Beginner's Guide to Contouring and Highlighting Like a Pro

Contouring and highlighting have become makeup essentials, but let's be honest—they can feel intimidating if you're just starting out. Between choosing the right shades, figuring out placement, and mastering the blend, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. But here's the good news: with the right techniques and a little practice, anyone can contour and highlight like a professional makeup artist.

This comprehensive guide will break down everything you need to know, from understanding what contouring and highlighting actually do to step-by-step tutorials for different face shapes. Let's demystify these techniques and help you sculpt your best face forward.

What Are Contouring and Highlighting?

Before we dive into techniques, let's clarify what these terms mean and why they work.

Contouring

Contouring uses darker shades to create shadows and definition. By applying a shade 2-3 tones darker than your natural skin tone to specific areas, you can create the illusion of depth, making certain features appear more sculpted or recessed. Think of it as strategic shading that mimics natural shadows.

What it does: Slims the nose, defines cheekbones, sharpens the jawline, and adds dimension to a flat-looking face.

Highlighting

Highlighting uses lighter, often shimmery shades to bring forward and emphasize features. By applying light-reflecting products to the high points of your face, you create the illusion of height and draw attention to those areas.

What it does: Makes cheekbones appear higher, brightens under-eye area, makes your nose appear slimmer, adds a youthful glow, and creates dimension.

The magic: When used together, contouring and highlighting work like light and shadow in a painting, creating a three-dimensional effect that enhances your natural bone structure.

Choosing the Right Products

Contour Product Selection

Shade: Your contour should be 2-3 shades darker than your natural skin tone with a cool or neutral undertone. Avoid anything orange or too warm—you want to mimic natural shadows, which are typically cool-toned.

Formula options:

• Cream contour: Best for beginners and dry skin. Blends easily, looks natural, and is forgiving. Apply before powder products.
• Powder contour: Great for oily skin and more precise application. Apply after foundation and concealer. Easier to build gradually.
• Contour sticks: Convenient and portable. Good for targeted application. Works well for both cream and powder lovers.

Finish: Always choose matte for contouring. Shimmer or shine defeats the purpose of creating shadows.

Highlighter Product Selection

Shade: Choose a highlighter 1-2 shades lighter than your skin tone. The undertone should complement your skin—champagne or pearl for cool undertones, golden for warm undertones, and rose gold for neutral.

Formula options:

• Powder highlighter: Most popular and easiest to control. Buildable and long-lasting. Apply after all other makeup.
• Cream or liquid highlighter: Creates a more natural, dewy glow. Mix with foundation or apply to bare skin for subtle radiance.
• Highlighting stick: Convenient for on-the-go touch-ups. Easy to apply precisely.

Finish: Choose your intensity based on preference—subtle sheen for everyday, intense shimmer for nights out, or metallic for editorial looks.

Essential Tools You'll Need

The right tools make all the difference in achieving a professional finish.

• Angled contour brush: Perfect for precise placement along cheekbones and jawline
• Fluffy blending brush: Essential for seamlessly blending harsh lines
• Small precision brush: For contouring the nose and detailed work
• Fan brush or small highlighting brush: For applying highlighter to high points
• Beauty sponge: Great for blending cream products and softening edges

Pro tip: Clean brushes are crucial. Dirty brushes create muddy, uneven application.

Basic Contouring: Where to Apply

The key to natural-looking contour is knowing where to place it. Here are the main areas:

Cheekbones

Placement: Suck in your cheeks slightly to find the hollow beneath your cheekbone. Apply contour in this hollow, starting from your ear and blending toward the middle of your cheek (stop before reaching your mouth).

Technique: Use an angled brush and apply in a sweeping motion. Blend upward and outward, never downward, to lift the face.

Jawline

Placement: Along the underside of your jawbone, from ear to chin. This creates definition and can make your face appear slimmer.

Technique: Blend downward toward your neck to avoid a harsh line. The goal is a subtle shadow, not a stripe.

Forehead

Placement: Along your hairline, especially at the temples and sides of the forehead. This can make a large forehead appear smaller.

Technique: Use a light hand and blend well into your hairline. This area is often overdone, so less is more.

Nose

Placement: Along both sides of your nose from bridge to tip. This creates the illusion of a slimmer nose.

Technique: Use a small, precise brush and draw two thin lines. Blend gently with a clean brush or sponge. Avoid bringing contour too close to the center of your nose.

Basic Highlighting: Where to Apply

Highlighter goes on the high points of your face—anywhere light would naturally hit.

Cheekbones

Placement: On the top of your cheekbones, starting from the outer corner of your eye and sweeping toward your temple.

Technique: Apply in a C-shape motion. This is where you can be most generous with highlighter for maximum glow.

Bridge of Nose

Placement: Down the center of your nose, from between your eyebrows to the tip.

Technique: Use a light hand and a small brush. A thin line is more flattering than a wide stripe. Skip this if you have a wider nose you want to minimize.

Cupid's Bow

Placement: The dip above your upper lip (cupid's bow).

Technique: A small amount here makes lips appear fuller and more defined.

Inner Corners of Eyes

Placement: The inner corners of your eyes, near the tear duct.

Technique: This instantly brightens your eyes and makes you look more awake. Use your finger or a small brush.

Brow Bone

Placement: Just beneath your eyebrow arch.

Technique: This lifts the brows and creates definition. Blend well to avoid a harsh line.

