As the skin gracefully ages, dealing with fine lines, wrinkles, and a gradual loss of elasticity becomes a nuanced challenge when aiming to sculpt and define facial features. However, fear not, for with the application of proper techniques and carefully chosen products, contouring for aging skin becomes a skillful art, allowing mature complexions to be shaped in a way that minimizes the visible signs of aging, resulting in a natural yet youthful appearance.
| Key Takeaways |
| – Prep skin with gentle cleansing, exfoliating, and moisturizing before contouring |
| – Focus cream contour formulas on areas that need lifting like cheeks, jawline, and temples |
| – Sweep highlighter onto brow bones, down the nose, and above the lips to brighten |
| – Set contour with translucent powder and use setting spray for transfer-proof wear |
| – Avoid heavy contouring, wrong undertones, and chunky shimmery products |
Whether you want to become a professional makeup artist or just enhance your contouring skills, mastering this art can be very rewarding.
Prepping Aging Skin for a Flawless Contour
Before you can sculpt and define your mature complexion, it’s crucial to prep your skin properly. Rushing into contouring without taking a few key steps can accentuate fine lines, texture, and dryness.
Here’s how to get your skin ready for contouring for aging skin:
Cleanse, Exfoliate, and Hydrate
Start with a gentle cleanser morning and evening to remove impurities without stripping the skin. Look for hydrating formulas with ingredients like glycerin and hyaluronic acid. After cleansing, use a chemical exfoliant 2-3 times a week to slough off dull cells and brighten tone. Opt for lactic or glycolic acids which are gentler on mature skin. Finally, nourish skin with a rich moisturizer packed with peptides, ceramides, and antioxidant oils. Massage it in thoroughly focusing on areas prone to dryness like the cheeks and jawline.
Apply Primer
Pick an oil-free primer specifically formulated for aging complexions. Silicone-based options help fill in fine lines while hydrating primers give an extra moisture boost. Apply primer evenly over your face and neck to create the perfect base for contouring. Not only does it smooth texture, but it allows cream and powder contour products to glide on seamlessly.
Other Tips for Prep
- Sweep on an eye cream to hydrate the delicate eye area
- Spritz your face with a hydrating mist or toner before makeup
- Gently massage the face to boost blood circulation
- Always moisturize neck and décolletage as well
- Wait 5 minutes after applying skincare to let it absorb
By caring for your skin properly, you’ll achieve the most flawless, natural-looking contour for your mature complexion. Have patience during the prep process and avoid rushing—the results are worth it!
Even contouring pros always start their routine by properly prepping the skin first.
Choosing the Best Contouring Products for Aging Skin
Finding the right contouring products is crucial for creating a sculpted, youthful look on mature skin. The textures, finishes, and shades you use can determine how seamless and natural the results appear.
Cream vs Powder Contour for Aging Skin
Cream contour formulas are ideal for adding definition and lifting sagging areas on faces with more pronounced wrinkles and lines. They blend beautifully into the skin for a more natural shadow effect. Stick with shade ranges like taupe, ash brown, and soft brown. Powder contour can sometimes cling to dryness and settle into fine lines. But if you prefer powder, go for a muted matte shade a few tones darker than your complexion. Always opt for a high-quality powder formula that blends easily.
Best Cream Contour Formulas
- Moisturizing contour sticks with hyaluronic acid or silicone
- Cream-to-powder contour with buildable coverage
- Cool-toned contour pencils for subtle definition
- Liquid cream contours that blend seamlessly
Perfect Powder Contour Shades
- Matte contour powders that mimic the natural shadow
- Neutral or cool-toned contours to avoid orangey tones
- Micro-milled powders that won’t settle into lines
- Buildable contour for customized definition
Radiant Highlighter Picks
Look for luminizers that provide a subtle sheen without emphasizing skin texture. Cream highlighters in champagne, gold, or pearl shades work beautifully. If you prefer powder, go for a baked formula with a smooth, blendable texture. Always avoid chunky or glittery highlighters not suitable for aging skin.
Take your time playing with different contouring makeup. The right formulas and shades can help sculpt and define your beautiful mature face!
Choosing the right contour shades and formulas is especially important for enhancing round face shapes.
Contouring Techniques and Placement for Aging Faces
When contouring mature skin, placement is everything. Strategically sculpting key areas can minimize signs of aging, while enhancing natural contours for a lifted, youthful look. Contouring for aging skin is all about thoughtful precision.
Contour to Lift and Define
Focus cream contour under the cheekbones, along the temples, and below the jawline in a “3” shape to create the illusion of lifted cheeks and a tighter jaw. Use a lighter hand to define the sides of the nose and provide a subtle shape. Contour above the crease in the eyelid and right under the brow bone to open up tired eyes.
Play Up Your Assets
Amp up your best features! Sculpt your cheekbones to make them pop. Slim and contour your nose if that’s your favorite feature. Bring out your strong jawline with contouring. Play with shading to reduce the appearance of a double chin if that’s a concern.
