What is contouring?

Contouring helps to define your facial features through highlighting and shading techniques, emphasising those ares you wish to stand out and shading those you wish to recede. Blending properly is incredibly important and the overall effect should be subtle.

Is contouring something new?

While contouring has become incredibly popular in recent years, the technique it is based on is thousands of years old. Essentially it is the art of 3D drawing, using shading to change appearance.

This fascinating history of contouring charts its use over the last 500 years! From Shakespearean times to the present day.

Social media and posts from celebrities, make-up artists and others demonstrating their looks and use of contouring means we’ve all now heard about it, even if we haven’t tried it. The hashtag #contouring appears over 1 million times on Instagram!

Why contour?

Contouring can really change the appearance of your features, picking out the areas you want to emphasise and shade out those you don’t. For a special occasion, especially a night out, it can be very dramatic giving a bold effect. 

Who is contouring for?

Anyone! As we’ve seen it used to be the preserve of actresses and other celebrities but there’s no reason not to do contouring, if you’d like to give it a try. We’d recommend starting with powder products as they are easier to blend, then move on to cream based products when you are more comfortable.

How to do contouring?

Apply foundation and concealer first. Use a highlighter two shades lighter and a shader two shades darker than your natural skin colour. When you are first starting out try one shade lighter and one shade darker as your confidence builds. Make sure you apply shader and highlighter to best suit your features.  The Wow How app will take you through the process step-by-step. Create your avatar, then you can look and learn. Follow each stage of the process, with your very own virtual make-up artist so you can be sure you’re applying in the right places for your face shape.

Download the Wow How app to get a full contouring tutorial tailored to your features and skin tone

(Natalie Portman image source: https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/natalie-portman-interview-dior-motherhood-make-up)