Lots of makeup trends come and go, but one that’s not going anywhere is face contour. Don’t know how to contour? You’re not alone. For many makeup lovers, the technique seems brand-new.
But in reality, makeup artists have been doing it since the 1930s. That said, contour was seemingly brought to the masses more recently by makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic (also known as “Makeup by Mario,”) who’s known for creating Kim Kardashian’s famous sculpted features. And the rest is history.
According to celebrity makeup artist and Mary Kay ambassador Jaleesa Jaikaran , contouring is a way to transform your face shape . “You’re essentially creating an optical illusion on your skin using different shades of makeup to enhance your bone structure and features,” she explains That's another reason why so many celebrities swear by the technique: It's ideal if you're appearing on camera. “Contour can create the illusion of higher cheekbones, a slimmer nose, a more defined jawline, and other desired features, such as neck, forehead, and decollete,” says makeup artist and esthetician Amanda Gabbard .
“This sought after sculpted, snatched, defined look that contouring provides knows no bounds, and clients often ask me to make their ‘cheekbones pop,’ 'nose look smaller, and to 'thin out their jawline' using the technique. FYI, your contour doesn’t have to be as extreme as the makeup we see on the red carpet. There are different iterations of contouring—some more so.