Have you ever struggled to contour your round face shape? I’ve been there too. The good news is that with the right techniques, contouring a round face can be surprisingly easy. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll walk you through my foolproof method for simple contouring for round faces.
By the end of this tutorial, you’ll have all the tips, tricks, and product recommendations you need to expertly sculpt and shape your round face. Let’s get started!
Key Takeaways
- Focus on slimming the jawline, minimizing full cheeks, and contouring the forehead and hairline
- Use cool-toned contour shades to recede roundness
- Strategically highlight the cheekbones, brow bones, Cupid’s bow, and bridge of the nose
- Blend, blend, blend all contours and highlights seamlessly
- Apply setting powder or spray to make the contour last all day
If you’re new to contouring, I recommend starting with my guide on simple contouring techniques for beginners first to learn the basics.
Understanding Your Face Shape: Do You Have a Round Face?
Before diving into the art of makeup, let’s navigate the basics. Simple contouring for round faces begins with understanding your facial features, and the initial step is identifying your face shape. So, do you have a round face? Let’s uncover the key to enhancing your natural beauty through simple contouring for round faces.
What are the Characteristics of a Round Face Shape?
A round face is characterized by having full, round cheeks with a little definition along the forehead, jawline, and chin. Other traits of a round face include:
- Face length and width are approximately equal
- Cheekbones tend to be less angular and pronounced
- Jawline and chin often blend together with little distinction
- The forehead, cheeks, and jawline form a soft, circular shape
How to Tell If You Have a Round Face
Want to determine conclusively if you have a round face? Here’s a simple two-step process:
- Measure the width of your cheekbones: Using a measuring tape, measure across your face at the widest part of your cheekbones. Take note of the measurement.
- Measure from your forehead to your chin: Using a measuring tape, measure from the center of your hairline straight down to the tip of your chin. Compare this number to your cheekbone width.
If the measurements are approximately equal, you likely have a round face shape. You can also examine your individual facial features:
- Is your jawline rounded or wide rather than well-defined and sharp?
- Does your chin blend with your jaw rather than jut out?
- Do you have a shorter forehead and full cheeks rather than chiseled cheekbones?
If you answered yes, a round face shape is a match. Now let’s get contouring!
Before becoming a professional makeup artist like Kim Kardashian’s makeup pro, it’s important to understand face shapes and how to tailor your makeup techniques.
Prepping Your Skin the Right Way for Flawless Contour Application
Before you can perfectly sculpt and define your face with contour, you need to prep your skin properly. Understanding how to prep your complexion will help you achieve a smooth, blended contour that lasts all day. Let’s go over the key steps.
Start with Clean, Moisturized Skin
Always begin your makeup routine with clean skin. Remove any dirt, oil or impurities first. Then apply your favorite oil-free moisturizer.
Moisturized skin helps contour blend seamlessly. Dry or flaky patches will grab and cake up contour powder.
Color Correctness is Crucial
Color-correcting spots, dark circles, or redness is a must before contouring. The right color correctors neutralize discoloration so your contour shades show up true.
For dark circles, use a peachy-toned corrector. To cancel redness, try a green-tinted one. Dab it on lightly with a brush or sponge before your foundation.
Use Primer for a Smooth Base
Primers fill in pores and create an even canvas for the contour to glide onto. Silicone-based primers are great for minimizing fine lines and large pores.
Apply your primer with clean fingers using small, pressing motions. Concentrate on areas prone to enlarged pores like the cheeks, nose, and chin.
| Best Primers for Contouring | Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Maybelline Baby Skin Primer Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Primer |
Flawless Foundation & Concealer Application
Use a foundation formulated for your skin type. For oily skin, try a mattifying, oil-free foundation. For dry skin, go for a hydrating cream formula.
Concealer camouflages spots, acne scars, or dark circles. Use a shade lighter than your foundation and layer just over the problem areas.
With your complexion evened out, you’re ready for stunning, sculpted contour!
Choosing the Right Contouring Products for Your Round Face
When it comes to contouring your round face shape, using the right products is crucial for creating a natural-looking definition. From cool-toned contour powders to flawless highlighters, let’s go over the best makeup for sculpting and shaping round faces.
Cool-Toned Contour Shades Recede Roundness
Contour shades should be matte and mimic natural shadows on your face. For round faces, cool-toned gray, taupe, or brown-based contour powders are ideal.
Warm bronzers add warmth and color. Cool-toned contour shades recede roundness to sculpt your face delicately.
Powder vs. Cream Contour Formulas
Powder contour is beginner-friendly and blends easily. Start with a neutral matte contour powder in a cool taupe shade.
Cream contours offer intense pigment. They work well when blended properly. Opt for cool ash-toned cream contours.
| Best Contour Products for Round Faces | Anastasia Beverly Hills Powder Contour Palette Fenty Beauty Match Stix Matte Contour Skinstick Charlotte Tilbury Beautifully Defined Sculpt and Highlight Palette NYX Wonder Stick Cream Contour Stick |
Flattering Highlighter Shades and Placements
Luminous highlighters sculpt the face by playing up your best features. For round faces, focus on the upper cheekbones, brow bones, and bridge of the nose.
