One of my very favorite ways to add dimension to my makeup look and give myself a little bit of a glow is by highlighting and contouring. For some people, the technique can be overwhelming and seem way too time consuming! While there are different methods, today I’m going to share a super easy way to give yourself a little bronzy glow and add a little definition that looks both lovely and natural.
Step One: Using a bronzer a few shades darker than your natural skin tone, apply bronzer from your hairline to the middle of your cheekbone. Be sure to blend up and on the cheekbone line and NOT blend down below the cheekbone. This helps create a more defined cheekbone. If you accidentally get a little too heavy-handed, blend blend blend! When it comes to bronzer, blending is your best friend. 😉 Since I have such fair skin, I love using the Milk Chocolate bronzer from Too Faced (it smells like chocolate too!) I also LOVE the Shade & Light Contour Palette from Kat Von D. It has a great selection of shades for so many skin tones. Just a little tip, whichever bronzer you use, for this method, make sure it has a matte finish!
Step Two: With just a touch of bronzer on your brush (I love this bronzing brush btw!), lightly dust/blend the top sides of your forehead avoiding the middle. Also dust the sides of your nose and your jawline. The trick is to use hardly any product and build up the bronze very slowly until it has just a hint of color. Don’t forget to blend, girl!
Step Three: Time to apply your blush. The blush will go right above the bronzer you just put on. For the spring and summertime, I love using an illuminating blush that leaves a slight glow. I’m constantly reaching for this one, and it’s a great price! You can find my favorite blush brush here; it applies like a dream. (This one is pretty great too!)
Step Four: Highlighter might very well be one of my favorite makeup products. I love the shimmery glow it can give and how effortless it is to look bright and awake using a highlighter. I’m convinced they are made from unicorns. 😉 Use a highlighter brush to lightly dust your glow on the very tops of your cheekbone, above the blush. Be sure to keep the highlight from getting too close to the side of your nose. Just a little dusting from your hairline to your mid-cheekbone will do perfectly. If you’re looking for a beautiful highlighter, check out the ones from Becca, The Balm and Wet n’Wild… They are fantastic!
Step Five: With just a little more highlighter added to your brush, lightly dust the bridge of your nose and your cupid’s bow. This will give you such a lovely, sun-kissed glow! Voila!
Just a little tip, when applying your bronzer, blush and highlighter to your cheekbones, think of it as a sandwich. The bronzer goes at the bottom, then comes the blush, and the highlight tops it off right at the high-point of your cheeks!
Here is a little before and after so you can see how subtle it is, but also how it really does define my cheeks and nose and adds a nice little dimension to the entire look!
Easy, right?! This is such a beautiful way to define your face and make it shimmer. I’m not gonna lie… it’s hard to hold back on the highlighter sometimes. If I don’t practice a little self-control, I’m tempted to bathe in it. 😉 Rock that gorgeous highlight and contour, babes! Lots of love, Sav.
Credits//Author and Photography: Savannah Wallace. Photos edited with A Beautiful Mess actions.
23 Comments
Beautiful before, beautiful after! You’ve got this contouring malark nailed! I’m saving all my pennies for a KVD shade and light palette. It’s cripplingly expensive with uk shipping!
Beekeyper – Latest post – 6 steps to swoon-worthy skin
Your skin looks incredible! Great tutorial 🙂
xo, Liz
http://lipstickandconfetti.com
We love this simple contour! Subtle and stunning. Definitely something we want to try here at HQ.
xo,
The Newsette
Beautiful! Such a pretty look for summer!
Laura
http://laurelandfern.com/
Such a pretty/ easy look, I love highlighting my cupids bow too! xox
withlovefromamber.blogspot.co.uk
Hello! I’m in love with her lipstick! can you give us a link? 😉
Ok so this contouring fad has never worked well for me. I have a contour kit, I tried and the results…..less than satisfactory. But although I have a blush brush and a highlighting brush, I think what I’m using as a bronzer brush is a bit too big for the job. And I’ve definitely not been applying it properly (going down my cheekbones).
will have to try anew.
This looks gorgeous http://www.hannamarielei.com
Love this! And that blush color is PERFECT!
http://www.breakfastatvogueblog.com/
I love your hair! Couldn’t take my eyes of it 🙂
It looks really good! I’m loving the look x
http://jessicawoods.fr/blog/
What kind of foundation do you use? I have fair skin like you but have trouble getting such an even skintone
Can we get a tutorial on how she did her eyes and brows! They are perfection! I must duplicate this!
So cute…you gorgeous dear, love the makeup tips
https://fashionmandate.net/2016/05/31/summer-favourites/
Please discuss those gorgeous eyebrows next!!!
The photos are a little too bright to see a difference before and after… but I love that you shared some of your fave products. I love anything makeup related, so thanks 🙂 🙂
YES! What lippie is this?? Gorgeous!!
That’s beautiful!
http://poshpossibilities.blogspot.com/
Wow, that looks amazing! I will definitely try that, so it’s probably time to get some bronzer… Thanks for sharing!
https://www.makeandmess.com/
I usually skip contour because I find it looks unnatural in real life, although it looks good in pictures. This I might try, because it looks lovely and so natural on you! The rest of your make-up looks amazing too, wish I could pull off a large wing like that!
I have been loving the Urban Decay Highlighters! They are super creamy and give wonderful pigment!
http://thatsmagsforyou.com
I’m SO contour-challenged; Ha! Could you do a quick video of this sometime?!
Loving this technique… and this hair color is AMAZING!!!
Kisses,
Sarah
EverydayStarlet
She has a Youtube channel with a video wearing this makeup… the lip color is a combo of Colourpop Ultra Satin Lips in Spritz + Botanical.