Makeup Masterclass: Contour and Highlighting

Trixie Mattel at 'RuPaul's DragCon Los Angeles 2016

Hello again! Welcome back to my 3rd blogpost on my makeup journey using Jemma Kidd's 'Makeup Masterclass' book. In the last blogpost, I experimented with lip lining and filling (specifically for red lips), but in this post I'll be attempting something less bold, and more tame (that is, if you do it correctly of course).

Contour and highlighting is a makeup technique used to subtly enhance and re-sculpt features of your face, however if it is done incorrectly or too drastic, you end up looking more like Trixie Mattel (a drag queen who cakes on makeup in general in a comedic manner.)
With that being said I decided that for this post, I would hop onto the trend and attempt to contour and highlight my face. In the past I have highlighted my face and occasionally contoured my nose, but I had never really full on contoured my face, so this was quite the challenge.

For this technique you will need:
Powder or cream that is two shades darker than your skin tone (I used a 'Blackheart' Duo Contour and Highlight Stick)
Highlighter or Illuminator
Contour Brush, Angled Contour Brush, or Kabuki Brush (I used a 'Wet N Wild' Angled Contour Brush)

The instructions following Jemma Kidd:


Step one: for the first step I began by contouring the side areas of my face. I made sure to pay close attention and detail into the lines that I created as Jemma clearly notes "Bones are curved, so shadows are too- a hard edge looks false, while any shadow that goes beyond the point you want to deepen will destroy the illusion. Start with little product and add more as needed." I started my line close to my temple area and brought the line downwards, curving the line to my cheeks as I went further down. While following Jemma's instruction, in addition I followed the visuals she provided to make sure I was applying the contour in the correct format. By following the bone structure of my face, the contour later when blended makes the shadows created appear to be more realistic and blendable to my face, natural sculpture, and tone.

Step 2: I then began to contour my nose. My nose is more flared and larger than average. Because of this, I followed Jemma's instructions on flared nose contouring. Jemma states "to slim a wide nose,shade either side, starting from below the bridge and ending above the nostrils. A bulbous nose needs a touch of shade below the tip" I followed these instructions as exact as possible, but you will notice that I accidentally contoured from the bridge of the nose to the tip, instead of just under the tip, which does ruin the illusion and does not slim my nose as much as I desired.

Step 3: Now it is time for highlighting, for brightening and enhancing the features you have sculpted with your contour. I placed the highlight above my contour areas on the sides of my face to enhance cheekbones and deepen the shadow, and as for my nose, I drew my highlight in between my contour lines down the bridge of my nose and then on the tip of my nose, resembling an exclamation point. I also added highlighter on my chin, and inner forehead.

Step 4: Blend Blend Blend! using my Wet N Wild angled contour brush I began using up and down blending strokes to blend both my contour and highlight. After blending my look was complete.

Overall I do not think I did very well with my contour job. Although it is only my first time, the lines were very precise and the nose contour practically achieve nothing, due to the fact that i curved the line with my nose. I also think I should've used a darker contour stick, as it was to close to my skin tone. Although I did not do very well, I will continue to work on this technique to master it in the future. My question to you all is, what do you think I could to to do better on my contour?

Works Cited: 

Mattocks, Zia, Vikki Grant, and Jemma Kidd. Jemma Kidd Make-up Masterclass: Beauty Bible of Professional Techniques and Wearable Looks. London: Jacqui Small, 2009. Print.

Pictures Used 

http://www.gettyimages.com/pictures/trixie-mattel-13939863#cast-member-of-season-seven-of-rupauls-drag-race-trixie-mattel-at-a-picture-id464022672