by Denise R. Cabotage
Facial contouring helps improve the features of the face in so many ways. Looking at how society has perceived beauty, most men and women have specific areas of their face that they want to improve or accentuate. Some are very conscious with having large cheeks or round-shaped faces. While some complain having hollowed faces, brought about by aging which caused the skin to lose its elasticity. Others are conscious about not having asymmetrical features and are very discontented with the shape of their noses or chins.
Belo Medical Group offers treatments such as Thermage, Fraxel and Collagen-Induction Treatment which help improve the production of collagen of the skin, resulting into fuller and tighter-looking facial features. For those who want smaller cheeks or lessen the double chin, you can choose to have Face Liposuction or Buccal Fat Removal. If you want to improve the shape of your nose or chin, Belo offers Rhinoplasty or Chin Augmentation. All treatments are done by well-trained doctors who handle state-of-the-art equipment that assures a natural look minus the downtime.
But then again, lucky are those who can spend a considerable amount of their money on cosmetic surgery. For those who are a bit tight on the budget or are still saving up for that beauty makeover, we want to help you out by giving some tips on how to create facial contour with your ever-reliable make-up kit. Read on and ready your makeup arsenal so you can contour your own face in no time!
What you need:
1) Wedge Sponge
2) face base (foundation should match the color of your skin)
3) Concealer
4) Eyeshadow brush
5) Blush brush (kabuki brush works best)
6) Matte Brown eyeshadow/bronzer
7) Highlighter (powder works best to make it more natural)
8 ) Translucent Powder
9) Lip color and lip liner
10) Eyeliner
11) Mascara
Eyebag Removal (Belo Equivalent: Laser Blepharoplasty for the eyebags)
1. Preferably after applying eye primer, simply dab (do not spread) the concealer on your dark eyebags. Concealer should be two times lighter than your complexion and make sure to get the correct base. Yellow-based concealer is best for Asian skin while the green and purple-based are best for Caucasians.
Make sure that you don’t go past the bottom of your eyebags, or it will bulge even more.
2. Brush on some powder highlighter on top which will instantly brighten your eyes giving you a fresher look. The powder will also set the concealer so it won’t budge.
Voila! No more eyebags and dark eyes! People will just be jealous and think you just had the loooongest beauty rest.
Taller or Thinner Nose (Belo Equivalent: Rhinoplasty/Tip-plasty)
Most Filipinos are concerned with having flat nose bridges. Worry no more because just an eyeshadow brush and a brown matte eyeshadow/bronzer will do the work for you. No matter your skin tone, remember to use formulas in colors that are only one to two shades darker than your natural skin color.
1. Examine the feature in question in the mirror. Slim down a bulbous nose by using your eyeshadow brush or wedge sponge with your shadow color. Starting at the top left side of the bulb of your nose, create a faint vertical line going through the roundest part of edge of the bulb. The line should taper off into the crease of your nostril.
2. Now, do the same to the right side of the bulb. The space between the lines should be parallel and the same width as the rest of your nose. Blend the color out and over your nostrils to make the roundest parts of the bulb of your nose disappear. This will give the illusion that your nose is the same width from top to bottom.
3. Dust lightly with translucent powder to set and disguise any faint lines which might appear. Now that’s a nose lift in no time!
Higher and Rounder Cheekbones (Belo Equivalent: Thermage or CIT)
or
Smaller Cheeks (Belo Equivalent: Face Liposuction or Buccal Fat Removal)
1. Pull your hair back into a ponytail or headband so that you have easier access to your entire face and jaw line. Suck in your cheeks and using the bronzer brush, apply a very light dusting of matte bronzer at the hollow part and going towards the top of your left jawbone near your ears.
2. This time, smile in front of the mirror and using an eyeshadow brush, apply highlighter at the fullest part of your cheeks.
3. Check in your large mirror for drastic lines and soften it with translucent powder. The powder will also set the makeup.
4. If you want to put more focus on achieving smaller cheeks, you can apply the matte eyeshadow/bronzer at the sides of your face but make sure to apply lightly.
Double Chin Removal/Smaller Chin (Belo Equivalent: Chin Augmentation)
1. Using a small amount of matte eyeshadow/bronzer, sweep with a bronzer brush just under your natural jawline from ear to ear. Blend well back toward your neck.
2. If you have a strong jawline and aiming for a smaller chin, apply the bronzer light above the jawline but make sure to sweep lightly to make it more natural.
3. Set your contour makeup with a translucent powder. With a fluffy powder brush, sweep a small amount all over neck and throat. This will minimize color rub off and help the makeup last all day.
Keep your makeup matte to create a softer palette and light accents will make your features look less strong.
Fuller Lips (Belo Equivalent: Restylane and Radiesse)
1. Choose a lip color then apply lip liner in a shade that closely matches the lip color you want to use.
2. Draw the lip liner all the way around the outlines of your mouth and apply lipstick to your lips. You can use a makeup brush or apply the color straight from the tube.
3. Now here’s the best highlighter trick, dab with your finger and put a light layer just in the middle of your lower lip.
The sheen in the middle will give an instant Angelina Jolie pucker.
Bigger Eyes (Belo Equivalent: Laser Blepharoplasty)
1. Apply the light brown eyeshadow from lash line to past the crease. Bring more light and balance to the eye area by applying the same eyeshadow along the lower lash lines. Dab the highlighter on the inner corners of your eyes and under your browbones to add more subtle enhancements to your eye makeup. Every time the light shines on your eyelids, the shimmer will draw attention to them even without your evident use of color. For small eyes, less is more.
2. Bring out the shape of your eyes with eyeliner. Use a waterproof formula if you have a monolid so that the eyeliner does not smudge when you blink. You aren’t going to actually line your eyes, as too much eyeliner can make small eyes appear even tinier. Instead, work the color into both top and bottom lash lines to make them appear thicker. This keeps your eye makeup from seeming unstructured and unfinished. Black may be too harsh, so stick with brown or gray instead.
3. Curl your eyelashes. This is crucial when you want to make small eyes appear bigger and more awake. Run a dark brown or soft black mascara through your upper lashes. Avoid overwhelming your eyes by enhancing only the top lashes; if you feel naked without mascara on the lower lashes, use a waterproof formula to prevent unsightly smudging and apply just one coat. Dislodge any clumps on your lashes with the mascara wand. You’ll have pretty peepers in no time!
Now go and print whatever caught your attention, we’re sure you’ll learn to contour with more practice! But remember, if you are decided to go through treatments or surgery to make it more permanent (lessen the hassle of waking up early to do your makeup!), choose only Belo Medical Group for all your dermatology and surgical needs.
