Contour vs Bronzer

Don't know the difference between the two? Don't know what products to use? Want to have a chiseled face without going to the doctors? It's really very easy to fake it. I've got you covered!

Contour
 

Nyx blush in Taupe

Hollow your cheekbones for that supermodel bone structure and slim down your nose to define your features.


Contouring is used to shape and define the face with the use of shadows. As such, contour products are matte and gray/taupe in color (to mimic the illusion of depth). In contouring, you push back the areas of your face that you want to shape. You can only put contour on the perimeter of your face, on the hollows of your cheekbones and on the sides of your nose. Putting the contour on other parts of your face will make you look muddy. And that's not a very good look. Remember to not overdo the contour and to build up the color.


Bronzer

Bronzers are double purpose.

The first use of bronzers is to add a flush of color to the face for that sun-kissed Victoria's Secret look.  With that in mind, bronzers are warm-toned (orangey and reddish) to mimic the warmth the sun gives to our faces. Bronzers are placed on the high points of the face, the areas that the sun hits: cheeks, nose, chin and some areas of the forehead.

The second purpose of bronzers is to add dimension to the face by using darkness. Just like the gray-based contour products, bronzers use darker colors to push back areas of the face to give the illusion of depth. Having no gray tone, you can put bronzer onto a larger surface area of your face to shape it (without running the risk of looking muddy). But also remember to build the color up because we wouldn't want to look orange and be suspected of being the stars of Jersey Shore.


Lowdown
In conclusion, you can use bronzer to have that sun-kissed glow or to softly define your face. Use contour to add shadows to chisel your features. Bronzers can have shimmer and are a wee bit orange or red. Contours are matte and gray in color. Bronzers can be used all over the face, while contours should be used in moderation and be placed on areas that naturally have shadows. 



Don't be afraid to experiment. In the end, it's your face and you have a choice in whatever the hell you want to do. If you're happy with whatever you're currently doing, YOU DO YOU!

xoxo Jam