If you’ve ever seen celebrities looking completely unrecognizable
without a full face of makeup, then you know exactly how transformative
certain techniques can be. Armed with these same makeup artist tricks
and tips, these eight easy makeup tricks can take pounds off your
look, instantly. We’ll show you how to slim your face, enhance
your favorite features, and play with proportion—all with
makeup. Optical illusions, indeed.
Just like in art (and life!), dark makeup shades
recede, while lighter colors bring features forward. Use this concept to
your advantage by investing in a contour
color or matte bronzer one or two shades deeper than your skin tone and
a luminous highlighter that’s a bit lighter than your complexion. Feel
free to use either cream or powder textures as you wish, or even a
combination of the two. Regardless of which formula you choose, be sure
to use a makeup brush to blend—streaky contour makeup is a major don’t.
Create the illusion of slimmer cheeks by applying
your contour shade in a diagonal line from the center of your cheek up
toward the ear. Make a slight “fish face” (you know, the pucker) while
you do this with your brush to figure out the perfect placement, and
don’t forget to blend. The higher you place your contour shade, the
sharper your cheekbones will look. Finish off by swiping highlighter
across the tops of the cheekbones to really bring out the contour.
To fake a thinner nose, swipe a contour powder
down the sides of the bridge, stopping before you get to the
nostrils. Blend highlighter down the bridge of your nose in a vertical
line to complete the effect.
Apply bronzer along your jawline to define the
area, and blend the shade to create a seamless contour. You’ll never
have a double chin in a photo again.
Full lips can emphasize roundness on the face,
but eyes made to look large with makeup will make the rest of the face
appear smaller in comparison, so try playing up your eyes with liner,
shadow, and mascara while leaving lips natural with a tinted balm or
gloss.
Choose the right eye brow shape A higher, more pronounced arch helps balance out a round face by vertically stretching its appearance, drawing the eye upward.
Playing with light to bring the center of your
face forward will help downplay the width of your face for a slimmer
look. Start by highlighting the center of your face, then b highlighter
between your brows, on the bridge of the nose, on the Cupid’s bow above
your upper lip, and in the center of your chin.
Don’t forget your forehead—blend your contour
shade upward into your temples and around the hairline to emphasize the
angular qualities of your bone structure.
