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Do you contour your face regularly?

Do you contour your face regularly? If so, what do you use?

I used to a lot, but I find I’m too lazy more often than not. I like MAC’s Sculpt, though.

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Paula Avatar

I try to do it subtly everyday (using something that is 1-2 shades darker than my skin tone), but for special events I do it more dramatically with darker powders.

Cheyenne *DemureAllure* Avatar

I fail miserably at contouring and I have yet to find a good bronzer. With fair skin like mine, everything looks orange. I think I might go on a Nars shopping spree and pick up Laguna bronzer

Kim Avatar

Hi Ilaria! I’m NW10-NW15. With Harmony, do you find you have to use a very light hand to get subtle results?

I’m trying to decide between MAC Harmony and MAC Prism for contouring. Have you ever tried Prism? I’ve read that it’s a neutral matte blush suitable for contouring, similar to Harmony.

Amy P Avatar

I’m fair too, finding a good contouring shade is hard! At the moment I use Coastal Scents contour palette (http://www.coastalscents.com/cfwebstore/index.cfm/product/1664/contour–blush-palette.cfm) — it’s much cheaper than Nars ($3 a pan, WHAT!), the pans are HUGE, and everything is matte, which I love. The shades aren’t 100% perfect for me, but it’s the best I’ve found so far. 🙂 My favorite Youtube guru, xsparkage demonstrates here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdkLvBJJsEM

bethm Avatar

Just wanted to share that I also have very fair skin and all the “sculpting” products I have tried (many of them) have all looked so damned orange that I gave up until it occurred to me to try a line of face powder for women of color! They have nice natural looking shades that have not one thing to do with orange and only run around $7.00- Cover Girl Clean pressed powder in Classic Tan is what I ended up with and it’s working out just great. Even all the high-end products were so orange I couldn’t stand it.

KEM Avatar

The best Bronzer has to be by Cargo… Laguna is a bore when put next to Cargos Bronzers I have both… I bought Laguna first and then picked up Cargo and never looked back. They have awesome bronzers. Cargos products are extremely underrated.

Mayra Avatar

i used to a lot but now i usually put it on when i wanna look older i have such a young face for my age its annoying when people confuse me for being 15 when im 20 so i find contouring really helps me look older and more defined

Clarice Avatar

Hey Christine and anyone else that can help. I am a nc40 in Mac and I want to know what is the best contour powder? I used guerlain mineral bronzer in dark its too orange and I used Nara casino and it’s kinda red but it’s okay. Any suggestions?

kurisu Avatar

Only when I apply blush. My face looks flat, so I think contouring helps provide more definition to my meager cheekbones. As always, if I wear face powder (occasionally), I will add a bit of bronzer to to jawline to prevent any “ashiness” during the winter due to dry skin – usually during the summer I don’t need bronzer. I think everyone should contour their jawline if their powder makes them a bit ashy – it really minimizes it! I love how the MAC 165 applies my bronzer!

I’m already lazy enough as it is because for the past two months, I probably wore makeup only 2 days out of each week… 😛

nicci Avatar

No, never have. Only had it done once at a beauty counter. I’m not crazy about how it looks & don’t have time in the mornings and likely just too lazy to do it!

Arantzazu Avatar

Depending on the day. I use the same products (or MAC blush in Harmony or MAC bronzer in Matte bronze), sometimes I do a fake light-tan and others I only do contouring…

Laura Hogarth Avatar

I never have but I’d like to give it a try! I’m so pale and pink though that I don’t know what I could use that wouldn’t turn orange or look silly on me 🙁

Katie Avatar

I only contour the hollows of my cheeks because I don’t have prominent cheek bones and it really makes a difference! I’m a very fair NW20 and I love NARS Laguna for this purpose. I only use it to contour so it lasts forever. 🙂

Sally Avatar

I do for special occasions. I like the Accentuate/Sculpt Duo from a few years back. I also like Mineralize Skin Finish in By Candlelight for highlighting cheekbones.

