Arriving at the 82nd Golden Globe Awards, Angelina Jolie’s makeup looked impeccable – a big nod to Raoul Alejandre at Tom Ford for creating it. Flawless skin, juicy lips, a simple eyeliner flick and, of course, her genetic bone structure completing the look.
Angelina, whose face is all angles and contours, is the original “snatched jawline” icon (before Lily-Rose Depp and Anya Taylor-Joy vied for the credit). This is a term being whispered in many aesthetic clinics across the country. But if you’d like to enhance your features à la Angelina, without any ouch or downtime, here’s how.
Contouring – hang on, don’t raise your eyebrows just yet – has taken on many guises over the years and, yes, it has been the cause of many red carpet fails, too. However, when applied correctly, it is still the best technique to create the illusion of sharper, more chiselled features. All you need is a matte bronzer – and we all have one of those lurking in the bottom of our makeup bag.
What is contouring?
Contouring is a technique that allows you to transform your face shape using makeup to create shadows and highlights. By applying a bronzer a few shades darker than your natural skin tone to areas such as the hollows of the cheeks and sides of the nose, you can add depth and dimension to the face. Once blended correctly, contouring can artfully balance proportions of the face and enhance its natural angles.
Which contouring product do I use?
Typically, a bronzer works to add warmth and a sun-kissed glow to your skin. In this instance, you need a bronzer that’s matte (no shimmer, please) and slightly cooler in tone, so it mimics the natural shadows on the face. You can also use a concealer that’s two shades darker than your skin, too. If you’re using a powder bronzer, a small and dense makeup brush will allow precision and keep the product concentrated to only the areas you’re trying to “shade in” and sculpt. On larger areas, use a larger, fluffier brush. If you’re using a cream bronzer, or a darker shade of concealer, buff it out with a damp makeup sponge or a stippling brush.
How do I contour particular areas of my face?
Define the jawline
Look in the mirror and create a “double chin” by pushing your face back into your neck. The area where you have surplus skin is where you should focus your contour application, as it will create a shadowed effect. This lures attention away from the wider parts of your jaw, so that it looks more defined. Sweep the bronzer back and forth using a fluffy brush. You can also create more definition by contouring from just in front of the ear and down to your jaw.
Sculpt your cheeks
Use a bronzer stick in a diagonal line from the centre of the cheek up towards the ear. The higher you place the contour, the sharper and more sculpted-looking your bone structure. Blend out and finish with a sweep of highlighter above the contour line to really make it pop.
Slim your nose
One of the easiest and most effective contouring tricks is temporarily changing the shape of your nose. Use a small angled makeup brush to draw two lines of cream bronzer on each side of the nose. The closer the lines are together, the slimmer your nose will look. Then use a highlighter down the centre of your nose.
Plump your lips
Place a tiny amount of bronzer – try using a clean eyeshadow brush – underneath the middle of the lower lip to give the illusion that lips are full and creating a shadow. Then blend the contour, so that there’s no harsh line.
Shop our top product picks for contouring:
