How to Make Your Cheekbones Pop: A Face Contouring Guide
Making your cheekbones stand out creates a lifting effect on your face. Your features look sharper and more defined. The right face contouring makeup helps your cheekbones bring balance to your face. Let's go step by step through how to make your cheekbones pop:
- Find your cheekbones. So how do you find them? Smile, then locate the fullest, most lifted part of your cheeks. Trace the line of your cheekbones with your fingers.
- Now it's time to contour! Apply a thin line of contour just under your cheekbones. Blend the contour line out toward your ear.
- Lightly apply highlighter to the highest point of your cheekbones.
Don't leave the products as harsh lines; make sure they blend in evenly.
Alix Avien 4-Shade Cream Contour Palette: A contour palette for shading and highlighting that helps define your cheekbones.
Alix Avien Liquid Contour: A liquid contour with anti-aging ingredients, vitamin E, and a creamy, moisturizing formula.
Alix Avien Highlighter: A powder highlighter that gives your skin a fresh, luminous look.
Why Do Cheekbones Change the Shape of Your Face?
The play of light and shadow can make every part of your face look different. Cheekbone-defining makeup helps your face look balanced and more lifted, because your cheekbones sit in the middle of your face. At first glance, the cheekbone area is the first thing people notice.
When you emphasize your cheekbones with makeup, your eyes look more lifted too. And if you want to make your face look longer or shorter, it's again your cheekbones where you play with light and shadow.
How Do You Contour Your Cheekbones?
- Find your cheekbones.
- Apply contour just under your cheekbones.
- Apply highlighter to the highest part of your cheekbones.
- If the lines look sharp and harsh, soften them.
- Make sure the products you use blend in evenly.
- Adjust your cheekbone contour to your face shape.
- Don't drag contour downward.
How Do You Make Your Cheekbones Pop with Highlighter?
How should you use highlighter to bring out your cheekbones? Let's take a closer look.
- Find the highest point of your cheekbones.
- Choose a highlighter shade that suits your skin tone.
- Highlighter is a product you need to apply with control. Start with a small amount and add more as needed.
- Blend the product from the tops of your cheekbones toward your temples.
- You can wear a more shimmery highlighter for evening makeup and a subtler one for daytime makeup.
Alix Avien Shimmering Highlighter: A shimmery highlighter packed with pearlescent powder and particles that can be used dry or wet.
Can Blush Make Your Cheekbones Look More Defined?
Yes, blush can make your cheekbones look more defined. If you apply blush right on top of your cheekbones and sweep it toward your temples, you'll create a lifting effect on your face.
How Should You Define Your Cheekbones for Your Face Shape?
| Face Shape | How to Define Your Cheekbones |
|---|---|
| Oval Face | An oval face is a balanced face shape. Sweep the blush on your cheekbones slightly upward and don't overdo the contour. |
| Long Face | You may want to make a long face look shorter. That's why we recommend applying blush horizontally instead of sweeping it upward. |
| Round Face | Making a round face look more sculpted helps define your features. You can apply contour from under your cheekbones upward. Then lightly tap highlighter onto the highest point of your cheekbones. |
| Square Face | To soften a square face, apply contour under your jaw and under your cheekbones. You can tap highlighter not only on top but also on the center of your cheekbones. |
| Diamond Face | With a diamond face, your cheekbones are already clearly defined. Don't apply contour heavily, and use highlighter with a light hand. |
| Heart Face | A heart face has prominent cheekbones. Keep your contour light and avoid a harsh look when using highlighter. |
Which Products Should You Choose for Natural-Looking Cheekbones?
To define your cheekbones, you may need more than just contour and highlighter. Here are the products we recommend, especially for natural contouring techniques:
- Cream Blush: Gives a lit-from-within color. It blends easily and melts into your skin.
- Foundation: If you choose a foundation that suits your skin type, you can create a flawless base and even out your skin's undertone. Flawless skin helps your cheekbone-defining makeup look even better.
Alix Avien Liquid Blusher: A highly pigmented, creamy liquid blush with vitamin E and a matte finish.
Alix Avien BB Cream: A moisturizing BB cream that gives your skin a natural glow.
What Are the Most Common Mistakes When Defining Your Cheekbones?
Mistakes in defining your cheekbones can take your face away from the look you want. How do you contour correctly? Which mistakes make your cheekbones look low and artificial?
- Applying contour well below your cheekbones instead of right underneath them,
- Using too much product,
- Using products that don't suit your skin type and tone,
- Not blending products evenly,
- Not letting products melt into your skin,
- Choosing products that are too shiny and glittery,
- Not applying products to suit your face shape,
- Applying products without moisturizing your skin first.