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Posted on: July 2, 2012

Makeup can work wonders to help camouflage defects and reshape your face. It doesn't take a lot of skill to learn the art of contouring, just a little practice and a few basic tools and cosmetics.

The ideal makeup to use is a good quality foundation that is a shade lighter than your complexion; some matte bronzer in a light, medium, or dark tone, dependent on your coloring; and a translucent powder.

Correcting Face Shape

The right makeup techniques can be used to alter you face shape. Using a foundation to create a blank 'canvas,' and then contouring the areas of the face that you want to de-emphasize with the bronzer. An application of powder overall sets the makeup. I like to use a translucent mineral powder because of their more natural look and lighter texture.

To begin, lightly mist your face with water, and then apply foundation. The proper method it to apply in dots: 3 across the forehead, one on the nose, one on the chin, and then 3 vertical dots on each cheek.

Blend up and out with a dampened cosmetic sponge, making certain of an even application, and blending into the jaw and hair lines. Allow about 5 minutes for the foundation to set.

Take your cosmetic brush and load it with the bronzer by pressing it into the powder and moving the applicator around in a circular motion. Tap the brush on the side of the container to get rid of the excess.

Use the bronzer in the hollow of the cheek to give your face a contoured look. To make a round face appear slimmer, apply bronzer to the sides of the face, from the temple to the jaw. make sure to apply the bronzer in a downward motion, and blend to get rid of harsh edges. Highlight other areas, such as cheek bones and forehead, with a lighter blush to bring those features forward.

To make a square-shaped face appear softer, apply the bronzer at the edge of the jaw line, just under the ear, kind of cutting off that square edge. You can use this contour technique to reshape any type face. The purpose of the bronzer is to apply it to areas that you want to minimize, making them recede into the shadow. Then apply the translucent powder over all to finish the look.

Correcting Facial Features

Reshaping the Nose
To make a prominent nose appear shorter or smaller, run the bronzer down the nose from the bridge to the tip; blend outward toward the cheeks.

To make narrow a wide nose, do the opposite; apply the darker color along each side of the nose, then highlight the bridge and tip.

Camouflaging a Double Chin
Apply the bronzer under the chin, from the middle to the jaw line, on each side. Blend up slightly into the jaw line, and then blend down into the neck.

Reshaping the Lips
If you want to alter your lip-line, apply foundation to the lips when you apply it to the rest of the face. Redraw your desired lip shape with a lip-lining pencil. You a shade that is one shade darker than your lipstick, or one that is one shade darker than your natural lip color for a no-makeup look.

To make full lips thinner, trace just inside of your lip-line. For fuller lips trace just outside of the lip-line. Apply lipstick or a sheer gloss, smack your lips together to blend, and blot.

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