Contour, highlight, illuminate

Contouring, highlighting, illuminating, concealing...I'm so confused!  But I'm starting to understand!

This blog helped me so feel free to check it out if you want a little lesson. Besides that, I will just show you some things and PRODUCTS I've been trying.

1. Foundation. You already know I like using Loreal lumi foundation with bare minerals on top but did you know I started applying my liquid foundation with the big bare minerals brush?  I love it!  Mostly because I don't get my hands dirty but it really gives a nice finish and easy application.  The key to all of today's lessons is blend blend blend!

2. Concealer/highlighting.  I just bought Maybelline instant age rewind concealer and so far so good.  Concealer should be lighter than your skin tone and it can be used to highlight/bring out parts of your face that you can read it about how to in the blog I linked earlier.  One trick I can share is how to erase dark circles under your eyes or in my case, how to erase my veins that pop through! Don't just apply concealer under your eyes.  Apply it in a down facing triangle covering under your eyes but going down your cheek as shown in my picture below.  This helps it blend into your face and not look like you were in a taming booth with goggles on if you know what I mean.  

3. Illumniator.  Illuminators are used to bring light to your face and give you the nice dewey look on your cheekbones and nose for example.  Refer to the blog I keep linking for more exacts on where to illuminate. Why do I have two concealers in my photo above?  Because one is a concealer lighter than my skin and the other is an illuminator by the same brand.  The illuminator is pretty light so I am still practicing how to wear it sparingly.  My husband thought I looked like a ghost so I'm still figuring out how to use it.  I think my second attempt went much better.  However there is another illuminator I really want to try that this girl uses in her youtube video.  It is Revlon photo ready skin lights in peach light...can't wait to get it.  

4. Contouring.  The photo above is where my husband thought I was too light from the illuminator however check out the contouring under my cheekbones!  I like the definition but let me tell you what's wrong.  A. I may need to blend it better so the line is not so harsh. B. I find the color too orange. I have read that you shouldn't use just any bronzer for contouring because it can be too orange.  Get something more taupe or grayish or even try a concealer darker than your skin tone.  In this photo I am using NYC Sun n bronze in Coney Island (maybe I should have bought a darker color?) While I'm still deciding how I feel about the color if using as a bronzer...I know what I'm going to try for contouring next.  It's from the girl's youtube video I linked.  I am going to try cover girl fix stick concealer in dark because it's a dark brown and doesn't look too orangey.

Here is how you should apply a contouring shade.  Make the fish face and sweep it in the hollows of your cheeks.  There are other areas you can contour as well like around your temples, going down the sides of your nose and your jawline.

5. Bronzer.  After being told I looked too white, I put the NYC bronzer all over my face.  This is what you should not do.  Check me out as an Oompa Loompa. 

6. Today I practiced again and am feeling pretty confident.  When applying a bronzer you should think of making the number 3 on each side of your face. Here is a pretty good photo I found online to show how.  You want there to still be light spots in your face and only have bronzer where the sun would naturally hit you.  This is where highlighting and illuminating help out as well.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVXl53__eARcwJp0ztYP_9N4tUzInC49i7oewubSwFTsZHgB0mVoY9_LIyAX1-l-AjjisX31bf5xrQGT7jgHpyN2MrRmtKa2FefnH_pkXmsWnpKIURwMbYW7blUevJuPpj8SEJ5OS7XQKV/s640/3.jpg

Doesn't it look more natural now?  Can you see how I have darker and lighter areas for where the sun would hit my face?  I also used my NYC sun n bronzer as eye shadows which I love! Last tip: If you want extra color, you can apply a little blush to the apples of your cheeks as well for that pretty flushed look.

A few extra product reviews just for fun: 

1. Have you signed up for Ipsy yet?  I received my first glam bag for $10. My favorite thing was the NYX butter gloss.

Some products are from the bag but I am also using my cover girl checkers bronzer and a gold eyeshadow not included but that I had at home.

I love my new revlon brow fantasy pencil and gel.  You've probably noticed I love the thick brow trend.

 

And finally here is one last photo of me contouring and highlighting but I'm using all random products not designed for it.  I  have my cover girl checkers bronzer in the hollows of my cheeks and a white shimmery eyeshadow to highlight my brow bones, nose and inner corners of my eyes.  It actually worked pretty well for improvising...