Contouring & Highlighting: Makeup techniques to make your face look thinner

The contouring and highlighting techniques can make your face look thinner.  Please remember that: light colors advance (make an area seem larger or closer) while dark colors recede (make an area seem smaller or further away). To apply eye make up tips to create the desired illusion, it is essential to apply eye make up in a way that works with light and dark together and keeps your eyelid shape in mind.

Contouring and highlighting your cheeks: Find the hollows of your cheeks (by sucking in) and apply the dark shadow shade into those contours of your cheeks with a soft blush brush. Take your favorite blush (a sheer coral or berry shade is recommended) and apply that to the apples of your cheeks. Use a large powder brush or a kabuki brush to softly blend both your blush and contour shades together. Apply a highlighter to the tops of your cheekbones, blending back toward the outer edge of your eye area.

Contouring your nose: Using a soft eyeshadow brush, take up your dark shadow shade and run it lightly down the sides of your nose starting from your eyebrows. These faint lines should not be too thick. Blend well.

Contouring and highlighting your eyes: Using a soft eyeshadow brush, apply your contour shade in sweeping motions across your eye crease to contour your eyes. Apply highlighter to your browbone and the inner corners of your eyes for a brightening effect.

Tips:

• Not everyone needs to contour- if you feel that your cheekbones are prominent or that your face is thin, it is best not to contour as you may appear too “chiseled”

• ALWAYS choose a cream or powder that is just 2 shades darker than your skin- any darker, and it looks unnatural

• If you use cream to contour, make sure to apply after your foundation and before your setting powder

• It takes practice getting the contour technique down as each face is different, so don’t give up!

Source: http://www.makeupgeek.com, http://www.wildaboutmakeup.com/