Contour and highlighting is a must for me, and although I mostly use a powder bronzer for my highlight combined with a shade lighter than my skin tone for my concealer, acting as a highlight, I have found that I have been reaching for cream bronzers more (maybe because cream blushes are so in at the moment?).

It seems like a big fad right now is using a cream foundation in a dark shade to use as your contour.  Bobbi Brown’s Foundation Sticks are a great option for this, however, if you don’t want to shell out the C$53 for the product, Maybelline has a great alternative.

Maybelline Fit Me Shine-Free Foundation is available in 12 different shades, running the gamut from pale to dark. I haven’t actually tried this product as a foundation, but it’s fab for contouring. Since I’m a fair-skinned girl, I chose to go for the really deep colours because you obviously will be blending these bad boys out.  I would say I’m Ivory or Classic Ivory right now in the foundation, and for this post, I actually contoured with 330 Toffee and 310 Sun Beige.  I also have 340 Cappuccino, which will be perfect for the summer when I have a tan (well, “tan” as I don’t get too dark).  The great thing about this product in particular is that it goes on as a gel foundation but sets as a matte powder, so you get the best of both worlds.  These also blend out perfectly.

For the contour, I also kept it affordable and in the family with Maybelline’s Fit Me Concealer, which packaging is very similar to NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer.  I have the colours Fair and Light, and the trick with this is to go a shade or two lighter than your skin tone to brighten up the eye area. The doe-foot applicator on the wand makes this product extremely easy to apply and control where the product goes.

Okay so there are a few ways of doing the whole liquid contour/highlight thing.  I have done an in-depth post about it in the past but this is the way I usually do it when I am really playing up my makeup.  If it’s for everyday wear, I will just layer the cream bronzer/deep foundation over my regular foundation, then blend.  In this instance, we are starting with the contour and highlight and then adding the foundation on top for a more natural look.

1. Starting with a dark cream foundation, apply this to the hollows of your cheekbones, your temples, along the bridge of your nose and on the bottom of your chin.  I used Maybelline Fit Me Shine-Free Foundation in 330 Toffee.

2. With a concealer, lighter than your skin tone, apply this under your eyes, on the bridge of your nose up to your forehead fanning it out, along the edges of your mouth, your cupid’s bow, and on the centre of your chin.  I used Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in 15 Fair.

3. With your regular foundation and a damp Beauty Blender, apple this on your face blending everything out.  I used a full-coverage foundation (Becca Ultimate Coverage Complexion Creme) so it ended up covering a lot of the colour (hence why I went back in for the next step).

4. Because I wanted to make my contour a bit more pronounced, I applied 310 Sun Beige along the hollows of my cheekbones and then blended that in with my damp Beauty Blender.

5. To add a bit more oomph under my eyes, I went in with Maybelline’s Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer, which is like a dupe for YSL’s Touche Eclat.  This product really brightens up the eye area, which is perfect for this look.

Liquid contour and highlighting may look a bit scary when you are first applying the products (think moments of “what the heck am I doing?”), but once everything is blended out, the whole thing looks so natural.  Also, I love layering a powder contour over top of my liquid one to really sculpt my cheekbones and make the colour last longer.

What are your favourite products for liquid contour and highlighting?

Please note, this post contains products sent by PR.  All opinions are my own.

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