How to Contour Face for Older Women: Your Fabulous Friend’s Guide to Ageless Beauty

Hey there, gorgeous! So, you’ve decided to explore the world of contouring, huh? Well, grab your favorite cup of tea (or glass of wine, I won’t tell!), and let’s dive into the wonderful world of face sculpting for us fabulous older women!

I remember when contouring first became a big thing. It seemed like it was all about those Instagram-perfect, heavily sculpted looks that, let’s be honest, aren’t always the most flattering for those of us with a bit more life experience. But here’s the thing: contouring isn’t just for the 20-somethings. In fact, when done right, it can be an amazing tool for enhancing our natural beauty at any age. So, let’s chat about how we can use this makeup magic to our advantage!

Why Contouring Can Be Great for Older Women

Before we dive into the how-to, let’s talk about why contouring can be especially beneficial for us older gals:

1. It can help restore youthful contours: As we age, we naturally lose some of the definition in our face. Contouring can help bring back that sculpted look.
2. It can lift features: Strategic contouring can create the illusion of lifted cheekbones and a more defined jawline.
3. It can enhance our best features: Contouring isn’t just about creating shadows; it’s also about highlighting our favorite parts of our face.
4. It can be customized: Unlike some one-size-fits-all makeup techniques, contouring can be tailored to our individual faces and concerns.

Understanding the Basics: Light and Shadow

Okay, time for a quick art lesson (don’t worry, there won’t be a quiz at the end!). The key to understanding contouring is understanding how light and shadow work on your face:

• Light areas come forward and appear more prominent.
• Dark areas recede and appear less prominent.

That’s it! That’s the big secret behind contouring. We use darker colors to create “shadows” in areas we want to recede, and lighter colors to bring areas forward. See? I told you it wasn’t rocket science!

The Right Tools for the Job

Before we start sculpting that beautiful face of yours, let’s talk about what you’ll need:

1. Contour Product: For us older gals, cream or liquid products often work better as they’re less likely to settle into fine lines. Look for something that’s just a shade or two darker than your skin tone.
2. Highlighter: Again, cream or liquid is often best. Go for something with a subtle sheen rather than glittery sparkles.
3. Brushes: A small, angled brush for precise application and a larger, fluffier brush for blending.
4. Beauty Blender or Sponge: Great for blending cream products seamlessly.
5. Setting Powder: To lock everything in place without emphasizing fine lines.
6. Good Lighting: Natural light is best, but any bright, even lighting will do.
7. Magnifying Mirror: Trust me on this one!

Remember, you don’t need to break the bank. Start with what you have and upgrade if you feel the need later.

Prepping Your Canvas: Skincare is Key

Before we even think about makeup, let’s talk skincare. For us older women, a good skincare routine is crucial for a flawless makeup application:

1. Cleanse: Use a gentle, hydrating cleanser to remove any dirt or oils.
2. Exfoliate: A light exfoliation can help remove dead skin cells, but be gentle! Over-exfoliating can irritate mature skin.
3. Moisturize: Hydrated skin is happy skin. Use a rich moisturizer to plump up the skin and create a smooth base for makeup.
4. Prime: A good primer can help fill in fine lines and create a smooth canvas for your makeup.

Remember, makeup will only look as good as the skin underneath, so taking care of our skin is step one in any beauty routine.

Contouring 101: The Basic Technique

Alright, now for the fun part! Here’s a step-by-step guide to basic contouring for us older women:

1. Start with a well-moisturized face: Make sure you’ve done your skincare routine and applied your foundation and concealer as usual.
2. Find your cheekbones: Smile and feel for the apples of your cheeks. Your contour is going to go just beneath this, in the hollow of your cheeks.
3. Apply contour: Using your small, angled brush, apply your contour product in a line just beneath your cheekbone, starting from your ear and moving about two-thirds of the way towards your mouth.
4. Blend, blend, blend: Use your beauty blender or fluffy brush to blend the contour upwards into your cheekbone. The key here is to make it look like a natural shadow, not a stripe.
5. Contour your forehead: If you want to minimize your forehead, lightly apply contour around your hairline.
6. Define your jawline: Apply a light line of contour just beneath your jawline to define it. This can help create the illusion of a lifted neck.
7. Highlight: Apply highlighter to the high points of your face – the tops of your cheekbones, the center of your forehead, and on your cupid’s bow (that little dip above your top lip).
8. Blend again: Yes, more blending. Blending is the secret to natural-looking contour.
9. Set: Use a light dusting of setting powder to lock everything in place.

And there you have it! You’ve just contoured your face. Doesn’t it feel great to learn new tricks?

Contouring for Different Face Shapes

As we age, our face shapes can change. Here’s how to adjust your contour for different face shapes:

Round Face:

• Focus on creating shadows along the sides of your face to create the illusion of more length.
• Contour along your hairline, temples, and jawline.
• Apply highlighter down the center of your face to create the illusion of length.

Square Face:

• Soften your angular jawline by applying contour along the corners of your jaw.
• Focus highlighter on the center of your forehead and chin to elongate your face.

Heart Face:

• Contour along your temples and the sides of your forehead to balance out width.
• Apply highlighter to your chin to bring it forward.

Oval Face:

• Lucky you! Oval faces are considered the “ideal” shape for contouring.
• Focus on enhancing your natural bone structure.

Remember, these are just guidelines. Feel free to experiment and find what works best for you!

Contouring to Address Common Concerns for Older Women

Now, let’s talk about how we can use contouring to address some common concerns we might have as we age:

Sagging Jawline:

• Apply contour just beneath your jawline, blending downwards onto your neck.
• This creates the illusion of a more defined jawline.

