During this lesson Branka taught the class about the popular trend of Highlighting and Contouring. With only slightly different techniques and products you are able to produce two very different looks – one has quite a dewy natural look while the other would compliment a full-face party makeup. Having missed the class I choose to practice both looks on one side of my face, Branka’s demo pictures were kindly given to me by Chelsey at http://chelseypaveymua.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/contouring.html
Contouring is a trick makeup artists and drag queens have been using for years. It is only recently that the trend has blown up thanks to celebrities such as Kim Kardashian. The trend also played a big part in the Hood by Air show at NYFW where models were unconventionally sent down the runway with unblended faces. Bright under-eye concealer, dark foundation and bronzer were all clearly visible on the model’s faces.
The collection was inspired by the idea of plastic surgery and the designer, Shayne Oliver wanted to “further explore the idea of self-alteration with his beauty looks”. Makeup artist Inge Grognard, from M.A.C Cosmetics, explained that designer Shayne Oliver specifically sent her images and YouTube videos of pre-blended contour as references. Despite this being an unconvential version of the popular highlight and contoured look, I feel that is makes a statement and shows the early stages of what women are now doing on a day to day basic - attempting to change their facial structure though illusions.
For health and safety please refer to Health and Safety post". As always, I cleansed the skin using Simple’s Cleansing Micellar Water to rid the face of any excess oils and makeup. With the change in weather I found my skin was more along the line of combination rather than my usual oily skin type. As a result I chose to use Clinique’s Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion focusing it on where I was driest, on my cheeks.
Next I applied my foundation with a Real Technique’s Buffing brush. The foundation I chose to go with was a recent purchase from Urban Decay called Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid foundation. I must say I love this foundation, when buffed into the skin it gives an almost airbrushed finish and is extremely light and doesn’t feel cakey. With the foundation’s amazing coverage I found I didn’t even need any concealer.
FIRST LOOK – NATURAL AND DEWY
To create my contour colour I choose to go with the Morag Ross Palette and took the colour slightly cooler with a touch of grey from the Krylon Supracolour Palette. I added the grey because I wanted my contour to look like a shadow as apposed to looking like bronzer, which would have warmed up the skin. I copied where Branka put the contour colour (see picture below) – along the cheekbone, down the nose, eye sockets, along the jawline and onto the temple and slightly onto the forehead. What this will do is bring these features back, slimming the face and making the area look smaller.
To create my highlight colour I used some of my foundation mixed with MAC’S Full Coverage Foundation, making a colour a few a shades lighter than my own skin. I added this colour along the tops of the cheekbone, above the brow and on the Cupid’s bow, chin, brow bone and center of the nose. By highlight these areas, they appear to be coming forward and are lifted higher. Once all blended I lightly added MAC’s Strobe cream on the highlighted areas.
Once your base is finished you’re free to complete the rest of the face (eyebrows, eyes, lips) as you wish.
Heres my attempt at recreating a more natural highlight and contour. I liked the results of the look and I took particular time in contouring the nose as this was something I had previously not done. I feel to improve next time I would use less powder and I feel I overpowdered which resulted in a more matte appearence. Conseqently the makeup looked more like the second look which was the full face.
SECOND LOOK – FULL FACE
The second look was a full face glam contour and can easily be spotted on many celebrities, especially Kim Kardashian who made the look extremely popular and mainstream alongside her makeup artist of over 8 years, Mario Dedivanovic.
For my highlight colour, I used same colour and technique of mixing as I had down for my other side. I also applied it to the same areas.
When it came to the contour colour I mixed two separate colours – on a medium tone and the other a darker shade. The medium shade was made using my foundation colour combined with a small amount of a darker MAC Full Coverage foundation. I applied this along my forehead, cheeks and jawline. The dark shade was made with the same technique as my dewy and natural side with the Morag Ross Palette with a slight grey undertone, which was added along the same places as the previous look. I then blended out the combination of shades creating a beautifully blended strong contour and highlight.
To intensify my highlight I used MAC’S Stobe cream topped with their Soft and Gentle highlighter.
This look is a lot more bold and heavier and would complement a heavier eye and lip look which would be worn out to a party or club.
Heres my attempt at recreating a full face highlight and contour. I liked the results of the look especially the highlighton the tops of the cheekbone and under the brow. I feel this highlight and contour look in particular works really well with the dramatic eyes and that I wore out at night.
References all viewed on day of post:
http://nymag.com/thecut/2015/09/was-hood-by-air-making-fun-of-contouring.html
(Kathleen Hou)
http://www.refinery29.com/2015/09/93920/hood-by-air-unblended-contouring-fashion-week-spring-2016
(Taylor Byrant, September 14th 2015)
http://www.look.co.uk/beauty/unblended-contouring-hood-by-air
(Anna Duff, September 16th 2015)