Lipstick for Laughs: September 2014

Today I am going to share with you my everyday highlight and contour routine! I used to highlight and contour for only special occasions, but I became a little addicted to it! I ended up creating an everyday look that tones and shapes my face, and most importantly, natural looking for everyday makeup wear! Remember this, highlighting and contouring should look natural!! Am I guilty of going a bit overboard at times? Yes. Like I said, I get a little too into it. Butttttt...overall I know it's important to keep it natural. No one should look at your makeup and say "wow, your contour looks so good!". Haha, kind of defeats the purpose of people actually thinking you have perfectly sculpted cheek bones. ;-) Yes yes, I am jealous of those of you who do, because we know you're out there.

Okay, enough of ranting. Let's get to it. My favorite products will be listed below.

Highlighting and things to remember:

1. Grab a concealer that will conceal under eye circles. Also grab a concealer 2 shades lighter than your skin tone (pink brightens and cancels out purple tones and a yellow-based concealer may look more natural over top of a pink toned concealer).

2. Use a lighter color (almost white-ish) powder to set concealer. Be careful with this, if you use a translucent powder that absorbs oil it could make your under eye area appear dry and cakey.

3. Use a shimmery highlighting powder to pat over areas of the face where light is most likely to hit. These areas include: middle of forehead, bridge of nose, upper lip, middle of chin, and high points of cheek bones.

4. Let's not forget the tools needed for this look! A sponge will flawlessly blend your concealer into your foundation or skin. No sponge compares to the original Beauty Blender! ... when I find a dupe I'll let you know. :-) For now, It's worth the price tag. A small brush will do the trick for highlighting the high points of your face. My favorite brush for this is the Sigma F35 Tapered Highlighter Brush, but honestly any small brush will do.

My highlighting picks:

- Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer in "Brightening" $

- Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in "Sand" $

- MAC Cosmetics shaping powder in Emphasize $$

- Beauty Blender sponge $$

- MAC Cosmetics Mineralize SkinFinish in Soft & Gentle $$

Contouring and things to remember:

1. Find a bronzer a couple shades darker than your skin tone. Don't go overboard on this, this is just a natural shadow on your face. If you use something too red or too muddy, it will not look natural! See below for my bronzer pick.

2. Suck your face in like you're making a fish face. Say hello to your cheek bones! We are going to contour right around this area, making sure to not come below the outer edge of the iris of our eyes. Sounds complicated--basically go halfway down your cheek and nothing more. A lot of people make the mistake of dragging their contour all the way down their cheek bones, and in my opinion this can look unnatural.

3. Remember you are creating depth and structure to your face. Apply your bronzer in these areas: your cheek bones, temples, below lip, and the top of your forehead. Be careful to not apply too much on the very top though... it can drag your forehead down and make you looked smushed! :-)

4. And the very last thing... BLEND! We don't want to have crazy harsh lines. Blend those contours out so everything looks nice and even. Viola! You're done!

My contouring picks:

-Benefit Hoola bronzer $$

-Benefit Hoola brush $$

-Duo Fiber brush for blending $

Picture Steps:

1. Apply your pink tone concealer.

2. Blend with sponge.

3. Apply yellow toned concealer to high points of face in a V shape following your cheek bones. This will give you an instant face lift! Yeah, you'll look kind of crazy. :-)

4. Blend, blend blend!

5. See what a difference only that has made!

6. Apply a bronzer to hollows of cheek bones.

7. And to other points of the face you'd like to tone.

8. I love me some Hoola!

9. Now to set and highlight. Grab your powder.

10. Set with your powder and add shimmery highlighter to any part of the face that light would naturally hit (high points of cheeks, above eyebrow, top lip, bridge of nose, middle of forehead).