Ombre, Baking, Contour… 13 Beauty Terms & What They Mean!

From baking to plopping, it feels like we have a hip new word in the beauty dictionary almost every second day, doesn’t it? Now that can become a tad bit challenging for someone who likes to be on top of their game as far as new beauty terminology goes. All the latest beauty methods and trends have got to be taken seriously, after all. So to make things simpler for you, we list out some of the latest beauty terms and their meanings. Read on, you beauty geek!

1. Baking

It isn’t the same as baking brownies, ladies. Baking, in the language of beauty, is using a loose, translucent powder to set your base/ foundation well, particularly in the undereye area. Apply your concealer as you would normally and then apply your powder, but don’t blend it just yet. Work on the rest of your makeup (say your lipstick and eyeliner) and allow the powder to ‘bake’ for a few minutes. The powder that sits on your face for 5-10 minutes, allows your body heat to seal the product in and give a flawless look to your skin. When you do blend it, it won’t form those annoying creases around your eyes and will have a more natural finish. So get set, bake!

2. Contour

Image: Kim Kardashian West on Instagram Not all of us are blessed with a perfectly defined jawline and high cheekbones. Hell, we look gorgeous anyway! However, for those who want to go that extra mile to give a sculpted illusion to their facial features, contouring is what you need to master. This involves using a shade 2-3 times darker than your skin colour and applying it just under your cheekbones, along your jawline and on the top part of your forehead. Blending this well will give you the desired look. Now you know the secret to all those perfect celeb selfies!

3. Decolletage

This is basically the top part of your torso. Wearing a low neckline dress or blouse leads to flaunting your décolletage (read: cleavage). Nothing like slight body shimmer on that sexy collarbone and chest area, we say!

4. Ombre

Image: Shutterstock For the experimental fashionistas out there, this is a term you MUST be familiar with. Ombre is a gradual blending of one colour to another. It can refer to anything from eye makeup to nail art and most commonly to hair. Ombre hair is when your hair around the roots is a darker shade than the ends of the hair strands. This sure looks super cool and a fashion term that should inspire many of you to book a hair colour appointment right away!

5. Multimasking

If you have more than one skin problem, this is a term to live by, ladies. Oily forehead? Blackheads on the nose? And dry cheeks? Treating all these problems in one go would be called multimasking – an oil-absorbing mask on the forehead, a hydrating face pack on the cheeks and a charcoal mask on the nose and the rest of your T-zone. Sounds hectic but it’s definitely a smart move, ladies. All in one!

6. Strobing

Image: Aditi Rao Hydari on Instagram This could be a shimmery highlighter or a foundation lighter than your skin tone – apply it on areas of your face that would naturally get highlighted if sunlight was to fall on you, and become a pro at strobing! Your skin has never looked this glowy. Easy peasy!

7. Waterline

Here is where most of us apply kajal on a daily basis. The inner part of your lower eyelid is what we’re talking about. Applying a white or black kajal on this part gives your eyes a well-defined look.

8. Tightlining

Image: Mizzu Cosmetics on Instagram Have you ever noticed that gap between your lashes and your eyeliner? That is why you should tightline. Similar to waterlining, tightlining is basically applying eyeliner in-between your lashes on your upper lids. It can be a bit tricky at first, but nothing that a bit of practice can’t fix. This makes your lashes look fuller, and helps your eyeliner look flawless without really making your eye makeup seem OTT. A smart tactic, isn’t it?

9. Plopping

This is a boon for girls with curly hair as it gives you much better defined curls with loads of bounce. It entails applying your fave products on your freshly shampooed hair and wrapping it with a soft tee. Lay out a cotton tee or a microfiber towel on your bed, bend over and place your curls in it and tie the tee/ towel around your head. Leave this on till your hair is dry, you may feel a little ridiculous with it on but once you take it off, watch your luscious locks dazzle everyone. Hello bouncy, gorgeous mane!

10. Balayage

Image: Hailey Brick on Instagram Another quirky but awesome method for colouring your hair, this involves applying hair colour in a freehand, painting strokes kinda motion to give your locks a natural looking, sunkissed look. Super cool and oh-so-trendy, this.

11. Cut crease

Makeup geeks, you must be clued into this one. Cut crease means giving your eye area a sharper look by applying a dark coloured eyeshadow on the crease of your eyelid. This looks dramatic and if done right, it can add so much to your look!

12. Lob

Image: Sonakshi Sinha on Instagram We’re all familiar with a bob haircut. But what if you get a bob cut but maintain the long length of your hair? It becomes a longer version of a bob or ‘lob’. We quite like the look of a lob, ladies.

13. Root stamping

This is a technique to make your lashes look elaborate and gorge! As you apply your mascara, press the brush on the roots of your lashes to make them appear thicker and fuller, and your root stamping is in place. This is for those dinner and cocktails when you want to look nothing short of stunning! Featured Image: Shutterstock