Contouring: HOW IT'S DONE, SON

Here is a man who cares not a flea's cowlick for contour powder

I get questioned IRL a lot on what I use for contouring. Here, I'll share, knowing, of course, that such a post is redundant, only adding to the excessive blahblahblah on the subject.

First, in my opinion, contouring is not for everyone (nor their grandma).

It's acceptable for 'correcting' here and there or trying to trace the chola/Kardashian mask to the exact wart. Still, if one is not in makeup for the artistry, and not in a photoshoot/selfie-obsessed, contouring can be completely unnecessary.

What an interesting, fun, amazing way to spend your time....

You can use it to redo your face contours after blotting them out with full coverage foundation. This is old-fashioned and boring for normal life, IMO. 'Tis the age of translucency, of sheer finishes, and slapdash cool. Mais oui. Contouring can appear starkly vulgar, very easily.

E.G. A CC cream allows your facial framework to shine through, as it merely evens out your skintone. So if you do contouring more suited for FULL coverage on top of that, it jars.

ALSO, some face shapes/features just don't need it. Aging. If you resemble Clara Bow, why would you undermine your natural beauty by 'carving out' cheekbones? Just leave it.
Or nose contouring...it can so easily make you look mean and hard. Like you regularly throw cell phones at your maid and then go on Oprah and pretend that you're sorry.

 Leave it. All that agony to look stupidly gaunt and witchy...

I blame it on the dearth of embroidery, the shunning of archery. It's like, when arts requiring much focus and attention to detail, as monogramming handkerchiefs, or falcon training do, became unhip, the human race decided to shift all that surplus energy to....applying bronzer. Skillfuly. And talking about it much too much. And being bored to death but still talking about it because it's easier and more accessible than horses, falcons, embroidery coaches (aka grandma).

Kashmiri ladies embroidering shawls and not giving a damn about their cheekbone highlights

Bride with a bird (nary a muddy bronze stripe in sight)

I guess what I'm trying to say is, I use the darkest and lightest shades of the Maybelline fit me foundation sticks, to carve out the contours. (When I say carve I mean a couple of dabs, blended).
 Like contour sticks RE: Artist of Makeup RE: Zukreat, but cheaper.

Maybelline Fit Me Foundation Stick: It is very interesting. 

The beak gets a dab of the dark shade on the end of it, because when that's blended out, it makes it cuter and shorter, more like a deer and less like a bird of prey.

I then pat on foundation with clean hands, because brushes/stippling is boring. I sometimes re-emphasize the contours with a cream bronzer like Omorovicza Sunkiss (cool-toned) or Guerlain Terracotta TM (warm-toned). This way there is that bit more dimension, avoiding the striped tiger look. By the way, cream bronzer used with a fluffy brush = evenly distributed, diffused...more airbrushed-ish.

Alternative: lighter foundation in centre of face, a coupla shades darker for the outside, no contouring faff needed.

Put on some Wet n Wild Coverall powder/Chanel Poudre Universelle. Go back to dreaming of medieval times. Refrain from using mop as a hobby horse.

THE END

Feline Flick

And following on the heels of the previous post, here we have a-friggin-nother! (Adding friggin to every friggin word is totes friggin cool. Friggin do it. Won't come across as a friggin poser. Serioufrigsly.)

Okay so let's talk about what I think encapsulates the prettiest, most flattering little look that ever existed. You may already know it. You may already do it. If so, pat on the back and have a cupcake. Have two.

"The Feline Flick" AKA cat eyes. What all the elegant desi aunties were in on, back in the day, before they started going manic with the falsies, OTT jewels and saris. Of course, they went manic with the braids and beehives then, so it's all a matter of perspective.

Way better than red lips (not ghoulish + you can drink coffee, and leave the mug unmolested by icky red stains).
Of course, you can swipe on a red lippie too, which is why this look is so genius. Whatever you do with the rest of your face, hair, outfit, it always works, falls into place, never jarring.

It's a Charlotte Tilbury video.

 She's a makeup artist whose work I have long admired/followed without actively trying. It is...everywhere. Most ad campaigns, catwalk looks, and editorials in which the makeup is To Die For, turns out she was the creator.

 Besides, she like, made up Kate Moss' face, like, loads of times darling, and did you know, loads of people, plus Kate Moss who is after all, simply divine, really...Okay. Point taken. Shut up, me! She's quite the name-dropper but why not, after all. Revel in thy success, Mossy's posse.

Je suis BOSS. Je m'appelle Moss.

Here 'tis: the easiest route to understated glam ever.

Good products for this look: Physician's Formula eye booster pen in Ultra Black. (Don't get mere "Black"--that one comes out a watery grey). Best liquid liner ever, fine-pointed felt tip, precise, very very black, inexpensive. 11 dollars at SDM right now, wot.

 Essence Midnight in Paris gel liner or (bit pricier, not much) Annabelle Smudgepot in Black...both are just as good as the expensive gel liners, and better than some.

Brushes: The Bobbi Brown fine liner brush mentioned, or Sonia Kashuk's fine angled liner brush (Target). Actually, the brush that comes with the Maybelline Gel liner is my favourite of the lot.

Makeup remover: She says to use a moisturizer but Bioderma Crealine or any other cleansing water (La Roche Posay...Avene...even Garnier) is way way better. Won't smudge the way a moisturizer can.