Contouring and Highlighting Techniques: Using Letters and Numbers

Contouring and highlighting is not really a basic makeup tip, but it’s one that is constantly asked about. So, I made it easy for you by creating a way for you to remember using letters and number shapes. Now you can highlight and contour easily…or at least know where and how to apply your illuminators and bronzers.

Learn how to highlight and contour your face using a letters and numbers chart created by beauty and lifestyle blogger, Kendra Stanton.

If you aren’t familiar with contouring and highlighting, it’s basically just sculpting your face using dark and light makeup in specific places of the face. You are simply drawing out and pushing back places of the face to give it more depth and light.

LEARN HOW TO CONTOUR WITH NUMBERS

Using numbers for contouring on your face makes it simple for you to remember. Let me walk you through how to do it.

Contour with the number 8: Grab your favorite blush color and makes a circle eight on your face. Start at the apples of your cheeks and stop about a half inch from your hair line making sure to stay on your cheek bone.

Contour with the number 3: Sweep a matte brown contouring color in the shape of a three along the sides of your face. Start at the side of your forehead, sweep it down under the cheek-bone, and then right along the base of your jaw line.

Contour with the number 11: Use the number eleven to remember how to contour along the sides of your nose.

Contour with the number 7: Start of the outer bottom of your lash-line and sweeping it into the contour of your eyes using a blender eyeshadow brush. When doing this technique, make small little circles so that you blend well.

LEARN HOW TO HIGHLIGHT WITH LETTERS

Highlighting is my favorite technique because it really makes your face look alive. Here is a way for you to remember where and how to highlight using the shapes of letters.

HIGHLIGHT WITH LETTER ‘C’: Start above your inner brow and make the shape of a “c” ending under your lower lash line towards the side of you nose. This helps to brighten your under eyes and lift your brow.

HIGHLIGHT WITH LETTER ‘q’: Make sure to highlight in the center of your forhead and down the center of your nose using the shape of a lower case “q.”

HIGHLIGHT WITH LETTER ‘V’: Highlight above your lip in the cupid’s bow in the shape of a “v” to create a fuller lip.

HIGHLIGHT WITH LETTER ‘Z’: For your lower-eyelid, use a flat eyeshadow brush with a light eyeshadow color and it into your lower-eyelid in the shape of a “z.” Doing this will help you cover your entire lower-eyelid (without flinging product everywhere) and give it dimension with your contouring.

I hope these easy contouring and highlighting tricks help you the next time you are doing your makeup! Have a great day!

xo,

Kendra

note* there is nothing to disclose.