Subtle contouring is the no-makeup look of sculpting. That's because it manages to define your bone structure while keeping the look natural—almost as if you didn't contour at all. And the best part? You don't need professional skills to do it on yourself. Read on for tips on how to master the no-contour contour!
1. Pick the right color.
"Subtle contouring needs to consider the skin tone so it will not be so obvious," says MAC Cosmetics artist Don de Jesus. This means that anything that looks too gray or orange for your skin is an obvious pass. Instead, pick a product with a neutral color that's a shade or two darker than your skin.
IMAGE MAC Cosmetics
MAC Pro Sculpting Powder in Bone Beige and Shadowy; Pro Shaping powder in Lightsweep, SM Megamall
2. Blend it with your highlighter.
What makes a contour job obvious is the presence of harsh lines. And for this, Don says to blend your contour, highlight, and blush until they look like one product that's almost invisible on the skin.
3. Use a precise, fluffy brush.
A brush of this kind will help you place the product right under the cheekbone, then make blending super easy after. Don recommends a flat brush like the MAC 164 for a subtle look.
IMAGE MAC Cosmetics
MAC 164 Duo Fibre Curved Sculpting Brush, SM Makati
4. Opt for bronzer instead.
For a quick and undetectable sculpt under daylight, Make Up For Ever's Lei Ponce suggests bronzing your cheekbones instead of doing a full-on contour. Then, you can make it even more invisible by using blush, by blending the flush upwards from the cheekbones.
5. For a natural finish, contour with cream.
Cream contouring can look natural with the right products and technique. NARS makeup artist Jason delos Reyes uses a stick product for precise application, which he lightly blends upwards with a damp sponge. You can set it lightly with a powder to further blur it out!
IMAGE NARS Cosmetics
NARS Matte Multiple in Vientiane, Rustan's Makati
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