Mastering Contouring and Highlighting: Pro Techniques for Every Face Shape

Contouring and highlighting are transformative makeup techniques that enhance facial features by adding depth, dimension, and brightness. These methods allow you to sculpt your face, making certain areas more defined while bringing light to others. However, knowing how to contour and highlight according to your specific face shape is essential for achieving a balanced, natural look.

In this guide, we’ll cover personalized contouring and highlighting techniques for different face shapes so you can accentuate your best features and create a flawless finish every time.

Identify Your Face Shape

Before diving into contouring and highlighting, it’s essential to identify your face shape. The most common face shapes are:

• Oval: The forehead and chin are slightly narrower than the cheekbones.
  Round: Equal width and length with soft, rounded edges.
• Square: Defined jawline with a forehead, cheekbones, and jawline that are similar in width.
• Heart: Wider forehead and cheekbones with a narrow, pointed chin.
• Long: Face is longer than wide, with a straight forehead, cheekbones, and jawline.
• Diamond: Narrow forehead and jawline with the widest point at the cheekbones.

Contouring Basics: What You Need to Know

Contouring uses darker shades to create the illusion of shadow, defining and slimming face areas. Typically, you’ll want to contour areas like the hollows of the cheeks, the jawline, and the sides of the nose.

How to Choose the Right Contour Product:

• Cream vs. Powder: Cream contour products blend seamlessly into the skin for a natural look, while powder contour is ideal for more defined, sculpted results.
• Shade: Choose a contour product 1-2 shades darker than your natural skin tone. It should mimic the natural shadows of your face, so opt for cool-toned or neutral browns rather than warm shades.
  Fenty Beauty Match Stix Contour Skinstick is a cream contour stick that blends effortlessly and comes in various shades for all skin tones.
  

Highlighting Basics: What You Need to Know

Highlighting brightens and brings attention to areas of the face where light naturally hits, like the tops of the cheekbones, brow bones, the bridge of the nose, and the cupid’s bow.

How to Choose the Right Highlighter:

• Texture: Cream and liquid highlighters provide a dewy, natural glow, while powder highlighters are perfect for a more intense, shimmery look.
• Shade: Choose a highlighter about 1-2 shades lighter than your skin tone. For fair skin, opt for champagne or pearl tones. For medium to deep skin tones, golden or bronze shades work best.
  Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter is a fan-favorite powder that delivers a beautiful, luminous glow without being too glittery.
  

Contouring and Highlighting for Oval Faces

Oval faces are naturally well-balanced and require minimal contouring. The goal here is to enhance the cheekbones and add subtle definition.

How to Contour:

• Apply contour just below your cheekbones, blending upwards toward your temples.
• Lightly contour along the jawline for added definition.
  If desired, contour the sides of your nose for a more sculpted appearance.

How to Highlight:

• Apply highlighter to the tops of the cheekbones, down the bridge of your nose, and on your cupid’s bow.
• Add a touch of highlighter to the center of your forehead and chin to enhance the oval shape.

Contouring and Highlighting for Round Faces

The goal with a round face is to create the illusion of length and definition, adding angles to soften the roundness and slim the face.

How to Contour:

• Contour along the temples and down the sides of the forehead to create a more angular look.
• Apply contour below the cheekbones, blending in a diagonal line toward the corner of your mouth.
• Contour along the jawline and under the chin to create more definition and elongate the face.

How to Highlight:

• Highlight the center of the forehead, the tops of the cheekbones, and the bridge of the nose to bring light to the middle of the face.
• Avoid highlighting the sides of the face, as this can make the face appear more expansive.

Contouring and Highlighting for Square Faces

Square faces have solid jawlines and angular features. The goal is to soften the edges while maintaining structure.

How to Contour:

• Contour along the sides of the forehead and temples to soften the angular shape.
• Apply contour just below the cheekbones, blending toward the ears.
• Contour along the jawline, blending downwards to soften the sharp edges of the jaw.

How to Highlight:

• Highlight the center of the forehead and chin to balance out the contouring.
• To bring light to the center of the face, add a highlighter to the tops of the cheekbones and down the bridge of the nose.

Contouring and Highlighting for Heart-Shaped Faces

Heart-shaped faces typically have a wider forehead and a narrow, pointed chin. The goal is to balance the forehead with the chin and emphasize the cheekbones.

How to Contour:

• Apply contour along the sides of the forehead and temples to reduce the width of the upper part of the face.
• Contour below the cheekbones to enhance your natural bone structure.
• Add a bit of contour under the chin to soften the point.

How to Highlight:

• Highlight the tops of the cheekbones, the center of the forehead, and the chin to balance the face.
• Apply a small amount of highlighter down the bridge of your nose to draw attention to the center of the face.

Contouring and Highlighting for Long Faces

Long faces are characterized by more length than width. The goal is to shorten the appearance of the face and add width where needed.

How to Contour:

• Contour along the hairline to reduce the length of the forehead.
• Apply contour below the cheekbones, blending horizontally toward the ears to create width.
• Lightly contour the chin to reduce the length of the face.

How to Highlight:

• Highlight the tops of the cheekbones and the center of the forehead.
• Avoid highlighting the chin or the lower part of the face, as this can elongate the face even more.

Contouring and Highlighting for Diamond Faces

Diamond-shaped faces are widest at the cheekbones, with a narrow forehead and chin. The goal is to balance the width of the cheeks with the forehead and jawline.

How to Contour:

• Apply contour to the sides of the forehead and along the temples to reduce the width.
• Contour the area just below the cheekbones to enhance their natural structure.
• Lightly contour the chin to soften the point.

How to Highlight:

• Highlight the center of the forehead, the tops of the cheekbones, and the chin to balance the face.
• Apply a highlighter down the bridge of the nose to draw attention to the center of the face.

Blending: The Key to a Natural Finish

Blending is crucial when contouring and highlighting. Harsh lines can make the look unnatural, so blend everything seamlessly into your skin.

Blending Tips:

• Use a damp beauty sponge or a dense blending brush to diffuse the contour and highlighter into the skin.
• Blend in circular or tapping motions to avoid streaks or uneven application.
• Set your contour and highlight with a translucent powder or a finishing spray to lock everything in place for a natural finish.
  Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge and TEOYALL Angled Foundation Contour Brush are perfect for blending creams and powders for a flawless finish.
  

Conclusion

Contouring and highlighting can dramatically enhance your facial features by adding structure and brightness, but knowing how to tailor these techniques to your face shape is critical. Whether aiming to define your cheekbones, slim your face, or balance your features, this guide provides the proper techniques for every face shape. With practice, the right products, and a solid understanding of your face shape, you’ll be able to achieve a beautifully sculpted, radiant look every time.

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