How To Contour: Application Tips, Product Recommendations For All Skin Tones

'Contouring' is a word that chills the blood. Some of us are absolutely terrified of it, and the rest of us lack a healthy consciousness of the fact that two big crazy orange streaks on the side or your face look weird. That said, there's really nothing to be frightened of. You just need to have a good look at your skin in the mirror, preferably in bright daylight. Do you have pink, yellow, or neutral undertones?

Once you've figured that out, all you need to do is choose a contour colour that works with the colour of your skin. Obviously, you need to choose a colour that looks natural on your skin, and that will differ depending on how pale or deep your skin colour is.

You should use whichever texture you find easiest to blend -  cream or powder formulations can both be blended to a beautiful finish. Just be sure that you don't mix formulations - applying a powder contour directly over a moist foundation can create that patchy, dirty effect, so be sure to apply a little setting powder to the area first. Applying cream contour over powder can create an unpleasant clogged appearance. So just stick to powder over powder, and cream over cream.

• To effectively apply powder contour, you need to use a clean, fluffy brush and really blend the product into the skin where you can feel a hollow underneath the cheekbone. Build up a few very light layers rather than applying one heavy one - this won't blend and will leave obvious, hard edges. Undesirable.
• Pale ladies with cool undertones will look best with a cool toned contour. Depending on how pale you are, a greyish beige or even a grey eyeshadow will work. It sounds extreme, but you want to mimic the natural tone of shadow on your skin. If you're pale, shadows will tend toward grey. Something like Nyx Blush in Taupe (€6.25) would work perfectly. If you're pale but have yellower undertones, something understated but warm like Benefit Hoola (€31)  might be just the thing for you.

• Olive skinned people (I'm jealous of you) have yellow undertones, but a range of skin tones. If you're olive-skinned, then you can compliment your skin's warm undertones with a warmer contour. Chanel's Soleil Tan de Chanel (€38.50) is a classic cream product that is great for contouring olive skins.

• I like to apply cream contour with my hands, so I'll apply a small amount of the product to the part of my hand between my thumb and wrist, and press it into the hollow of my cheekbone. This part of your hand is the perfect size and shape for the job.  I'll then blend away the edges with a clean fluffy brush for a natural looking shadow.
• Another option for in-between skins (not very pale and not very dark!) with pinker undertones is Bronze Powder by Michael Kors (€45). Applied with a fluffy brush as mentioned above, it will give definition that doesn't say 'I'm wearing lots of makeup'. It's pricey but the amount of product you get is enormous and the heavy gold packaging is beautifully luxurious.
• For deep skins or anyone who likes serious contour - the kind that looks like you're wearing contour - dark colours are the way to go.  The Face Contour Kit in Dark by Sleek (€7.99) is perfect for giving natural looking definition to darker skin tones. It also comes with a pretty highlighter to really lift the cheekbones.

• Another natural looking option is Mac Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation in NW58 (€31.50). This deep toned matte powder will give amazing structure to deep skins. That said, it can also be used to create killer cheekbones on lighter skins. The trick is simply to apply a tiny amount of product to the skin, and BLEND like there's no tomorrow!

Just remember that whatever product you decide to use, it's best to avoid sparkle or light reflection. You're creating a shadow under the cheekbones,  so you want that area to recess back into the face. Anything that catches light throws an area forward. Matte contour is the way to go!

Are you contourphobic? And if not, what's your go-to product?