Bronzing and Contouring At It's Best

First off, what is the purpose of contouring and bronzing your skin. Contouring is a makeup technique where you use cooler, darker bronzer than your skin tone to create and emphasize natural shadows in your face giving you a more defined, angular appearance. First off, you will need the appropriate contour brush, the right bronzer for your skin tone and know the right areas of your face to contour.

1.  Brushes

Here are a couple of brush options but there are many out there.  Make sure you are using an angled brush.  The first one is the Elf Contouring Brush sold for $6 - this one is excellent.  Higher end is Mac for $38.  The brush depends on your budget and what feels good to you and your technique. 

2. Right Bronzer for Your Skin Color

The bronzer you use to contour should be only slightly darker than your skin tone.  For beginners, choose a powder bronzer but it must be a matte finish.  Matte means no shimmer or sparker to it. See below for options of bronzer varying in price ranges that are great ones for contouring. Powder-based bronzer is best for oily or normal skin. Cream- or gel-based bronzers work best for dry skin. Apply with finger or a sponge. As with most cream-based beauty products, it's important to blend well into skin or you risk looking like a clown.  Mix in a bit of bronzer powder into your moisturizer for an all-over, but slight, glow.

Elf Contouring Blush and Bronzing Powder $4

Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer $8.99 (this one smells like the beach)

Physicians Formula Bronze Booster Glow-Boosting Pressed Bronzer $14.99

NYC Sooth Skin Bronzing Face Powder in Sunny $3.62

NARS Bronzer in Laguna $39

                NYX Highlight and Contour Palette $24.99 - this palette is great because it offers a variety of bronzer shades as well as highlight and setting powder.

And for those experts this liquid bronzer is amazing! It's a hefty $40 but I love it!

Here are a couple of shimmery bronzers that you can use on the top of your cheek bones to give you that sun kissed look.

Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips $12.95

Smashbox Baked Fusion Soft Lights $32

3.  Contour Method

Cheekbones

The key to contouring is using a light hand and practicing.  Building up the bronzer to your desired color is an easy way to not get too much bronzer on.  It will take practice at first. Locate the hollow of your cheekbones, easy to do the fish face to see where they are.  The shadow should fall directly in the hollow while still maintaining the fish face. Take the angled contour brush in your bronzer and trace the diagonal line, beginning at the top of the cheek just below the temple and brushing downward toward your mouth. After a few swipes, a line should begin to build here.   If you think you have too much bronzer on in that area, just blend it with your fingers, it will make it more natural looking.  The purpose of bronzing this area will really give you a more slim look to your face, especially if you have a round face shape. This will make your cheekbones POP!

Jawline

This defines your face more. It can easily disguise double chins and it really separates your face from your neck. It also adds shape to your whole face.

Temples

The purpose is to make your face a little more oval in shape. Follow up your temples to your hairline and blend it in.

Nose

This technique just to define your nose so that you wouldn't look flat in pictures.  Blend the bronzer on the sides of your nose from the bridge straight down. This will make your nose appear longer and thinner.

Eye Crease

The purpose of contouring this part is to create the illusion of depth in the eyes. It adds drama to any makeup, and make your eyes pop out and really three dimensional.

Inner Corner of Eyes

Use bronzer in the inner corner of your eyes to make your nose appear narrower and your eyes deeper by adding shadow on this area.

I hope that this has been helpful for you in giving you options for bronzers that are good for contouring.

Bronzing

If you are just looking to add some color to your face and not get involved with contouring here is the best method for bronzing your face.  To apply, use a big brush dipped generously in the powder. Tap off the excess before applying to your skin.  Apply first to the cheeks, moving up in a "c formation" to the temples. The key here is to blend, blend, blend. For the nose, avoid a brown stripe by using a gentle touch here and blend, blend, blending. You don't want to skip the nose because our noses naturally get sun, but you do want to be careful. Move on to the neck, applying to the front of the neck, blending in.