One of the absolutes in makeup, one of the keys that no makeup application can look polished or complete without, is contouring. It seems about half of women are not familiar with contouring at all, while about half know a little.
Contouring, when it comes to makeup, is highlighting certain areas to bring that area forward or make it look more prominent, wider or longer. Contouring also includes lowlighting areas, which minimizes, making those areas seem more shadowed, or even smaller or less prominent.
Contouring is not a big part of everyday makeup wear. However, if you apply concealer to dark undereye areas, or if you apply a bronzer to the underside of your jaw, for example, you're doing contouring- possibly without even realizing it.
The first makeup artist who wasn't afraid to bring the idea of contouring into the common woman's makeup toolbox was a makeup artist I consider the absolute makeup king- Kevyn Aucoin. When his outstanding makeup work on famous people started making him famous, he didn't hoard his knowledge, tricks and tools to himself- he opened right up and shared with the world. He wrote several books and participated in a variety of programs as well. And each time, he would spend a significant amount of time on the art of contouring. Because whether you do just a little contouring, or a whole lot (on a celeb going to the Oscars, for example), it can completely change the way the face looks. You can hide things, adjust things, change the shape of things.
All of this, as well as fond memories of what I learned from Kevyn Aucoin, came to my mind when I saw photos of Kim Kardashian's pre-makeup contouring being performed by celebrity makeup artist in his own right, Scott Barnes.
Check out the slideshow to get the full effect. By using a light colored fluid concealer-type product, as well as a darker-toned one, Scott creates flattering length in Kim's face, as well as highlighting her bone structure and softening harsh angles.
It's certainly true that contouring this strong isn't necessary for everyday life... in fact, it could look way overdone and almost strange. But understanding a few contouring and highlighting tricks can help you brighten tired eyes, hide a little blemish, and look better in photographs.
These are definitely tricks you want in your back pocket... not to be used all the time, but to be pulled out at just the right moment to give you your best look at the most important moments.
For tips: Click through the Slideshow.
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