How to Contour a Round Face: Your Guide to Sculpted Perfection

Hey there, gorgeous! So, you’ve got a round face and you’re wondering how to contour it to perfection? Well, you’ve come to the right place! As someone who’s spent years perfecting the art of contouring (and yes, making plenty of mistakes along the way), I’m here to spill all my secrets. Grab your favorite beverage, get comfy, and let’s dive into the wonderful world of contouring for round faces!

The Round Face Dilemma: Embracing Your Shape

First things first, let’s talk about round faces. If you’ve got a round face, you’re in good company. Think Selena Gomez, Chrissy Teigen, and Ginnifer Goodwin – all absolutely stunning with their round faces. The key is not to try to completely change your face shape (because, hello, you’re gorgeous as you are!), but to enhance and define your natural features.

Round faces are characterized by soft angles and equal width and length. Your cheeks are likely the fullest part of your face, giving you that sweet, youthful look. But I get it – sometimes you want to create the illusion of more definition, and that’s where contouring comes in.

Contouring 101: What Even Is It?

Before we jump into the nitty-gritty, let’s break down what contouring actually is. In simple terms, contouring is the art of using light and shadow to reshape and define your face. It’s like sculpture, but with makeup!

The basic principle is this: dark colors recede, while light colors bring features forward. By strategically placing darker and lighter shades on your face, you can create the illusion of sharper cheekbones, a more defined jawline, and a slimmer nose.

Now, I know what you’re thinking – “But all those contouring tutorials look so complicated!” Don’t worry, my friend. We’re going to break this down into easy, manageable steps that even a contouring newbie can master.

Tools of the Trade: What You’ll Need

Before we start painting that beautiful face of yours, let’s make sure you’ve got all the right tools. Here’s what you’ll need:

1. Contour product: This can be a cream, powder, or even a stick. For beginners, I recommend starting with a powder as it’s more forgiving.
2. Highlight product: Again, this can be cream or powder. Choose one that’s 2-3 shades lighter than your skin tone.
3. Fluffy brush: For blending out your contour.
4. Angled brush: For precise application of contour.
5. Beauty blender or sponge: For blending out cream products.
6. Fan brush: For applying highlight (optional, but it makes life easier).

Remember, you don’t need to break the bank here. There are plenty of great drugstore options that work just as well as high-end products. It’s all about how you use them!

Prep Work: Creating the Perfect Canvas

Now, before we dive into contouring, we need to make sure your skin is prepped and ready. Here’s my go-to routine:

1. Cleanse: Start with a clean face. Use your favorite cleanser to remove any dirt or oil.
2. Moisturize: Hydrated skin is happy skin! Apply a lightweight moisturizer all over your face.
3. Prime: A good primer will help your makeup stay in place all day. Plus, it creates a smooth surface for application.
4. Foundation: Apply your foundation as usual. Remember, we want this to look natural, so choose a shade that matches your skin tone perfectly.
5. Concealer: If you need it, dab some concealer under your eyes and on any blemishes.

Pro tip: If you’re using cream contour products, apply them before you set your foundation with powder. If you’re using powder contour, set your foundation first.

Mapping Your Face: Where to Contour

Okay, here’s where the magic starts to happen. For round faces, our goal is to create the illusion of length and definition. We’re going to focus on a few key areas:

1. Cheekbones: This is the star of the show for round faces. We’ll be creating shadow just below your cheekbones to make them pop.
2. Jawline: A little contour along the jawline can give the illusion of a more defined face shape.
3. Temples: Adding shadow here can help elongate your face.
4. Hairline: A touch of contour around your hairline can help balance out your features.
5. Nose: Optional, but a little contour on the sides of your nose can make it appear slimmer.

Now, I know this might sound like a lot, but trust me, once you get the hang of it, you’ll be able to do this in your sleep!

The Main Event: How to Contour a Round Face

Alright, it’s showtime! Here’s your step-by-step guide to contouring a round face:

Step 1: Cheekbones

This is the most important step for round faces, so let’s start here.

1. Suck in your cheeks (yes, make that fish face!).
2. See that hollow beneath your cheekbone? That’s where you want to apply your contour.
3. Using your angled brush, start from your ear and follow that hollow, stopping about an inch from your mouth.
4. Remember, we’re going for a soft shadow here, not a harsh line.

Pro tip: If you’re having trouble finding your cheekbone, place your index finger on the top of your ear and your thumb on the corner of your mouth. The line between them is where your contour should go.

Step 2: Jawline

1. Starting from your ear, apply contour along your jawline.
2. Blend it down slightly onto your neck to avoid any harsh lines.
3. Focus the product on the area just beneath your jawbone to create definition.

Step 3: Temples

1. Apply a small amount of contour to your temples, blending up into your hairline.
2. This helps to elongate your face and balance out the roundness of your cheeks.

Step 4: Hairline

1. Lightly apply contour around your hairline, focusing on the center of your forehead and the sides.
2. Blend well – we’re going for a natural shadow, not a visible line.

