Contouring 101: How To Contour Like A Pro

Contouring has long been the ‘not-so-secret’ makeup artist trick for decades. Used by professionals to alter the appearance of your face shape, contouring can be a tricky skill to master. But, with some practice and the right products (courtesy of Revolution Beauty, of course!), the entire dimension of your facial structure can be changed – it’s shape-shifting IRL.

So, whether you’re looking to narrow the bridge of your nose or chisel your cheekbones, we’ve composed this handy guide to walk you through the ins and outs of this sophisticated makeup skill. You’ll be a contour connoisseur in no time!

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Back To The Basics: What is Contouring?

We know we’re throwing around a lot of intense terms (you can chisel your cheekbones?), but to truly learn how to contour like a pro, let’s start with contouring 101: what is contouring?

Essentially, the aim of contouring is to mimic the appearance of shadow to create dimension and depth in your makeup. It goes hand-in-hand with highlighting, which accentuates the higher points of your face that light would naturally fall on. Simple, right?

Right! But, with so many ways to contour nowadays, how do you know which method and medium is for you? Are you partial to a powder, or curious about creams? We’re here to help you decide!

Cream, Powder, Stick?

If you prefer a subtle contour over a chiseled complexion, a powder or liquid product will give you a natural, bronzed glow with ease. Our Pro Goddess Glow Cream Contour & Bronze is a luscious liquid contour with a lightweight and blendable formula that will have you looking luminous in no time.

However, if you prefer a powder, a few sweeps of our Pro Sculpt & Glow on the hollows of your cheekbones and your temples will deliver a soft wash of color. Who needs a week in the sun when bronzer exists?

If you’re looking for something a little on the snatched side, a cream-based contour stick delivers an ultra-precise application to allow you to carve out your cheekbones to perfection. Our Fast Base Contour Stick will give you that Insta-ready base with just a couple of swipes.

So, whatever contouring style takes your fancy, we have everything you need to sculpt and define your look and a shade to suit every skin tone.

How To Contour To Your Face Shape:

A little disclaimer here: there isn’t a one-size-fits-all with contouring. The trickiness of this makeup technique lies in discovering where’s best to apply the products in accordance with your own bone structure – and that’s largely down to you. However, we’ve outlined some broad guidelines to get you going!

Expert Tip! Practice makes perfect! Feel free to play around with different contour placements to find out what best suits your face shape.

Are you interested in also levelling up your blush game? Discover our guide to optimal blush placement to look flushed and fierce!

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How To Contour a Round Face:

If you’re looking to lengthen a round face, apply contour beyond the end of your cheekbones towards the edges of your mouth. This will give the illusion of a longer face and a wider mouth. We also recommend contouring along your temples to soften the perimeters of your face shape.

How To Contour a Long Face:

To contour a long facial structure, focus your contouring along your chin, jawline and across the top of your forehead. Once blended out, your face will appear shorter and more defined.

How To Contour a Wide Face:

For a wide face shape, apply your contour in a soft c-shape starting at your temples and ending below your cheekbones – this will enhance your bone structure and make your face appear tapered.

How To Contour Your Nose:

A chiseled face wouldn’t be complete without a touch of nose contour. Whether you’re looking to narrow your nose bridge or make it appear smaller, we have the solution for you. Our Contour and Shadow Crayons sport a tapered tip to distribute a precise stroke of product – it’s the ultimate pick for taking on nose contouring.

To make your nose appear thinner, simply draw two thin lines of contour along the bridge a couple of millimeters apart and blend down the arch of your nose. The closer these lines are to each other, the thinner your nose will appear!

But if you’re looking to shorten your nose the technique is a little different. Start by drawing a thick line of contour across your septum and blend upwards. This will create the illusion of a darker shadow above your nostrils, which will reduce the length of your nose.

Expert Tip! A little goes a long way so we recommend using a light hand when applying to small areas like the nose.

Has nose contour piqued your interest? If you’re looking to learn more about this coveted makeup trick, discover additional tips and tricks with our guide to nose contour!

How to

How to Master The Art of Nose Contour

Here we breakdown how to contour your nose, and which tools to use to get the best results.

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The Finishing Touch

Balance out your contour with touches of concealer on the high points of your face – this will give your look real dimension. Our IRL Filter Finish Concealer will give you a breathable soft matte finish and is formulated with hyaluronic acid to keep your skin looking smooth and snatched.

And there you have it; you have everything you need to master the art of contour – you’ll be sculpted like a pro in no time!

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