How to Contour Like a Pro: Our Complete Guide

Contouring has taken the world of beauty and cosmetics by storm in recent years, and it’s not going anywhere any time soon. If you are new to the technique, it can be tricky to achieve. You don’t want to go overboard and end up looking like you lost the battle with an automatic spray tan. But you also don’t want to put such a small amount that there’s no grand effect afterward.

To understand how to contour like a professional and get that celebrity-makeover look, you first need to learn more about what contouring is and why it's so important to the world of beauty.

Contouring is a technique that allows you to enhance the structure of your face. It’s effective by highlighting your good areas, such as the top of your cheekbones or the bridge of your nose. It also works by effectively shadowing the places you would like to stay hidden, such as your jawline or those unsightly puffy cheeks.

Contouring adds definition to your face. However, the key to contouring is learning how to subtly blend the right cosmetics to get the perfect tone.

There are a few things you should remember when you are learning how to contour. The type of cosmetics that you use and the finish they leave behind will have a big impact on your results. The good news is that you don’t have to spend a fortune on high-priced cosmetics to achieve the ideal look. There are cream contour palettes available for less than $10 that will work just as well as cosmetics that cost three times as much.

Cream contour products are much easier to blend. But if you don’t want to have a glossy or oily appearance afterward, you can follow up with a good contour powder that will leave behind a trendy matte finish. This will help cover up the glossy finish that the cream leaves behind. Remember that when it comes to contouring, you don’t want to use any type of shimmery cosmetics as this will only leave you with less-than-stellar results.

When using a cream contour product, you need the right tools for the job. A firm, flat-top synthetic brush is the best option for blending. If you are using a powder contouring product, a fluffy eyeshadow brush is a good choice. You will want to use another brush for highlighting and a third, larger brush to blend everything together.

Contouring may seem a bit confusing if you have never tried it before. While there are plenty of tutorials online that show you exactly how to do it, it’s still possible to make a mistake by using too much concealer, highlighter or bronzer.

First, you need to keep in mind that there is a difference between contouring and highlighting.

With contouring, you use a matte product that is two shades darker than what your normal skin tone is. Use this product to shade the areas such as your forehead, nose, chin and cheekbones.

With highlighting also known as strobing you want to bring out specific areas of your face. You use a light concealer product or a highlighter to further enhance these features.

Now it’s time to bring the entire look together. You will need to choose a brightening shade to apply to your cheeks. Shimmer is okay to use here, as well as long lasting powder formulas. Shades that are pink or peachy toned also work really well for this step.

Here are some of the top products that we recommend for contouring like a pro.

The e.l.f. Cream Contour Palette includes 3 bronzers for contouring as well as one brightening shade. It allows you to blend shades together easily thanks to the smooth cream formula. Everything you need to get started contouring like a professional is available in a single container. Additional palettes are available that feature lighter shades for various skin types and tones.

The Wet/Dry Blush Brush by Nars is one of the best makeup brushes out there for contouring. The #23 brush has a sleek design and a large ergonomic handle that makes it easy to hold. Control your look and learn how to blend concealers efficiently when you use this high-quality cosmetic brush.

Cheek to Chic Blusher in Ecstasy by Charlotte Tilbury is an excellent blusher product that allows the user to recreate a shimmering youthful flush on their cheeks. Designed with a simple two-step application, each shade of this creamy and color-rich blusher contains a formula made up of freshly crushed pearls that enhance your skin’s glow. Liven up your dull and tired skin with this beautiful blusher designed to be used after contouring.

Beauty Glazed Under Eye Concealer and Highlighter is a rich and creamy product that can help hide away imperfections of the skin. This high-resistance concealer and highlighter eliminates dark circles around the eyes and leaves behind an undetectable finish that others are sure to admire. This product features an ultra-concentrated formula that doesn’t leave behind any unwanted buildup. You can easily mask away flaws and dark patches with no obvious cover.

Enjoy a silky smooth formula that doesn’t irritate pores and leaves behind a perfectly matte finish. This highlighter has a lightweight texture that will never feel greasy or heavy. It also helps to minimize the appearance of pores.

You can wear Beauty Glazed Under Eye Concealer and Highlighter on its own or layer it underneath foundation for an age-defying look.

This impressive set of must-have concealers is great to have whether you are new to contouring or are hoping to learn how to contour like a pro. The set includes a 15-shade palette of concealer and an assortment of cosmetic brushes that can be used to make blending much easier.

The concealer is made from high-quality ingredients that allow for silk shine and color. It is designed to last all day long. The concealer is lightweight and soft. It is easy to create clear and brilliant finishes and blends when using this unique palette.

The Lagure Minerals Powder Contour Kit is a large kit that contains everything you need to contour with ease. It features six highly pigmented matte contouring shades that are perfect for every skin tone.

Each contour kit comes complete with step-by-step instructions for you to follow for flawless results.

And every shade in the contour kit is made from non-toxic, cruelty-free powder that is safe for all skin types.

Once you learn how to contour like a pro, you will be able to complete the task on a regular basis with no issues. The products that we have mentioned are some of the best that you can buy for contouring purposes.

By following the steps mentioned here in our simple guide, you can learn how to eliminate unsightly dark spots while you accent your best areas. Try out these top-rated concealers, highlighters, and bronzers today and learn to contour like a professional.