How to Apply Concealer and Contour? Contour with Concealer in Easy Steps
Have you ever looked in the mirror and thought, "Why doesn't my makeup look like those Instagram tutorials?" You're not alone! Many of us struggle with concealer and contour, ending up looking more cakey than flawless. But don't worry – I'm here to help you nail that perfect look. With a bag full of different shades of lipsticks, foundation, or other creams, concealer is the one you should not miss to carry. Whether you want to make dark circles disappear or hide the appearance of wrinkles, concealer can help you find your desired results in many ways to enhance your overall eye makeup.
As a makeup artist with over a decade of experience, I've witnessed the transformative power of makeup. From red carpet glamour to everyday looks, I've had the privilege of helping countless individuals discover a new, sculpted version of themselves. The secret? It's all about choosing the right shades, mastering your blending, and working with your unique face shape. Trust me, once you get these basics down, you'll be contouring like a pro in no time!
In this beauty blog, "How to Apply Concealer and Contour," I'm spilling all my secrets. I will guide you through the process of applying concealer and contour effectively. We will also discuss detailed information about using Concealer for the perfect contoured look to feel more confident. So, let's dive straight into the power of concealer application in the makeup world.
What is Concealer and Why is It Important?
Concealer is a makeup product that helps to mask blemishes, redness, dark circles, and other imperfections on the skin. Unlike foundation, which is designed to even out the overall skin tone, concealer is used to target specific areas that need extra coverage. It's consists of ingredients like water, glycerin, dimethicone, tocopherol, silica which typically thicker and more pigmented providing more coverage in concentrated areas. Common uses for concealer include:
1. Hiding dark circles under the eyes
2. Covering blemishes and acne spots
3. Neutralizing redness around the nose or cheeks
4. Brightening the under-eye area
5. Highlighting the high points of the face
What is Contouring and How Does It Work?
Contouring is a makeup technique of defining the face by playing with light and shadow. This is the way to highlight and emphasize the natural structure of your face by evoking the illusion of higher cheekbones, a thinner nose, and a sharper jawline.
The idea behind contouring is that lighter shades, or concealer, draw attention to the high points of your face, and the darker shades, or contouring, make the shadows to help sculpt and define areas you want to minimize. When done correctly, contouring enhances your face shape without looking overdone.
How to Apply Concealer and Contour Perfectly?
Applying concealer and contour is a great way to enhance your facial features, whether you're aiming for a natural look or making your style for prom or special occasions more sculpted. Here's a simple step-by-step guide on how to apply both for a flawless finish:
Step 1: Prep Your Skin
Before you apply concealer and contour, it’s crucial to start with a well-prepped face. Begin by cleansing your skin to remove dirt or oils. Follow that with a moisturizer to keep the skin hydrated and even out the base. Finish this step with a primer that works for your skin type, because it lets your makeup stay on all day and gives a smooth canvas for concealer and contour.
Step 2: Apply Foundation
Foundation is usually the base layer that covers the entire face evenly. Pick a shade of foundation close to your skin tone and apply it using a brush, sponge, or your fingers for a natural finish. Blend it well into your skin, making sure the foundation transitions seamlessly from your face to your neck.
At this step, do not perfect the under-eye area or contour your features, just work on an even base.
Step 3: Choose the Right Concealer and Contour Shades
Before you begin with the concealer and contour application, choose your products according to your skin type. From concealer to contours, they come in several shades, and choosing the wrong shade upsets the harmony of the look. Choosing the right shades accentuates the features of your face and adds balance to it.
- Concealer Shades: Select a lighter concealer that is either the same shade as your skin tone or one shade lighter for an even, smooth finish. Color correctors have specific shades for specific concerns: green for redness, peach/orange for dark circles, and yellow for brightening up sallow skin and neutralizing purple undertones.
- Contour Shades: The appropriate shade of contour depends on your skin tone and undertone. Opt for cool taupe or light brown shades for fair to light skin tones. Medium skin tones should go for warm browns; deeper tones can be used with richer chocolates or terracottas. Always test shades on your jawline for the perfect match.
Step 4: Apply Concealer to Brighten and Conceal
When applying concealer, the goal is to cover imperfections like dark circles, blemishes, and redness while brightening specific areas of your face. Choose a lighter shade of concealer that is one or two shades lighter than your natural skin tone to brighten areas like under the eyes, the chin, the forehead, and down the nose. Here’s where to apply concealer:
- Under the Eyes: To cover dark circles and brighten the under-eye area, apply concealer in an inverted triangle under your eyes. This helps to illuminate the face and gives you a refreshed, awake look.
- Around the Nose: If you have redness or irritation around your nostrils, apply concealer here to neutralize those areas.
- Center of the Forehead, Chin, and Nose: Apply concealer to the high points of your face to create a well-balanced, natural skin tone.
