With some of the most revolutionary makeup techniques out there these days, doing up your face is no more just about beautifying it. In fact, it’s safe to say that makeup is a science now, what with multiple ways of sculpting your face in a way so effective that it can change the look of each of your features – from your jawbones to cheeks to your nose and your chin. Ladies, we’re talking about contouring, highlighting, strobing and draping. Let us explain to you what all these terms mean, so that you can pick the makeup technique that will suit you most!
1. Contouring
This technique requires you to pick deeper shades than your natural skin tone, that help contour or slim down any of your facial features. Like, for example, using a contour product on either side of your nose will make the bridge of your nose appear more defined and thin. This is a fairly heavy technique to sculpt your face and can be done for those special occasions. Deep browns and taupe is the colour palette that will suit Indian skin tones the most.
Here’s a contouring guide for beginners.
2. Highlighting
If you want certain features on your face to appear slightly glowy, lifted and prominent, highlighting is the technique you should go for. This technique involves using a product lighter than your skin tone to make the area where it is applied, appear slightly more light than the rest of your face. You should ideally apply this on your brow bones and cheekbones. The combination of contouring and highlighting is highly effective in giving your face a sculpted look.
Beginners, here’s your guide to highlighting.
3. Strobing
Strobing is another form of highlighting. The difference between the two is that for strobing, one uses a product that reflects light once applied. Pick your fave highlighter/ illuminator, and apply it on your brow bones, cheekbones, at the tip of your chin and on your cupid’s bow. Try it now, ladies.
4. Draping
If you want to add some colour on your face as you accentuate your features, draping is the makeup technique you need to master. It’s a very colourful way of giving your face structure. Draping is about using different colours and different formulas to create a structure that gives a rosy, flushed look to the face. Bronzers, blushes and tinted illuminators can be used to follow this technique.
Things to keep in mind:
Your skin type: If you have oily skin, make it a point to use powder-based contouring and highlighting products that will absorb the oil and give a mattified look to your face. Those of you with dry skin should use cream-based products like mousses or contour cream sticks.
The occasion: Keep in mind the occasion for which you’re dressing up. A more formal occasion calls for contouring and highlighting – a combination that’s the heaviest of all and one that will make you look quite made up. For a day out with your girls, go for draping – a comparatively lighter technique that gives out a very fresh and healthy vibe. On occasions when you don’t want to look too made up, yet be formal enough, highlighting should do the job, since that gives the skin a very dewy and glowing finish.
Colour or no colour: If you want to add some drama and colours to your face, draping is the technique you should opt for. This will also look stunning and sculpt your face too. Also, you must decide how much colour looks good on you. Too much of it might end up looking a tad bit cakey.
Try these out, ladies, and get ready to impress all with your trendy and stunning makeup methods!
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