Why Pro Makeup Artists Are Sick Of Contouring
Rumor has it, if you press your ear to an empty Sephora bag, you can hear the faint echo of a million women asking, “Can you contour my face?”
Contouring is to the face what Photoshop is to the body. It’s not the type of thing you really want to be known for doing (unless you’re a famous makeup artist), but you can’t deny you want to see what you’d look like with razor-sharp cheekbones and flawless skin.
But makeup artists are sick of contouring everybody’s face. One makeup artist in particular, Nicole Moleti, freelance artist for Laura Mercier cosmetics, is really sick of it.
She wrote a piece for PopSugar explaining that contouring isn’t some new phenomenon popularized by the Kardashians, but more importantly, it’s not for everyone.
Those of you who think you are doing a great contouring job, I have some unfortunate news. We can see it from a mile away. We don’t see you and say, “Wow — those cheekbones that she was born with are amazing!” We say, “Wow, her flesh is hidden underneath 20 layers of foundation and banana powder.”
I mean, let’s be real here, do you ever see someone with blinding highlighter and think, “wow, her face is so beautiful and naturally shiny?” No, you think, “damn, someone went extra on the highlighter today.”
At least, in person. On social media and in selfies, contour looks great. But when you’re in the club and it looks like the girl next to you has cake on her face, it gets questionable.
And before all you beauty bloggers start coming for me, hang on a second. If your makeup isn’t supposed to look natural, then that’s fine. Go crazy with that purple mascara and that pumpkin spice highlighter.
But Moleti’s major point is that you shouldn’t be hiding all of your natural features features and ever inch of your flesh. Makeup is designed to hide your “flaws” and accentuate your “best features.” Unless you’re actually trying to look like a completely different person when you’re done in the makeup chair, in which case go crazy with the contour.
“I will give you deep beautiful bronze in the hollow of your cheek and a radiant sheen on the high point of your cheekbone,” writes Moleti. “You will look like a bombshell. It will take a mere two minutes.”
Moleti’s diatribe comes at a better time than ever. The jig is up and nobody is so clueless as to think that your contour is natural at this point. Besides, even the queen of contour herself, Kimmy K, has been going for a “natural” look when she steps out in public, although it’s unclear how natural it actually is.
We’d never makeup shame anyone. But if the makeup pros are saying it, it’s something to consider. Try ditching your contour palette for a more natural look, we’re sure you look like a babe either way.
