from your ears and down your jawline. Don’t forget to contour your nose to add dimension to your face.

HIGHLIGHT: Apply highlighters in the middle of your forehead down to the tip of your nose. Once again, draw the inverted triangle under your eyes. Highlight other areas such as your cheeks and chin.

BLUSH: To slim down a round face, apply blush in an angle from the apples of your cheeks towards the temples.

Diamond-shaped faces

Your hairline is narrower than your cheeks and your chin is slightly pointed outwards. The middle part is the widest part of your face.

CONTOUR: Apply it under your cheekbones starting from your ears and ending in the middle of your cheeks to create a narrow face width. If you feel you need to enhance your nose structure, you can apply some on the sides of your nose. Since your chin and your hairline are already narrow, you don’t have to contour these areas and just focus on your cheekbones.

HIGHLIGHT: Apply highlight under your eyes forming an inverted triangle.  Smear some at the middle of your forehead and a small area on your chin.

BLUSH: Add some blush below your cheeks and blend it across, this will emphasize the width of your face.

It’s important to blend your contour and highlight evenly on your face. If you use a cream-based product, use a beauty blender or sponge. If you’re using powder, it’s important to use the right brush. Use the soft-angled brush for contouring and use the small fan brush for highlighting. The same goes with blush. Apply a cream blush with your fingers and a powder blush with a puffy brush.

Now that you’ve read these tips, you can now try and do it yourself. Makeup is a form of art which you’ll have a face for a canvass, makeup brushes as your tools, and makeup products as your paint. Don’t be afraid to try and explore because sometimes, the features you’re not fond are your greatest assets.

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photo credits: Pinterest