- Cupid’s Bow: A few strokes of concealer above your lips can accentuate your cupid's bow and make your lips look fuller.
To blend, use a beauty sponge or brush, gently tapping to achieve a seamless finish. This ensures you won’t have any harsh lines and that the product blends effortlessly into the skin for a natural-looking finish.
Step 5: Apply Contour to Sculpt and Define Your Face
Contouring involves the use of a darker shade of concealer or contour products to create shadows and give depth to the face. Choose a contour shade that is two shades darker than your natural skin tone. This gives you that sculpted look without appearing too harsh. Here’s where to contour:
- Cheeks: Contour the hollows of your cheeks to add depth and define your cheekbones. This makes the face look more sculpted and chiseled.
- Jawline: Define the jawline by contouring under the jaw and then blending down toward the neck. This gives the illusion of a sharper, more angled jawline.
- Hairline: Contour your hairline to cause your forehead to look smaller and add some depth to the top half of your face.
- Nose: In order to make the nose look thinner, use a contouring product that is a bit darker than your skin and run it down the sides of your nose. Then blend it into the skin to avoid prominent lines.
- Chin: Apply contour under the chin for a better balance of features.
To blend the contour, use a contour brush or beauty sponge, ensuring the product melts into your foundation for a seamless finish.
Step 6: Highlighting to Illuminate
After contouring, it’s time to highlight the high points of your face. Highlighting concealer should be two shades lighter than your skin tone, and it’s used to bring light to the face’s prominent areas. Here are the key points to Highlight:
- Cheekbones: Apply highlight to the top of your cheekbones to make them pop. This will give you that healthy, radiant glow.
- Bridge of the Nose: A subtle line of highlight down the center of the nose can make your nose appear slimmer and more defined.
- Brow Bones: Apply a highlighter under your brows to lift and define the eye area.
- Center of the Forehead and Chin: These areas are key for brightening and adding balance to the overall look.
- Cupid’s Bow: A touch of highlight on the cupid’s bow adds dimension and makes your lips look fuller.
Step 7: Set Your Makeup with Powder
After applying concealer and contour, it is important to set everything in place to make sure it stays intact all day. Use a setting powder to lock in your makeup and avoid creasing. A translucent setting powder is great for setting your highlighting concealer, while a matte powder works well for areas you’ve contoured.
For a more dewy finish, you can also set your makeup with a setting spray to keep your makeup looking fresh and long-lasting.
Contour and Concealer Placement for Different Face Shapes
Contouring and concealing are essential techniques for enhancing your natural features. Understanding where to put concealer and contour to suit your face shape ensures a polished and flattering look. Here’s a guide to perfecting your contour and concealer placement for various face shapes:
1. Round Face
Contour: Use a shade deeper than your skin tone along the sides of the forehead, below the cheekbones, and down the jawline. This helps create an illusion of length and definition.
Concealer: Use a lighter shade of concealer down the center of the forehead, under the eyes, and down the chin to highlight and lighten up these areas.
2. Oval Face
Contour: Apply shades deeper than your skin tone under the cheekbones and lightly on the jawline for a soft definition of it.
Concealer: Balance the look by highlighting the under-eye area, the bridge of the nose, and the center of the chin with a highlighting concealer.
3. Square Face
Contour: Soothe the edges by contouring around the sides of the forehead and along the jawline with a darker concealer.
Concealer: Apply a light shade concealer to highlight the middle of the forehead, under the eyes, and the chin to soften this angular look.
4. Heart-Shaped Face
Contour: Contouring along the sides of the forehead and along the jawline will even out a wide forehead with a narrow chin. A shade deeper in shade will work just right here.
Concealer: Apply the concealer on the high points of your face, such as on the upper cheekbones and under the eyes, to give it a lifted look.
5. Diamond Face
Contour: Contour along the cheekbones, making sure to hit the sides of the forehead in order to soften angular features. A two-shade darker contour works well.
Concealer: As for the concealer, highlight the center of the forehead, under the eyes, and the chin to add some balance and illumination to the face.
6. Long Face
Contour: Contour the top of the forehead, underneath the cheekbones, and the bottom of the chin. This will shorten the length of the face.
Concealer: Highlight the centre of your face, forehead, under your eyes, and chin, drawing attention to the middle of the face with a lighter tone.
Common Mistakes to Avoid While Applying Concealer and Contour
Contouring using concealer can help enhance facial beauty, but applying it in the wrong way can mess up the whole application process. So, here are the common mistakes to avoid while applying concealer and contour. Avoiding these mentioned steps during the application helps to get the results you desire.
- Over-applying concealer: Using concealer excessively can make the under-eye area appear cakey and emphasize fine lines or wrinkles. So, start with a small amount and build up coverage as needed to avoid a heavy look.
