How To Contour Your Face In Five Easy Steps

      It seems chiseling cheekbones has become a major red-carpet runway sport. But, before you go painting on calico-kitten stripes, read our guide to “strategic sculpting” (as the pros now call it), which is a slightly more subtle art and watch our tutorial (above) to learn to basics. 

We're not talking about dramatically changing the shape of your face. Your goal, says makeup artist Wendy Rowe, is to "delicately enhance your features" by deepening natural shadows and adding highlighter where the sun would hit. Here’s how to brush up on your skills.

Pop Your Pout

Place a touch of highlighter—or even a concealer that’s two or three shades lighter than your skin—on top of the cupid’s bow and on the center of the chin. Blend well with a brus

Sculpt Your Jaw

For definition, trace a stripe of highlighter from your chin to your earlobe with a line of your contouring shade just below it. Blend with a brush or slightly damp sponge.

RELATED: Here's How You Should Contour To Flatter Your Face Shape

Shine a "Strobe" Light

This step, sometimes referred to as "strobing" is about using highlighter to make a reflecton along the length of your nose, brow bones, and upper cheek bones. Bonus points for highlighting between your brows.

Cast Shadows

Suck in your cheeks, then shade above and along hollows, creating soft stripes that taper toward ears. Shade along the hairline, above the outer corners of brows.

Ease the Streaks

Blend in shaded areas with a brush or sponge; start at the center and diffuse outward. Don’t even think about stopping until every single line disappears. VPL (Visible Product Lines) is never OK.