Center of Forehead and Chin

Placement: A small amount on the center of your forehead and the center of your chin.

Technique: This brings these areas forward and balances the face. Use sparingly.

Step-by-Step Contouring and Highlighting Tutorial

Step 1: Start with a Flawless Base

Apply your foundation and concealer as usual. Make sure your base is even and well-blended before adding contour and highlight. Set your under-eye area with powder if using cream products.

Step 2: Apply Contour

Using your chosen contour product and an angled brush, apply to the areas mentioned above: hollows of cheeks, jawline, sides of forehead, and sides of nose. Start with a light hand—you can always add more.

Step 3: Blend, Blend, Blend

This is the most important step! Use a clean fluffy brush or damp beauty sponge to blend all harsh lines. Blend in circular motions and outward strokes. The contour should look like a natural shadow, not a stripe.

Step 4: Apply Highlighter

Using a fan brush or highlighting brush, apply highlighter to the high points: tops of cheekbones, bridge of nose, cupid's bow, inner corners of eyes, brow bone, and center of forehead and chin.

Step 5: Blend Highlighter

Gently blend the edges of your highlighter so it melts into your skin. You want a seamless glow, not glittery stripes.

Step 6: Set (Optional)

If you used cream products, lightly set with a translucent powder. If you used powder products, you're done! Step back and check your work in natural light.

Step 7: Final Touches

Apply your blush, bronzer, and the rest of your makeup. Finish with a setting spray to meld everything together for a natural, skin-like finish.

Contouring for Different Face Shapes

Customize your technique based on your face shape for the most flattering results.

Oval Face

Goal: Maintain balance (you're already perfectly proportioned!)

Technique: Light contour on forehead and under cheekbones. Focus on enhancing rather than changing your natural shape.

Round Face

Goal: Create length and definition

Technique: Contour the sides of forehead, temples, and jawline to create angles. Highlight down the center of your face (forehead, nose, chin) to elongate.

Square Face

Goal: Soften angular features

Technique: Contour the corners of your forehead and jawline to round out sharp angles. Highlight the center of your forehead and chin.

Heart-Shaped Face

Goal: Balance a wider forehead with a narrower chin

Technique: Contour the sides of your forehead and temples. Highlight your chin to bring it forward and balance proportions.

Long Face

Goal: Create width and shorten length

Technique: Contour along your hairline and under your chin. Highlight the sides of your forehead and outer cheekbones to create width.

Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Mistake #1: Using the Wrong Shade

The problem: Orange or muddy contour, or highlighter that looks chalky.

The fix: Choose cool-toned contour and a highlighter that complements your undertone. Test products in natural light before purchasing.

Mistake #2: Not Blending Enough

The problem: Harsh lines and obvious stripes.

The fix: Spend more time blending than applying. Use a clean brush or sponge and blend until you can't see where the product begins and ends.

Mistake #3: Applying Too Much Product

The problem: Heavy, unnatural-looking makeup.

The fix: Start with less and build gradually. It's easier to add more than to remove excess.

Mistake #4: Wrong Placement

The problem: Contour that doesn't enhance your features.

The fix: Study your face shape and follow placement guides. Take photos to see how it looks in different lighting.

Mistake #5: Using Shimmer in Contour

The problem: Defeats the purpose of creating shadows.

The fix: Always use matte products for contouring. Save shimmer for highlighting only.

Pro Tips for Natural-Looking Results

Less is more: Especially for daytime, subtle contouring looks more natural and modern than heavy sculpting.

Check in natural light: Artificial lighting can be deceiving. Always check your contour and highlight in daylight before leaving the house.

Match your formula to your foundation: Use cream contour with liquid/cream foundation, powder contour with powder foundation for the most seamless blend.

Warm up your contour: After contouring, apply a light layer of bronzer over it to warm up the color and make it look more natural.

Practice makes perfect: Don't be discouraged if your first attempts aren't perfect. Contouring is a skill that improves with practice.

Take photos: Your phone camera can reveal what your mirror doesn't. Take selfies to check your work from different angles.

Daytime vs. Nighttime Contouring

Daytime: Subtle and Natural

Use a light hand, focus on just cheekbones and maybe a touch on the nose. Choose cream products for a more natural finish. Keep highlighter subtle with a satin finish rather than intense shimmer.

Nighttime: Dramatic and Defined

You can be more generous with product and create more dramatic definition. Use powder products for precision and longevity. Go bold with highlighter—metallic and intense shimmer work beautifully for evening.

Quick Contouring for Busy Mornings

Don't have time for a full contour? Try this 2-minute version:

1. Apply contour stick to hollows of cheeks only
2. Blend quickly with a sponge or fingers
3. Swipe highlighter on cheekbones and inner corners of eyes
4. Done! You've added dimension in under two minutes

Final Thoughts

Contouring and highlighting are powerful techniques that can enhance your natural beauty and boost your confidence. While they may seem complicated at first, with the right products, tools, and techniques, anyone can master these skills.

Remember, the goal isn't to completely change your face—it's to enhance your natural features and create dimension. Your unique bone structure is beautiful, and contouring simply helps you showcase it.

Start with the basics, practice regularly, and don't be afraid to experiment. Watch tutorials, take photos of your progress, and most importantly, have fun with it. Makeup is an art form, and your face is the canvas.

Ready to sculpt your best face? Grab your contour and highlighter, and start practicing these techniques today. Before you know it, you'll be contouring like a pro!