- Choosing the wrong shade: Selecting a concealer shade that is too light or too dark for your skin tone can make the concealer stand out rather than blend seamlessly. Test shades on your jawline or inner wrist to find the best match for your skin tone.
- Using the wrong tools: Using the wrong tools to contour and concealer placement leads to uneven application and blending. Go for brushes, sponges, or beauty blenders specifically designed for these purposes to achieve better results.
- Neglecting to set the makeup: Failing to set your concealer and contour with a translucent powder or setting spray can result in creasing and a shorter wear period. Setting the makeup helps it last longer and gives a smoother finish.
- Ignoring your face shape: Different face shapes may require adjustments in contour placement. Consider your face shape when contouring to enhance your features in a way that complements your unique facial structure.
- Skipping color correction: If you have specific color concerns like redness or dark spots, color correction can help neutralize those tones before applying concealer. Skipping this step may result in less effective coverage.
[Recommended to Read: Common Makeup Mistakes and How to Avoid Them]
Can You Use Concealer as Contour?
Contouring with concealer combines the benefits of both contouring and concealing. Concealer is used to cover blemishes, dark circles, or any imperfections on the skin, whereas contouring helps to add dimensions, creating the illusion of shadow rather than actual skin. Most beauty lovers feel confused about whether you can use concealer as a contour.
Yes, you can use concealer as a contour. Using concealer as a contour involves selecting a shade significantly darker than your skin tone. This darker shade should be applied strategically to areas where you want to create shadows and definition on your face, such as underneath cheekbones, along the jawline, and at the sides of the nose. Use a small makeup brush or sponge to apply the concealer precisely, blending it well into your skin. Blend thoroughly to avoid harsh lines and achieve a seamless, natural-looking contour.
Remember that while using concealer for contouring is possible, it may not provide the same depth and dimension as traditional contouring products designed specifically for this purpose. Experiment with different shades and techniques to find what works best for your skin tone and desired look.
[Recommended to Read: How to Contour Nose]
Does contour go first or concealer?
When it comes to which one should use first concealer or contour, the general recommendation is to start with concealer. Applying concealer first helps to create an even base by covering blemishes, dark circles, and redness. It brightens up the area underneath your eyes and the center of your face so you have a smooth canvas for contouring. Once your concealer is applied and blended, then you can apply contour to define and shape up your features. But for those powder contour products, do your concealer first, so it doesn't appear patchy. This ensures a flawless finish and makes blending easier.
Final Thoughts on Applying Concealer And Contour
When it comes to achieving a flawless, sculpted look and adding dimension to the facial appearance, knowing how to apply concealer and contour is key. Concealer, used to hide imperfections and brighten certain areas, pairs perfectly with contouring, which adds depth and definition to the face. To choose the best concealer for contouring, consider your skin tone and select a shade slightly lighter for highlighting and a darker concealer shade for contouring. Blend concealer shades seamlessly so there are no visible lines or harsh transitions between colors providing natural transition.
By following the right techniques and blending seamlessly, you can achieve a beautifully enhanced appearance that highlights your best features. Practice, experimentation, and finding the right products will help you master the area of makeup art in forming concealer and contouring.
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FAQs on Applying Concealer & Contour
What is the purpose of concealer in makeup application?
Concealer is used to cover up blemishes, dark circles, and other imperfections on the skin.
How do I choose the right shade of concealer?
Select a shade that matches your skin tone or is slightly lighter for a highlighting effect.
What areas of the face should I apply concealer to?
Apply concealer under the eyes, on any redness or blemishes, and on areas you want to highlight, such as the center of the forehead and down the bridge of the nose.
How does contouring enhance facial features?
Contouring adds shadows and depth to create the illusion of sharper cheekbones, a more defined jawline, and a sculpted appearance.
How dark should the contour be?
Contour should be 1-2 shades darker than your natural skin tone. It should create a subtle shadow effect, not appear as a dark stripe. The goal is to mimic natural shadows on your face, enhancing your features without looking obvious.
Do you use contour before or after the foundation?
Contour is typically applied after foundation. This allows for a smooth base and helps the contour blend seamlessly with your foundation for a natural-looking sculpted effect. Applying contour after foundation also prevents the foundation from covering up or altering the contour placement.
What's the difference between cream and powder contour?
Cream contour offers a more natural, dewy finish and is best for dry skin. Powder contour provides a matte finish and is ideal for oily skin.
Which areas of the face should I contour?
Contour the hollows of the cheeks, temples, along the jawline, and the sides of the nose to achieve desired sculpting effects.
How do I set concealer and contour to make them last longer?
Set the makeup with a light dusting of translucent powder to prevent creasing and ensure long-lasting wear.
Should I apply concealer before or after the foundation?
It is generally recommended to apply concealer after foundation to achieve a more natural and blended look.
