HOW TO CREATE A SHEER, NATURAL-LOOKING CONTOUR.

Contouring - whether you love it or hate it, this makeup trend is going nowhere fast.

We were first educated in all things contouring when Kim Kardashian began sharing videos and photographs on her social media of her famed MUA, Mario, using different coloured nude shades to sculpt Kim’s face. 

Using a mixture of foundation sticks, concealers, powders and highlighters, Mario gave us the realest ever insight into how he makes Kim look so flawless and sculpted. 

It was revolutionary, and needless to say, before long, women and men all over the world were overhauling their makeup bags and doing their best attempt to recreate the look. If you love Kim's super-sculpted look, then be sure to check out the fabulous article 'How To Contour Like Kim Kardashian' by Emirates Woman.

And again, needless to say, while there were some truly incredible recreations flying around, there were some pretty shocking ones, too... 

Contouring is still hugely popular now, and for good reason. This clever makeup trick has the power to completely change the look of one’s face - visually altering the appearance of different features and defining different areas of the face. For example: cheekbones and noses.

Unhappy with the look of your nose? No problem - it’s nothing a little highlighting can’t fix. And likewise, if you want to create the look of stronger cheekbones and a slimmer face, all you need is a darker foundation stick & a blending sponge and you’re good to go!

This is of course, all rather extreme, though. And for some of us, a slightly more natural-looking glow is the preferred glam of choice... 

So, if, like me, you like to emphasise your best features but without layering on tons of product, a sheer contour is the way to go.

I lightly contour my face with the likes of bronzing powder and highlighter every day, but I feel no need or even temptation to experiment with anything heavier. As I’ve said before, I love admiring other people’s makeup, but my own signature look is the one I am most comfortable and confident with. 

To create a soft, sheer contour, the first thing I would suggest is swapping those foundation sticks & concealers for powders / a selection of lighter formulas. 

To create my sheer, natural contour, I take my bronzing brush and do the classic ‘3 shape’, applying my MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Shade 'Medium Tan' to my face. Here, I pay close attention to bronzing the top of my forehead, my cheek bones, jaw line, nose & finally, the bottom of my chin.

Essentially, what I am doing here is tanning the areas that would catch the sun naturally. I'm therefore creating a natural finish that looks flawless.

To complete the contour, I take my MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in 'Soft & Gentle' and lightly go over each of these different areas to master that gorgeous glowy finish.

If you like blush, then like me, you may wish to add a touch of your favourite blusher product to the apples of your cheeks after highlighting. For me, the NARS Orgasm blush is perfect for this.

And that's it! Your natural-looking contour is complete and you are no doubt looking fabulous!

I really hope you all enjoyed this post & I look forward to sharing more with you very soon. In the meantime, though, why not check out my post '9 Beauty Products I Can't Live Without'?

Lots of love,
Grace x