Do You Put Foundation on Before You Contour Your Face?

You may have heard that you should put foundation on before contouring your face, but the truth is, it really depends on your personal makeup routine and skin type. Generally, it works well to apply skincare, foundation, and concealer first, then move on to contouring with powder or cream products.

This will give your face a smooth and even base, and will help your contouring products blend better. Then, once you’ve finished with contouring, you can go back in and touch up any areas with a bit more product for a polished finish.

It’s also important to consider your face shape when choosing a contour shade. For instance, you should highlight your forehead, cheekbones, and jawline if you have an oval face, while you should focus on chiseling your nose and under-eye area if you have a round face.

When you’re choosing a contour color, you want to choose a shade that is one to two shades darker than your skin tone. Using a slightly darker shade will create a more natural look, while lighter shades can sometimes appear orange or severe. Choosing cooler tones, like grays and taupes, is also key, as they tend to mimic shadows more naturally on the skin.

Once you’ve got your contour product and brush (we recommend a fluffy angled brush for chiseled looks), begin by mapping out the areas of your face you want to sculpt. For example, if you want to accentuate your cheekbones, contour a line under your cheekbones and down the center of your nose, and for a chiseled jawline, contour along the edges of your jaw.

Next, use a brush or beauty blender to blend out your contour and make sure it’s blended well. If you’d like to add a bit more definition, you can go back in with your powder contour and lightly dust it over the areas you’ve already sculpted. Finally, if you want your makeup to last all day, mist a setting spray over your face to blend everything together and soften any harsh lines.

You can then go in and apply blush, bronzer, and a finishing powder as you normally would. However, it’s best to apply a highlighter before applying any bronzer or finishing powder, as this will lighten up your makeup and make it more radiant.

When it comes to highlighting, you want to highlight your favorite facial features, including your jawline, cupid’s bow, and brow bones. Highlighting should be done with a shimmery highlighter that is close to your skin tone, and you should apply it with a light touch. Be sure not to overdo it, as too much can look unnatural and cakey.