Nude Contour

My aim with nude contouring is to mimic ambient light

I have always been a massive fan of contouring it can really help to accentuate your bone structure and stop the face looking flat. Personally I prefer a subtle, artfully applied approach to contouring as opposed to the lines and stripes I see a lot of late.

My aim with nude contouring is to mimic ambient light, which always has a beautiful softness to it. By building depth and adding light to the parts of the face where light might naturally fall gives amazing dimension and structure to the face. Contouring should subtly compliment a face not create a new bone structure; less is more.

Understanding face structure is the beginning of knowing where and how to shade the face in a naturally flattering way.  You need to find the products that best compliment the skin tone you are working with and invest in both creme and powder formulas so you can be set for day and night and different lighting situations. There are so many amazing high definition products available with next to no texture so you can build and layer the colour and not end up looking overdone. Contouring is an amazing tool whether you are trying to slim the face or jawline if done properly you can achieve amazing results.

My Tips

Start with highlighting the highpoints of the face. To achieve this I use either a lighter concealer or if I want a little luminosity, I use a liquid highlighter preferably with next to no sparkles for a more realistic result.

Then add depth to the natural contours of the face the cheekbones, bridge of the nose, temples and jawline. If using creamy formulas, apply before your base. If using powder, do it after the base. The trick is to blend out harsh lines using either a soft fluffy contour brush or your fingers.