Champagne, silver, or opal highlighter shades flatter most skin tones. Apply with a small tapered brush for precision.
Now that you know the right contouring makeup for round faces, let’s get sculpting!
Mastering the Art of Blending for Flawless, Seamless Contour
You’ve mapped out the perfect facial contour strategy for your round face. But expertly blended, seamless application is just as crucial. Mastering these blending techniques will take your contouring skills to the next level.
Gradual Build Up of Color is Key
When applying your contour shade, resist the urge to go heavy-handed immediately. Gradually build up color in thin layers for the most natural look.
Start with a light dusting of contour powder or a few strategic swipes of cream contour. Slowly add more products only where needed.
Soften the Edges
Precisely blending the edges of your contour is vital. Otherwise, you’ll end up with harsh lines or stripes of color.
Use a fluffy contour brush to softly buff out the edges of your contour shade. Blend until you have a diffused, gradient effect.
Use a Beauty Blender for a Seamless Blend
A beauty blender makes blending your contour to perfection easy. Simply bounce and roll the sponge over the edges to achieve a seamless blend.
Beauty blenders work with both cream and powder contour products. Be sure to dampen the sponge first.
Blend Down Into Your Neck & Chest
Don’t forget to blend your contour shade down past your jawline into your neck for a natural look. Take it onto your chest as well.
This creates the illusion of an evenly sculpted face from all angles. No telltale lines of demarcation.
With seamless blending, you’ll look naturally contoured versus overly made up. Now go sculpt your gorgeous face!
Avoid These Common Contouring Mistakes on Your Round Face
When contouring your round face shape, it’s easy to make mistakes that leave you looking overdone. Avoid these common errors for natural, flawless dimensions every time.
Placing Bronzer Too Low on the Cheeks
Applying bronzer too low beneath your cheekbones will drag your face down. Brush it along the upper part of your cheekbone instead.
Also, use a cool-toned contour shade to sculpt. Save warm bronzers for a light dusting across your forehead and the perimeter of your face.
Forgetting to Blend Into Your Hairline & Neck
Creating a seamless blend into your hairline and neck is a must. Otherwise, you’ll have an obvious line of demarcation.
Use short, circular motions to blend contour into your hairline. Sweep it down the neck for a natural look.
Using Warm-Toned Contour Shades
Warm bronze or brown contours will make a round face look fuller. Cool ash or taupe shades are best for slimming roundness.
If your contour adds warmth rather than definition, try a cooler-toned product instead.
Too Much Highlighter
Highlighting is meant to accentuate and define. But too much highlighter will look overdone on a round face.
Keep it focused only on the upper cheekbones, the tip of the nose, and the inner corner of the eyes. Apply with a light hand.
Now that you know what not to do, flaunt your beautifully contoured round face!
How to Accentuate Your Best Features After Contouring Your Round Face
You’ve perfected the art of contouring and sculpting your round face. But the look isn’t complete until you play up your best features. Here’s how to accentuate your eyes, lips, and more after contouring.
Play Up Your Eyes
Big, dazzling eyes balance a round face shape. Sweep on some eye-opening mascara and try these eye-look tips:
- Add volume with false lashes
- Smoky eyes in gray or brown
- Winged eyeliner to lift the eyes
- Highlight inner corners with shimmery shadow
If you want to take your makeup skills to the pro level, be sure to check out my guide on how to become a makeup artist for career tips.
Define Your Brows
Full, defined eyebrows add a flattering frame to a round face. Use brow pencil and gel to fill in and sculpt brows. Aim for a bold, yet tidy shape.
Play Up Your Lips
Draw attention to your pout after contouring with bold lip color. Try an application technique like ombré lips or overlining.
Opt for warmer berry tones rather than cool-toned lip hues. Glosses also enhance fullness.
Accentuate Your Cheekbones
After contouring, apply a pop of blush onto the apples of your cheeks. Focusing color higher accentuates your cheekbones.
Choose a vibrant blush shade like peach, pink, or berry depending on your skin tone.
With polished eyes, brows, lips, and cheeks your face will be perfectly framed!
Contouring Your Round Face Shape: A Simple Step-by-Step Guide
If you have a round face shape, proper contouring techniques can help sculpt definition for a more angular, slimming look. Here is a simple step-by-step overview of contouring a round face:
- Prep skin – Cleanse, moisturize, and color correct before applying primer for a smooth base
- Map out contours – Focus on slimming the jawline, and cheeks, minimizing the chin, and sculpting the forehead/hairline
- Use cool-toned contour shades – Ashy, taupe contours slim roundness rather than adding warmth
- Highlight strategically – Upper cheekbones, nose bridge, Cupid’s bow, inner eyes
- Blend meticulously – Soften edges, blend into hairline/neck, build up gradually
- Set with powder or spray – Lock in contour and highlight for longevity
- Accentuate your features – Play up eyes, lips, and brows for a balanced look
It may take some practice, but with these simple contouring for round faces techniques, you’ll look gorgeously sculpted in no time!
Have any tips or tricks for contouring round faces? Share them in the comments below!
Reference:
How To Wear Makeup For A Round Face: A Quick & Simplified Guide
