How to get the perfect facial contour

April 17, 2015 8:45 PM

Here are the much needed steps to an easy daily facial contour.

Facial contour

YouTube how-tos on contouring your face are a dime a dozen these days, but who has time to replicate a 15-step, 10-minute tutorial on a single beauty technique every morning?

Since most of us are looking for Lara Stone-type shading instead of a Kardashian contour on the daily, we found a simplified, low-maintenance, and more light-handed approach to A-list bone structure.

Here are the steps to an easy daily facial contour.

Prep skin with moisturizer and foundation, and use concealer to correct where needed.

Step one

Swirl a blush brush in a matte brown bronzer.

"The brown tone of this bronzer is perfect because it's not too orange- or red-based," said Lucero. "And the matte finish is important because it looks like the real shading of your skin as opposed to a bling-y, shimmery one, so this looks more natural."

Step two

Start the contour where your cheekbone meets your ear, and concentrate most of the color in that area.

As you drag the bronzer forward, sculpt your cheekbone using strokes that sweep upward to help lift the cheek.

"Don't use back-and-forth motions to sculpt because it'll make the color look stripey," advised Lucero.

Halt the color where the iris of the eye starts. "Bringing the color any further into the face can start to make the cheeks look muddy and dirty," she said.

Step three

Using a pencil brush, shade underneath the eye with the same bronzer.

Step four

Then use an eye shadow brush to contour the crease of the eye and create more of a 3D shape.

"Shade your crease with the eyes open so you can see the real shape of your lid," Lucero recommended. Here, Lucero used the fluffier side of the #15 brush.

Step five

Next, dip your blush brush in a shimmery bronze pressed powder blush.

Step seven

To highlight, choose a shimmery beige liquid.

"It leaves a sheen that isn’t frosty, and the liquid provides a more skin-like texture," Lucero revealed. "Powder highlighters look frosty and heavy, and you can see their texture."

Step eight

Apply three strokes of highlighter on top of the cheekbones. As with the bronzer, make sure to concentrate the color near the back of the face as opposed to the front.

Step nine

Blend in the product with a fluffy dome brush.

Step ten

Add whatever's left over on the brush to the inner eye along the tear duct and where the brow meets the nose. "This creates a window that catches the light on the eyes," explained Lucero.

Finished look

A contoured face that will still leave you time to eat breakfast in the morning.