Easy Highlighting and Contouring with Drugstore Products!

I love the look of a lightly contoured and highlighted face.  I'm not talking Kim Kardashian, stark white under eyes and super chiseled cheekbones, I'm talking about a natural glow and a little slenderizing of the face!  This is my "mommy-fied" contouring and highlighting routine.  It's not too strong and it only adds about a minute to my makeup time in the morning but I feel like it makes a huge difference! 

 

Before I post these pictures, I want to give you a fair warning that I have NOT mastered the art of selfies.  I think I missed that class in high school.  You know those girls that can take amazing pictures of themselves sitting in the car with their hair flowing in the breeze and their face glowing, looking almost photo shopped, with a cute little coy smile on their face?  Yeah, I'm not one of those.  Maybe one day I'll get it but until then you are going to get some incredibly awkward pictures.  So lets just focus on the makeup, okay?

 

Before and highlighting and contouring:

 

During highlighting and contouring:

Products and description of placement will be below pics.

 

After contour and highlight is blended:

 

 

Contouring and Highlighting Products:

 

1. Maybelline DreamLumi Touch Highlighting Concealer, Radiant

Retails for $6.44, Target

This is PERFECT for an nice subtle highlight.  I had mistakenly bought the color Ivory and it did not have the glow I was looking for, it actually gave me that pale, sickly look I was trying to avoid!  Then I realized there was a color Radiant which is perfect because it has a slight pink undertone and really warms and lifts the under eyes but also brightens and looks healthy.

 

I apply this in a triangle shape under my eyes, down the center of my nose, on my forehead in a "t"shape and a few downward swipes on the chin.  (See above picture above)  Basically you want to place this highlight anywhere on your face that you want to stand out.

 

I blend everything out with my trusty beauty sponge, make sure to dampen it first to get that airbrushed look.  If you are looking for a cheap, good quality sponge, check out TJ Maxx or Marshall's.  They have an awesome blending sponge by the brand Revive for about $3.50.  You could always splurge and get the Beauty Blender at Sephora or Ulta.  It's about $20 and although I've heard nothing but rave reviews I can't get myself to spend that much for a darn sponge!  You could also use your trusty fingers to blend out, they're free! 

 

 

2.  Sonia Kashuk Undetectable Creme Bronzer, Rich Bronze

Retails for at $10.99, Target

Check website or sign up for their mobile coupons! Every few months Target circulates a $3 off Sonia Kashuk coupon.

Cream bronzer has always been a scary thing for me.  But since I've bought this product I am in love!  The nice thing about a cream bronzer is that it naturally blends into your skin, unlike a powder that sits on top and can sometimes look cakey and a bit obvious.  This bronzer blends out so beautifully, I think it's pretty much fool proof!  (If you do go for a powder bronzer to contour, make sure there is no shimmer and that it doesn't lean on the orange side!) 

 

The Sonia Kashuk bronzer comes in two colors, I bought the darker shade because the lighter color had a lot of orange in it and no one wants an orange contour! I've seen a few blogs say that the lighter color is a dupe for the Chanel Bronze Universal so if you've been wanting that bronzer, check out Sonia Kashuk's for a fourth of the price! To see a comparison check out Shades of Cassie's video.

 

To apply this cream bronzer, I use my Elf small stipple brush which I got for $3 at Target!

 

I place the product right in the contours of my cheeks.  To find the contours of your cheeks look in a mirror and make a fish face.  The shadow that you see under your cheeks is where you want to place the bronzer.  I also like to contour the sides and very top of forehead, this will make your forehead appear smaller.  If you already have a small forehead, skip this step.  Then I place a light amount of bronzer underneath my chin which will recede any double chin action.  I also run a small amount of product along my jaw bone.  Whatever is left on my brush, I run on the sides of my nose.  This will help my nose appear smaller, thinner and straighter.

 

I blend the bronzer out with my same damp beauty sponge.  If my sponge is dirty, I use the same stipple brush that I used to apply.

 

 

If anything looks harsh I just keep on blending with my sponge or brush until there are no definite edges and everything seems to run together.

 

 

Here is the before and after shot one more time: 

Before Highlight and Contour

After

 

Can you tell the difference?  What are your favorite highlighting and contouring products? 

 

Also, check out Maskcara!  She is one of my favorite beauty bloggers and is awesome at this highlighting and contouring business!