How to Contour for Your Face Shape

Makeup Blog

4 min read

This week, we're teaching you how to contour for any face shape which will work well with last week's lesson on how to apply highlighter. Contouring is a deepening of the skin to create a shadow and bring out what is next to it, so it is generally applied alongside highlighting techniques. The highlighter is applied to the areas you want to bring attention to and contour is applied to the spots you want to lessen the focus on. Blending, highlighting and contouring will give you the most natural look possible.

How to Contour Your Face

When choosing a contour shade, try to use a bronzer, foundation or concealer that is a shade darker than your skin tone. It should be a matte product because they absorb more light, creating shadows, as opposed to a shimmer product that reflects light like a highlighter. For the most natural look, remember that warm skin tones look best in products with yellow undertones and cool skin tones look best with pink undertone products. Below are jane iredale products we use to contour:

Any darker PurePressed Base Mineral Foundation that is a shade or two darker than your skin tone.
So-Bronze Bronzing Powder.
The GreatShape Contour Kit, which has the contour, highlighter, and blush shade in one palette.

The Best Contour Makeup from jane iredale

Bittersweet PurePressed Base$42.00

So-Bronze$39.00

GreatShape Contour Kit $49.00

Face Contouring Guide for Each Face Shape

When highlighting and contouring, the goal is to work toward a more oval-looking face; this is thought to be the ideal face shape. Using the below techniques, you’ll learn how to change the appearance of the face, be it shortening or slimming your jawline, rounding off a square hairline, or emphasizing your cheekbones. Before we get into the makeup application, you will need to know your face shape so you know what attributes to emphasize and where to contour.

Find Your Face Shape

To find your face shape, stand in front of a mirror with your hair pulled back. Then, carefully outline your face on the mirror with a bar of soap (you could use lipstick, but soap is easier to wash off). Now, look at the outline and compare it to the nine face-shape descriptions below.

If Your Face is...

OVAL FACE

Characteristics	How to Contour Your Oval Face
The proportions of the forehead height balance with the chin. Both the hairline and jaw are delicately curved. Cheekbones are sculpted but not overly prominent.	Contour your hairline and under jawline. Highlight your cheekbones. Add blush under your cheekbones or apples of your cheeks.

LONG FACE

Characteristics	How to Contour Your Long Face
You have a high forehead. Your chin is long. Because of the length, the cheekbones can look flat and lack lift.	Contour your temples, top of your hairline and under your chin. Highlight your cheekbones and temples. Add blush sparingly, on the apples of your cheeks.

ROUND FACE

Characteristics	How to Contour Your Round Face
The line of your forehead, cheeks and chin combined almost form a circle. The width of your face is almost the same as the length. Fuller cheeks often make the definition of the cheekbones look flat.	Contour your temples and under your cheekbones. Highlight your chin and the center of your forehead. Add blush under your cheekbones.

SQUARE FACE

Characteristics	How to Contour Your Square Face
You have a strong bone structure. Your jawline is angled at the sides. Your hairline is wide and angled.	Contour the corners of your hairline and the corners of your jaw. Highlight your cheekbones, chin and the center of your forehead. Add blush under your cheekbones.

RECTANGLE/OBLONG FACE

Characteristics	How to Contour Your Rectangular / Oblong Face
Your face is longer than it is wide. Your cheekbones are long and straight.	Contour your temples, top of your hairline, sides of your jawline and under your chin. Highlight the center of your forehead. Add blush to the apples of your cheeks.

TRIANGLE FACE

Characteristics	How to Contour Your Triangle Face
Your forehead is narrower and more rounded than your jawline. Your jawline can appear angular. You cheekbones may be lost because of your wider jaw.	Contour your jawline and under your cheekbones. Highlight your temples. Add blush under your cheekbones.

DIAMOND FACE

Characteristics	How to Contour Your Diamond Face
Your forehead and chin are slightly narrow and rounded. The center of your face is proportionally wider than the top and bottom. You have very prominent cheekbones.	Contour the center of your forehead and your chin. Highlight your temples and jawline. Add blush to your cheekbones or the apples of your cheeks.

INVERTED TRIANGLE FACE

Characteristics	How to Contour Your Inverted Triangle Face
You have an angular forehead. Your forehead looks proportionally wider than your rounded, longer chin.	Contour the center of forehead and your chin. Highlight your temples and jawline. Add blush to your cheekbones or the apples of your cheeks.

HEART-SHAPED FACE

how to contour for your face shape, contouring a heart face

Characteristics	How to Contour Your Heart-Shaped Face
You have an angular forehead. Your forehead looks proportionally wider than your rounded, longer chin. You have a “widow’s peak” hairline.	Contour your temples and the center of your chin. Highlight your jawline. Add blush to your cheekbones or the apples of your cheeks.

Practice Makes Perfect

Show us how you’ve perfected contouring and highlighting! Post pictures on Instagram of your best looks and tag us using @janeiredale and #friendfavorite for your chance to be featured on our page.