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By Sophie Bronstein • August 2, 2022 • 5 mins read
No matter how well we’ve mastered the art of contouring, there are times when it can look a little too much. Why? It often needs to be layered on top of a thicker base and takes a hell of a lot of concealer to get the look perfect.
So, what do we do when we don’t want to cake on layers of foundation (such as in the summer, or when our skin is flaring up), but still want to reap the benefits of contouring, and have a healthy glow?
Yep, you guessed it – use bronzer instead. Find out how to contour with bronzer and find the best shade for your skin tone with our handy little guide…
Bronzing is used to add warmth and dimension to your skin. You can get all different types of bronzer – liquid, cream, or most commonly, powder.
Bronzing is all about giving the skin a dose of warmth and glowing up the complexion without actually going out into the sun.
Bronzer is usually applied to the areas of the face that the sun would naturally hit – the temples, cheeks and nose, but it’s not generally used to sculpt these features.
Contouring, made famous by Kim K’s makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic, is the skill of adding dimension to your face with the help of a dark, matte powder or cream formula.
The idea is that the product should be used to carve the areas of your face that you want to appear more sculpted – most commonly the jawline, cheekbones, forehead and nose.
When creating a contoured look, the artist will usually add ‘shadow’ (ie a dark shade) to these parts of the face, before using a lighter concealer or highlighter to brighten up the parts of the face that should stand out – for example the upper cheekbones or cupid’s bow.
Unlike contouring products, bronzers are versatile. They can be used to add shade to skin as well as a healthy glow – as they appear as a darker shade on the complexion, but are warm in colour too (while most contouring shades can be very flat and dull).
We much prefer using a bronzer as a hybrid for the two as we feel it looks more natural and gives skin a warmer depth.
While contouring products may be a little more universal in tone, bronzer shades are more varied. So, it can be confusing when trying to choose the perfect shade for your skin, as it’ll need to add warmth to your complexion without the risk of appearing unnatural.
When it comes to getting it right, begin with identifying your skin tone. For fair complexions, pink-toned shades will go down best. If you have olive skin, opt for bronzers with golden undertones, as it’ll add glow to your naturally warm complexion.
For dark skin, a product with a hint of peach will look great. Deep skin? Reach for products with brassy tones. And don’t forget – always choose a bronzer that is around two shades darker than your natural skin tone for the most natural look.
To begin, make sure you are working with a blank canvas (i.e. no make-up and clean skin). Follow up by applying a primer.
It’s important to find a product that agrees with your skin type. If you have dry skin, opt for a cream or liquid formula, as powders can make you appear drier. If your skin is quite oily, you’ll want to go for a powder product, as this will help mattify your skin as well.
If you’re using bronzing powder, grab a small bronzing brush and lightly dust the bronzer into your skin – imitating a ‘3’ motion around the side of your face.
Start around your temples, taking the product down and into your cheekbone, before following the lower part of the ‘3’ down onto your jawline.
For liquid or cream formulas, use your ring finger to follow the same shape. Make sure you go in gently at first as product can always be built up if you prefer a more dramatic look.
To finish, add a touch of highlighter (whichever texture works best for your skin) to the high points of your face – upper cheekbones, brow bones and cupid’s bow.
It’s unlikely you’ll need to use both – but if you feel your contour needs an extra dimension of warmth, you can lightly dust some bronzer on top. Be careful, though, as you don’t want your skin to appear patchy.
The best way to use bronzer is to apply the bronzer shade first, before the highlighter. This is because the main goal of the bronzing shade is to make features appear more chiselled, and the highlighter just adds height and depth.
It’s important not to go in too heavy with highlighter, as it should only be there to accentuate the dimensions of your face.
Absolutely! If you prefer not to have too many layers of makeup, it’s perfectly fine to use bronzer with no foundation.
So, will you be attempting to contour with bronzer for a natural glow? We want to hear from you. Let us know on our social channels how it went!
