How-to: contour and highlight with ease

When you see pictures of Kim Kardashian looking like this:

Or this:

You get the impression that this whole highlighting and contouring thing is hard. And involves a similar skill set to that of a professional make-up artist, which you most likely don’t have (kudos if you do, that’s pretty cool).

But the truth is that highlighting and contouring isn’t as tricky as it seems – you just need the right tools (read: powders and brushes) and a little guidance, which we’ve handily provided in the video above. Check it out to see just how easy it is to contour.

If you don’t have the time to watch it right now, here are the steps:

First, gather your tools – powders and brushes. For an all-in-one solution, use a contouring and highlighting kit like the Australis AC On Tour Highlighting and Contouring Kit.

Step 1: prep your skin with primer and foundation

Step 2: select your contouring shade

The shade should be about two-to-three shades darker than your skin tone.

Step 3: define your cheekbones

Find your cheekbone (you can use the handle of your make-up brush to identify the line), and sweep your contouring shade just under it from the hairline to nose, following the line.

Step 4: define your temples, hairline, and jaw

Sweep the same colour on your temples, hairline and jawline.

Step 5: define your nose

Use your contouring shade to draw a line from the inner corners of your eyebrows down the sides of your nose. Join the two lines around the tip of your nose – kind of like a smiley face.

At this point you’ll start looking weird…

Step 6: select your highlighting shade and highlight your cheekbones

Apply the highlighting shade above and below the contouring lines on your cheekbones. After this, your cheeks will have stripes that go light-dark-light.

Step 7: highlight your forehead, nose and chin

Sweep the colour across your forehead, down the bridge of your nose and on your chin.

Step 8: highlight your eyes and lips

Using a smaller brush, highlight the inner corners of your eyes as well as your cupid’s bow.

Step 9: blend it all together

Using a loose powder brush, blend the colours together so the lines disappear and you’re left with contoured and highlighted features. Finish off with eye make-up, blush and a lip colour.

Do you have any tips for highlighting and contouring? Have you tried highlighting and contouring before?