Step 5: Nose (Optional)

1. If you want to slim your nose, apply a thin line of contour down each side.
2. Start at the bridge of your nose and bring the lines down to the tip.
3. Be very light-handed here – it’s easy to go overboard!

Blending: The Key to Natural-Looking Contour

Now, here’s the secret to flawless contouring: blending, blending, and more blending! Harsh lines are a dead giveaway that you’re wearing contour, and we want this to look natural and effortless.

1. Take your fluffy brush and blend out all your contour lines in small, circular motions.
2. Pay extra attention to the edges of your contour, making sure there are no visible lines.
3. If you’re using cream products, a beauty blender works wonders for creating a seamless finish.

Remember, you can always add more product if needed, but it’s much harder to take it away. Start with a light hand and build up gradually.

Highlight: The Yang to Contour’s Yin

Contouring is only half the battle. To really make your features pop, we need to add some highlight. Here’s where to apply it:

1. Cheekbones: Apply highlight just above where you contoured, on the high points of your cheeks.
2. Bridge of nose: A stripe of highlight down the center of your nose can make it appear straighter and slimmer.
3. Cupid’s bow: A touch of highlight here makes your lips look fuller.
4. Center of forehead: This balances out the contour around your hairline.
5. Chin: A dab of highlight on your chin can help elongate your face.

When it comes to highlight, a little goes a long way. We’re going for a subtle glow, not a disco ball effect!

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Look, we’ve all been there. Contouring can be tricky, and mistakes happen. Here are some common pitfalls to watch out for:

1. Going too dark: Your contour should only be 1-2 shades darker than your skin tone. Any darker, and it’ll look obvious and unnatural.
2. Not blending enough: I can’t stress this enough – blend, blend, blend!
3. Contouring too low on the cheeks: This can actually make your face look rounder. Keep your contour high on the cheekbones.
4. Using the wrong undertone: If you have cool undertones, use a cool-toned contour. If you’re warm, go for a warm-toned product.
5. Forgetting to set: If you’re using cream products, set them with a matching powder to make them last all day.

Contouring for Different Occasions

Now, you might not want to do a full contour every day (although if you do, more power to you!). Here’s how to adjust your routine for different occasions:

Everyday Look

Keep it simple. Focus on a light contour on your cheekbones and maybe a touch on your jawline. Add a bit of highlight to your cheekbones and you’re good to go!

Night Out

This is when you can go all out. Do the full contour routine, and don’t be afraid to add a bit more highlight for that glamorous glow.

Photos

Remember that cameras can wash you out. You might want to go a bit heavier with your contour for photos, but make sure to blend extra well.

Contouring with Different Products

We’ve mainly talked about powder contour, but let’s quickly touch on other options:

Cream Contour

Great for dry skin, cream contour gives a beautiful, dewy finish. Apply it before you set your foundation, and blend with a damp beauty blender.

Contour Sticks

These are super convenient for on-the-go touch-ups. They’re easy to apply, but make sure to blend well to avoid harsh lines.

Bronzer as Contour

In a pinch, you can use bronzer to contour. Just make sure it’s not too warm-toned or shimmery.

Taking Care of Your Skin

Remember, the best contour starts with great skincare. Here are some tips to keep your skin in top shape:

1. Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water to keep your skin plump and healthy.
2. Exfoliate regularly: This helps remove dead skin cells, allowing your makeup to go on smoother.
3. Use SPF: Protect your skin from sun damage, which can affect how your makeup looks.
4. Remove your makeup properly: Always cleanse your face before bed to avoid clogged pores.

Embracing Your Natural Beauty

Here’s the thing – while contouring can be fun and transformative, it’s important to remember that you’re beautiful just as you are. Round faces are youthful, sweet, and totally gorgeous. Contouring is a tool to enhance your features when you want to, not something you need to do every day.

Some days, you might want to go full glam with a perfectly contoured face. Other days, you might just want to slap on some tinted moisturizer and call it a day. Both are perfectly okay! Makeup should be fun and make you feel confident, not like a chore.

Practice Makes Perfect

Like any skill, contouring takes practice. Don’t get discouraged if your first few attempts don’t look like the Instagram models you see. Those people have years of practice (and often, professional lighting and photoshop).

Try practicing your contouring technique when you have some free time at home. Play around with different products and techniques to see what works best for you. Take selfies in different lighting to see how your contour looks. And most importantly, have fun with it!

Wrapping It Up

Whew! We’ve covered a lot of ground, haven’t we? From prepping your skin to avoiding common mistakes, you’re now armed with all the knowledge you need to contour your round face like a pro.

Remember, contouring is an art, not a science. These guidelines are just that – guidelines. Feel free to adapt them to suit your unique face shape and personal style. Maybe you’ll discover a technique that works even better for you!

At the end of the day, makeup should be fun and make you feel confident. Whether you choose to contour every day, save it for special occasions, or skip it altogether, what matters most is that you feel beautiful in your own skin.

So go forth and contour, my round-faced friend! And remember, if anyone asks about your suddenly sculpted cheekbones, just wink and say it’s your little secret. Your makeup brush and I will never tell!