CONTOUR

The whole point of contouring is to enhance or change the shape of your face with makeup, but its effects don't have to be all that drastic. The old contour and highlighting trends were about changing your whole face to look a certain way, but now it’s about embracing your natural shape

Just like the concept of contouring has changed, so has the order of the application. Before, you might have applied your foundation, then blended on some bronzer and highlighter. But now, Nicole says to first blend a cream or liquid highlighter over your cheekbones, then apply your foundation on top, and then finish with the contour to add dimension. Unfortunately for me, but luckily for you, I have experienced both the bad and the good sides of foundation. Which means I've now got a lifetime of tips and tricks that will revolutionize your makeup routine, so you'll never deal with another patchy, shiny, heavy mess again.

CONTOUR and BRONZER ain't the same.

I get it, you've got two products that look like virtually the same thing, but I promise they're not and they each serve a different purpose. First of all, a contour product is always, always matte. With contouring, you're creating depth to make the angles of your face pop more, so you need a product that can create the illusion of a shadow (and shadows aren't shimmer). When using bronzer, think sunlight, not shadows. The goal with bronzing is to create the illusion of a warmer complexion by blending the product (which, by the way, usually has a sheen or shimmer to it) where the sun would naturally hit your face: temples, nose, around the edges of your face, etc.

For your perfect contour, Nicole says you need a product three shades darker than your skin tone that keeps within your same undertone family.

As far as the actual application process, contouring with powder follows the same basic steps. First, apply the product where you want the color to be the most pigmented (more on that below). Then, use sweeping motions with your brush to blend out the harsh line and make it look more natural.Before getting started, make sure to lock your foundation in place by applying translucent powder. Feel free to work with whichever contour product you most feel comfortable with.