What is contouring?

What is it?
Contouring is an advanced makeup technique that enables you to correct flaws and accentuate or alter the shape of some of your features (without surgery!), by manipulating light and shadow.
Can anyone do it?
Yes! Basic contouring can complete your everyday makeup and make it more glamorous; a more technical/corrective use is the secret of many photography services, fashion shows, and total looks.

How does it work?
It's based on the theory of shadows that conditions how we perceive shapes; it uses very natural "trompe l'oeil" effects to alter your face.
It uses two elements:

Ombraluce Light (light element):
this is a transparent illuminating powder that diffuses light, making features stand out and look more prominent. It is used to accentuate and bring out the most attractive features: heightening the arch of your eyebrows, highlighting your cheekbones, and plumping up your lips.

Ombraluce Shadow (shadow element):
this is a neutral matte powder that absorbs light to create recesses and dimples. It is used to correct or minimise unattractive features that stick out, such as a double chin, cheeks that are too round, protruding eyelids, a square jaw...

Do you apply Ombraluce like normal mineral makeup?
Of course. Just pour a small amount of powder into the lid, twist a brush round in the powder until the product is completely absorbed by the bristles, shake the brush to get rid of excess powder, then apply it.

Before or after makeup?
You can add contouring with Ombraluce right after the base, or to finished makeup; the mineral powders it's made of have a point of transparency that creates shapes without affecting the colours of the makeup underneath. The exception is lip contouring, for which it is advisable to apply the illuminator after your lipstick if the lipstick has a very high coverage.

Where do I start?
Basic contouring designed to accentuate your eyes, lips, and cheekbones is very simple and is a great starting point to progress towards more complex corrective contouring.


BASIC CONTOURING

The simplest and most easy-to-wear kind of contouring, designed to bring out your eyes, lips, and cheekbones.
Apply the powders as indicated in the figure, making sure you only use a tiny amount of product at a time and blend it carefully.

1- Start with the Shadow shade:
- underneath the cheekbone, starting from the beginning of the ear and shading diagonally towards your lips
- in the crease of the eye, shading outwards towards your eyebrows
- on the temples, starting from the hairline towards the centre of your forehead

2- Change brush and apply the Light shade:
- to the cheekbones (just above where you have applied the Shadow shade)
- underneath the highest point of your eyebrows
- in the inner corner of the eyes
- still using the Light shade, dab a small amount of powder onto the centre of the lower lip and above Cupid's bow (the top of the upper lip where it makes an "M" shape).

3- The contouring is finished! Complete your makeup with blush and mascara and admire the result. Easy, right? Now you can move on to corrective contouring or watch our special video tutorial.


The secrets of effective yet natural-looking contouring:
1- Blend, blend, blend! After you've apply both components, try passing a clean, dry kabuki cover your whole face - you'll create an even softer "airbrushed" effect.
2- Only use a small amount of product at a time, then add more if necessary to intensify the shapes. Often you only need a minimal amount to achieve great results.