Hilary♥ Avatar

No, I never do that because I’m not good at contouring =( but I really wanna improve myself and be good at it – I think my face could look even better if contoured.

Ru Avatar

Never have (don’t know how!) and not sure it would work on my skin tone (MUFEHD155). I got Laguna as a sample and it matched my color- so I have no clue what to do with it!

Julie Avatar

I don’t ever contour because for one, I am just too lazy and I don’t have the time in the morning to do so. Second, I already have pronounced cheekbones so I don’t want them to stand out even more. Blame my childhood, everyone just loved to pinch my cheeks which I absolutely loathe =_=.

Faith Avatar

Yes! If I don’t I look like a ghost. I actually use an Ulta eyeshadow in Sable. I’m very fair, but my skin is rather neutral. Bronzers tend to be too orange (and also shimmery- I prefer a matte finish on skin).

Ashley D Avatar

I can’t find anything that will work for me. I’m pretty fair, NC 15 most of the year, and I can’t use bronzers. they either look orangey, too dark, or just make my face look dirty. I tried NYX taupe which is a cool brown but it was also too dark. it certainly did not look like a natural shadow. so I gave up! plus, it is too much trouble to do every day anyway. I can’t imagine getting up early for work and adding that extra step into the getting ready process, which is already quite long…

Brandon Avatar

I love to! I use Kid eyeshadow from MAC to contour, and I use this Radiance Creme from the discontinued Calvin Klein CK Cosmetics line to highlight. To me, its just as easy as putting blush on.

dolce aria Avatar

I do, sometimes. Often I just focus my blush color in the contour, and blend upwards. I’m pale, so most contour colors look unnatural on me. I like NARS Laguna, but I have to use a VERY light hand, since even THAT, and MAC prism, tend to look like dirt smears if the aren’t blended right. There’s very little natural pigment in my skin to make most bronzers/contours, etc. look natural.

Nicole Avatar

I don’t think my attempts at contouring have achieved anything special. I’m scared of overdoing it. I do use NARS Laguna a lot, but it works better for warming up my complexion than chiseling out my bone structure. Hahah.

Lizz M. Avatar

It was part of my everyday routine for a while, but now i’m just too damn lazy, ha. Even on the days that I have time to do it I just don’t.
The way I apply my blush is like a contour though (concentrating color on the backs of my cheeks and a little up my temples, so I can’t say I go completely without it. I’ve applied my blush like this since high school and I never knew why until I got really into makeup in college. When I was younger I just thought it made me look doll-like and i got compliments, ha. Now i get that it defines my face and what not.

tpzhearts Avatar

Yes! it takes seconds and makes my whole face look naturally slimmer. ( i have a round face shape) i use NYC sunny, it looks natural on my nc25 skin

Tracy Avatar

Yes!Every time if I put on makeup! I have a round face and I feel weird if i don’t contour my face. I like MAC mineralize skinfinish natural MEDIUM DARK the best, but I’m using ELF bronzing powder recently and fell in love with it. Applying cheek is also a must in my makeup. I can’t do a makeup without blush!

Mamavalveeta03 Avatar

No. For a night out, maybe. But as a makeup artist, I can tell you that most people that try it get it wrong. It is coming back into vogue somewhat, but it’s one of those trends that works best for black and white photography!

Tanya Avatar

Nope, my features are soooo sharp that I don’t need any. I do add a little highlighter on my cheeks before I put on foundation, it just adds a very light glow from within

Jessie Q Avatar

No, never. My cheek bones are defined as it is, so I really don’t worry about that sort of thing. (I’m too busy worrying about the problems I DO have – like dark circles under my eyes!)

I do wear blush though, to give me some color/life.

Paty Avatar

Yeah, everyday… I’d rather spend time contouring my face, than making a rainbow out of my eyeshadows… a nice sculpted face makes you look very pretty and natural… I usually use a foundation darker than my skintone, I’m NC30 and Mac Studio Tech in NW43 works really well for me, looks very natural, I like to blend it with a 130 brush.

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