Holy Grail Of the Month! Contouring and Highlighting!

I decided to start a Holy Grail monthly series in order to talk about my favorite products that I will probably never ever switch up!  In case I do I shall let you know. But for now, this is it!

Since I contour and highlight (C & H) my face, I have tried many different products to achieve this look. However, its only recently do I believe I found my Holy Grail (HG) products for contouring and highlighting.

In order to contour and highlight your face you need a few things to make this look achievable and flawless.  First you need to know where to apply your C & H on your face.  I have seen some videos where people apply it all over their face.  I mean not an ounce of skin is left visible.  To be honest, I find this disturbing.  First the person looks utterly fake and second the amount of product that is applied to that person's face is ridiculous.  They come out look like they have a mask on instead of natural looking makeup.  C & H helps to define certain aspects of your face to stand out.  Again its not for the whole face to stand out, but certain aspects to stand out.  The picture above shows the places where I apply your C & H to.  The white spots are for highlighted areas and the brown spots are for the contouring areas. 

One of the best products that I found that works wonders for contouring is the Soleil Tan de Chanel Bronzer.  This thing is amazing.  Not only does this product come in an amazing size jar (and for the price it better be) but it also has a creamy texture that blends well, glides on smoothly and does not look dirty or muddy when applied.  

This bronzer, since it is a cream product is best applied with a contouring cream Kabuki brush to help it pick up the product and blend it in well.  Chanel has a brush available that can be used with this product or you can buy a Kabuki brush either from Sigma Beauty or Blank Canvas Cosmetics as they both sell these great brushes for an awesome price. (Click here to read my full review on this bronzer and the Chanel brush). 

Remember when it comes down to contouring, the technique is to apply the bronzer to the hallows of the cheeks in a downward motion and stopping midway.  If you go to far down it will sculpt out your cheeks to much and make it look like drag queen makeup.  However if that is the effect you are going for then great.  If not, then you need to stop half way.  Once you have drawn those lines, you then need to draw lines on your temples, the sides of your forehead, sides of your nose, underneath your jaw bone, underneath the bottom of your lower lip and over the eye bone.  After that, you need to blend it in well as NO harsh lines can be left visible. 

M.A.C. Prep + Prime Pen Highlighters are amazing to highlight with.  They actually come in four different colors to pick from depending on your skin tone.   They are very creamy, blend well and have an amazing highlighting power that give your face a bright and alive look to it.  They really do make my highlighted areas stand out in a subtly way where its noticeable but not the "all up in your face" look either.

 These highlighter are a great way to C & H.  With this pen you would apply it to the middle of the forehead, down the bridge of your nose, the top of your upper lip, underneath your eyes, sides of your nose, sides of your jawbone and on your chin.  Once you have completed that, with a Kabuki brush you would blend this all into your face.  Make sure that when blending it in, your contouring makeup does not mix in with it as the highlighter might lighten your bronzer causing it to lose the effect you are going for.   

Tip of advise, make sure that when using any highlighter to pick a shade that is 2-3 shades lighter then your skin tone, max.  If you go to white you will look all raccoon eyed.  So stick within your face tone shade in order to not look like you applied your highlighter in the same way KISS wears their makeup.  

So far these two products are my holy grail for C & H!

Keep Smiling!!

Dayana