Highlighting and Contouring for a Beautiful Natural Look

Highlighting and contouring is a popular YouTube tutorial subject, that in reality can be very difficult to execute. Done properly, this is an extreme art form that can dramatically adjust the look of ones features. But less than perfect execution likely yields less than desirable results.

Here are some simple and easy ways to highlight and contour the face while still looking natural. Like the best version of yourself, and not like you’re wearing a mask meant for someone else.

Highlighting means to bring forward while shading gives the illusion of receding. Used together helps each to become more prominent.

Things to help this. Shimmer reflects light.

Areas to highlight

• Eyelids
• Tops of cheekbones
• Inner corners of the eyes
• Cupids bow IF you don’t have an issue with vertical lip lines

Areas to avoid

• Down the centre of the nose and tip of the nose
• Centre of the forehead
• Brow bone under the eyebrow
• Cupid’s bow if you are prone to vertical lip lines (this will emphasise them)
• Centre of the forehead

Shade - make recede

Matte absorbs light helping to give the illusion of shading.

Areas to shade

• Under cheek bones
• Eye socket
• Around the hairline of the forehead and temples for a bronzed effect
• Under the jawline to define the jaw
• Under the chin to define the neck

Areas to avoid

• Too close into the inner corners of the eyes
• Too close in towards the corners of the mouth
• Down the edges of the nose (this is very specialised and could go very wrong very easily!)

Products used in this tutorial

As our highlighter we used:

• Aleph Radiance ~ Moon

As our contour we used:

• Aleph Cheek/Lip Tint ~ Terra

Other products used:

• Aleph Concealer/Foundation
• Aleph Serum/Primer