Up Your Foundation Game: Contour and Highlighting 101

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before-after-foundation

On this lovely, glorious Monday (sense the sarcasm?) I’m here to share some tips and tricks to help you up your foundation game. I think for the average lady just basic foundation application can be daunting enough, not to mention this contouring and highlighting talk that’s all over the airways. But I’m here to give you all the basics to help you conquer and master the everyday contour.

maybelline-velvet0foundation

FOUNDATION:
Start with prepared skin: clean, exfoliated, moisturized and primed (if you so choose to use a primer).  I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, you should always be applying foundation to clean and moisturized skin. Dot foundation onto your skin. I’m using the new Maybelline Dream Velvet Foundation. I love this foundation right now because it gives medium coverage in matte finish. It leaves my complexion looking smooth, velvety and matte without drying it out (which is key this time of year!)

To apply it I’m using the new blender from Maybelline, the Dream Velvet Blender, which was designed specifically for applying this foundation. Blenders like this one deliver even foundation coverage, a smooth finish, and are ideal for gliding over large areas.

CONCEALER:
After applying foundation, finish any eye makeup and follow-up with concealer. When you apply your under eye concealer, make sure to use an upside-down triangle shape to brighten the center of your entire face and take away the focus from any dreaded dark circles. (I show this in a little more detail in my “Makeup mistakes you might be making” video)

contour

Next to contour and highlight. Luckily Maybelline has a handy little palette that has everything you might need all in one, the Master Contour Palette. It’s a lot easier to master face contouring with this all-in-one palette that has a contouring bronzer, blush, and highlight.  This blush is the perfect “tickled” pink and all three of these powders last really well (I have a pet peeve with powders because they have a tendency to fade, but these don’t!)

contour-how-to-bronzer

CONTOUR:
To contour you’re going to sweep the bronzer into the hollows of your cheeks (you can find YOUR hollows simply by feeling where your cheekbone drops off. Sweep the color from your ear towards the center of your face. You only want the color to come to about 1/3 of the way in (about where the outer corner of you eye is.) This subtle color will add dimension to your face and give it a more slender look.

Other places that are flattering to add a little color is along your hairline (which narrows your forehead) and down the sides of your nose (to make that look smaller and slimmer.)

blush-and-highlight

HIGHLIGHT:
Next it’s time to add blush and highlighter. Add blush to the very apples of your cheek and very subtly brush backwards. You want the focus to be on the center of your cheeks where you naturally blush.

To highlight, lightly brush the highlight powder along the tops of your cheekbones (top of where you applied the blush) as well as a soft wisp down the bridge of your nose and your cupid’s bow. This small bit of highlight gives the final finishing touches that makes your skin look glowing and radiant – like when you see celebrities on the red carpet and wonder how they look so glowing: it’s properly placed highlighter.

finished-looks

Viola, a better looking foundation in no time!

If you want to pick up any of these Maybelline products for yourself, you can get them at your local Walmart (that’s what I did!)

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Hey there, I’m

Nothing happens around here before coffee, so pour a cup and join me. Here you’ll find life hacks, budgeting, simple DIYs, and honest motherhood.
New here?