Balance Facial Features
Strategic contouring can help balance out facial asymmetry. If one cheekbone is more prominent, sculpt the other to match it. If your nose tilts to one side, use contour to straighten it. Shade the smaller side of your jaw to create the illusion of symmetry.
Minimize Lines Around Mouth and Chin
Use light, blended contouring to reduce the look of wrinkles around lips and a crepey chin. Avoid heavy contouring which can settle into lines. Always blend well into the hairline so demarcations don’t emphasize thinning hair either.
Tips for Seamless Contouring
- Blend with fluffy brushes using gentle, circular motions
- Build coverage slowly to avoid harsh lines
- Use setting powder to finish and perfect blending
- Set with setting spray for long-wear
With the right techniques, you can sculpt and lift a radiant, youthful complexion at any age!
Blending and Setting Contour on Aging Skin
Properly blending and setting your contour is the final step to creating a beautifully defined, naturally sculpted look on mature skin.
Blend with a Light Touch
Use light, feathery motions when blending to keep your contour looking seamless. Short, gentle strokes with a fluffy brush will soften any harsh lines and create a faded, shadow effect. Avoid buffing or rubbing too vigorously, as this can lift and disturb the contour color, especially on drier aging skin.
Set Contour with Translucent Powder
After perfecting your blend, set your cream contour with a light dusting of translucent loose powder. This will help it stay put all day without slipping and sliding. Use a large fluffy brush to press the powder into the skin where you contoured. Avoid heavier setting powders, as these can sit on top of fine lines and texture.
Finish with Setting Spray
Mist your entire face with a hydrating setting spray after contouring and powdering. This locks in the shape and placement so it stays looking freshly applied. Setting sprays also prevents color transfer, which is ideal for active mature women on the go.
Other Tips for Flawless Contouring
- Set smaller areas like nose contour with a precision brush
- Spritz brush with setting spray before blending for an airbrushed look
- Use matte highlighting shades to avoid emphasizing texture
- Apply cream blush and highlighter after setting the contour
Mastering the art of blending and locking in your contour is crucial for polished, natural dimensions of aging skin. Take it slow and use quality tools for the very best results. Contouring for aging skin requires patience and precision, ensuring a seamless and refined finish.
Caring for Skin After Contouring
Your makeup routine doesn’t end when your contour is complete. After contouring, properly caring for your skin is key to maintaining a healthy, youthful complexion.
Remove Makeup Thoroughly
Start by gently removing all traces of makeup with a high-quality remover suited for aging skin. Look for oil-based cleansers, micellar waters, or cleansing balms that dissolve makeup without tugging. Avoid soap-based makeup removers that can be harsh and drying.
Apply Soothing and Hydrating Products
Follow up cleansing with skincare products that will soothe and replenish the skin. Hydrating serums with hyaluronic acid and soothing creams with aloe vera or chamomile are ideal. Target any areas of dryness or irritation. You can also apply any anti-aging serums or treatments at this time.
Moisturize Thoroughly
Slather on a rich night cream after cleansing to restore moisture lost during the day. Look for deeply hydrating and nourishing ingredients like shea butter, plant oils, ceramides, and peptides. Proper moisturizing keeps skin plump and helps minimize fine lines.
Exfoliate Periodically
Use gentle chemical exfoliating products 2-3 times weekly to reveal fresh, radiant skin. AHAs like glycolic and lactic acid help fade discoloration and smooth texture without irritation.
Other Tips for Post-Contouring Care
- Apply eye cream morning and night
- Use overnight masks for an extra moisture surge
- Get monthly facials for deep cleansing and extraction
- Protect skin daily with broad-spectrum SPF
Caring for your skin post-contouring is just as important as the contouring itself. Nurture your complexion for a healthy, youthful glow!
Sculpting a Youthful Look with Contouring
Contouring is a powerful makeup technique that can help minimize signs of aging and enhance your natural facial features. With the right products, tools, placement, and techniques, mature skin can be sculpted into a lifted, defined version of itself for a naturally youthful look.
The key is taking the time to properly prep and prime aging skin before painting on strategic highlights and shadows. Look for contours in cool, muted matte shades that mimic natural facial contours. Cream formulations typically blend most seamlessly to sculpt and define. Place contour under cheekbones, down sides of nose, underneath jawline, and above eyelid creases to fake a lifted effect.
Celebrity makeup artists like Mario Dedivanovic have mastered the art of contouring on Kim Kardashian’s famous face.
Mastering the art of subtly blending contour takes some practice. Use light tapping and circular motions to create a seamless faded effect on your foundation or skin. Set with translucent powder before finishing off with a hydrating setting spray for long-lasting wear.
While contouring can work magic, avoid common mistakes like heavy shading, stark demarcations, and shimmery products that can make texture more noticeable. Your mature beauty deserves enhancing, not hiding!
With the right contouring techniques, you can masterfully play up your facial features and create a definition in areas that have lost elasticity. Contouring for aging skin truly sculpts an elegant, confident beauty at any age.
Reference:
How To Contour the Mature Face | Contouring & Highlighting Tutorial