Drooping Eyelids:

• Apply a light contour to your eyelid crease to create depth.
• Highlight just under your eyebrow to lift the whole eye area.

Thinning Lips:

• Apply a tiny bit of contour just below your lower lip.
• Highlight your cupid’s bow to make your lips appear fuller.

Double Chin:

• Apply contour in a V-shape under your chin, blending well.
• This can create the illusion of a more defined chin and neck area.

The Importance of Blending (Yes, I’m Mentioning It Again)

I know I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: blending is the key to natural-looking contour. Here are some blending tips specifically for older skin:

1. Use gentle, upward motions when blending to avoid tugging at the skin.
2. A damp beauty sponge can be great for blending cream products without disturbing your foundation.
3. If you’re using powder products, use a very light hand to avoid emphasizing fine lines.
4. When in doubt, blend more. You can always add more product, but it’s harder to take away.

Choosing the Right Products for Mature Skin

As we age, our skin changes, and so should our makeup choices. Here are some tips for choosing contouring products for mature skin:

1. Cream or Liquid Formulas: These tend to look more natural on mature skin and are less likely to settle into fine lines.
2. Hydrating Products: Look for contour and highlight products with hydrating ingredients to keep your skin looking plump and youthful.
3. Subtle Shimmer: When it comes to highlighter, opt for products with a subtle sheen rather than chunky glitter, which can emphasize texture.
4. Warm Tones: Generally, warm-toned contour products look more natural and flattering on mature skin.

The Power of a Light Hand

When it comes to contouring for older women, less is definitely more. We’re not trying to completely reshape our faces; we’re just enhancing our natural beauty. Start with a very light application and build up gradually if needed. Remember, it’s always easier to add more than to take away!

Contouring and Glasses

If you wear glasses, you’re in luck! Glasses can actually work in your favor when it comes to contouring. Here are a few tips:

1. Focus on contouring your cheekbones to balance out the weight of your frames.
2. If your glasses cast shadows under your eyes, use a bit more highlight in that area to brighten it up.
3. Don’t forget to blend your contour well around your nose where your glasses sit.

Day vs. Night Contouring

Your contouring technique might change depending on the occasion:

Daytime Look:

• Keep it light and natural.
• Focus on a subtle cheekbone contour and a touch of highlighter.

Evening Look:

• You can go a bit heavier with your contour for evening events.
• Add extra highlight for that candlelit glow.

Contouring and Your Overall Makeup Look

Contouring doesn’t exist in isolation – it’s part of your overall makeup look. Here are some tips for integrating contouring into your makeup routine:

1. Keep it Balanced: If you’re going for a more dramatic contour, keep the rest of your makeup subtle.
2. Consider Your Blush: Apply blush after contouring, focusing on the apples of your cheeks for a youthful glow.
3. Eye Makeup: A bit of contour in your eye crease can tie your whole look together.
4. Lipstick: Bold lips can balance out a stronger contour, while nude lips let your sculpted cheekbones take center stage.

Taking Care of Your Skin

I know I mentioned skincare earlier, but it’s so important it’s worth repeating. Great makeup starts with great skincare. Here are some tips specifically for mature skin:

1. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate: Use a rich moisturizer to keep your skin plump and minimize the appearance of fine lines.
2. Sun Protection: Always use SPF to protect your skin from further sun damage.
3. Gentle Exfoliation: Regular, gentle exfoliation can help keep your skin smooth, but don’t overdo it.
4. Eye Cream: The skin around our eyes is delicate, so use a good eye cream to keep this area hydrated.
5. Night Cream: Use a rich night cream to help your skin repair itself while you sleep.

Embracing Your Age

Here’s the thing: while contouring can be a fun way to enhance our features, it’s important to remember that our age is something to be proud of, not something to hide. Those lines on our faces? They’re signs of a life well-lived, of laughter and experiences.

Makeup should be about enhancing our natural beauty and, most importantly, having fun! Some days you might feel like going all out with a full contour, and other days you might prefer a bare face. Both are perfectly okay!

Practice Makes Perfect

Remember, contouring is a skill, and like any skill, it takes practice to master. Don’t get discouraged if your first few attempts don’t look exactly how you want them to. Even professional makeup artists had to start somewhere!

Try practicing your contouring when you have some free time at home. This way, you can experiment without any pressure. Plus, if it doesn’t turn out quite right, you can just wash it off and try again!

Adapting to Changes

As we age, our faces continue to change, and that’s okay! Be prepared to adapt your contouring technique as needed. What worked for you five years ago might need some tweaking now, and that’s perfectly normal.

Confidence is Key

At the end of the day, the most important thing is how you feel. If contouring makes you feel confident and fabulous, then go for it! If you prefer a more natural look, that’s great too. The most beautiful thing any woman can wear is her confidence.

Wrapping It Up

Phew! We’ve covered a lot of ground, haven’t we? From the basics of contouring to specific tips for mature skin, you’re now armed with all the knowledge you need to start your contouring journey.

Remember, these are all just guidelines. Makeup is an art form, and you’re the artist. Feel free to experiment, play around, and find what works best for you. Maybe you’ll discover a unique technique that makes you look and feel absolutely fabulous!

At the end of the day, contouring is about enhancing your natural beauty, not changing it. So have fun with your makeup, but never forget that you’re gorgeous just as you are, laugh lines and all.

Now go forth and sculpt those cheekbones, you timeless beauty! And if anyone asks about your suddenly more defined face, just wink and say it’s your little secret. Your contour and I will never tell!