For those who are not familiar with makeup application, terms like stippling, baking, and strobing may stump you, but it is never too late to learn something new! One of the most basic tricks when applying makeup is contouring.  Contouring can be used on a day to day basis – from going to work or a lunch date, and not just for fancy occasions. The main benefit of contouring is to enhance and add depth to the structure of your face, and this technique goes best with a highlight to bring even more attention to your features.
 
To start, you must know your face shape and the corresponding areas that need contouring. For example, if your chin is slightly pointed and your hairline is more narrow than your cheeks, this means you have a diamond shaped face that needs contouring from the start of your ears, below your cheekbones, until the middle of your cheeks. But if you have a widow’s peak and wide cheeks, it is most likely that your face is shaped like a heart. You’ll need to apply contour along the sides of your forehead and temples to create balance between the upper and lower parts of your face.
 
Once you have determined your face shape, it’s time to apply the product! You can opt for a matte or glittery finish, but some would suggest to save all the shimmer for the highlight. Cream contours give off a bold look while powders and liquids are more polished and subtle. Makeup artists commonly use a beauty blender for cream contours and liquids and an angled brush for powder, and they layer the product until they achieve their desired level of sculpting.
 
And now that you understand the hype behind the contour phenomenon, you can explore other makeup tricks to further enhance your already captivating beauty! Instead of seeing makeup as a coverup for your flaws, see it as a tool that allows you to focus on your best parts and boost your self confidence.