I want to take a stab at contouring

[TheTravellingLemon]

But I read somewhere that you shouldn't buy the kits as you'll probably have most of what you need already.

I already have touche eclat, foundation in my tone, compact powder in my tone and blusher that's probably too pink.

What should be on my shopping list?

And for a bonus point, can anyone recommend good blusher?

whats conturing? Ive never heard of it!!!

Bronzer....

Any brand in particular? I'm very pale and bronzer can make me look ridiculous!

It's a make up technique. I'm not very good with make up as a rule, but my friend tried it and looked beautiful.

Highlighting powder.

I use a sleek contouring palette. I'll try and find a link for it.

sleek contour kit

I use the darker shades (I'm indian) with an angled blush and a blusher brush. The lightest shades might work for you.

If you are very pale bronze may be the wrong tone. I can't wear it. I use illamasqua cream pigment in hollow as my darker shade

Thank you. I am very pale. Like, reflect the sun kind of pale!

I used this site to help me know the basics where to start and tweaked it a little.

I only contour around my cheekbones as I have a small, narrow face with a sharp nose.

Thanks NotEven. I'm quite excited to give it a go. I'm expecting miracles!

The NYX taupe blusher is dirt cheap and a great shade for contouring on pale skin. You need a cool toned product so bronzer is totally the wrong thing. You will end up stripy and orange.

You are trying to create the impression of more sculpted bone structure and so you need something that matches the colour of the natural shadows in your skin (this is what contouring is faking to give the impression of sharper cheekbones casting the shadow).

I also like the effect with NARS Douceur blusher, used sparingly.

The Kevyn Aucoin contour kit is good but £££.

Weirdly, Next sell NYX taupe?! You can also buy it off ebay, Amazon and directly from NYX themselves (online). I think mine came from ebay.

It is very subtle and buildable colour-wise, so you don't end up trying madly to blend thick, muddy stripes in, you can apply it in stages until you get the effect you want

Thanks squeezy that sounds like the kind of thing I'm after. I usually try to keep my make up quite light, so it should be good for me.

lemon my profile has a pic of me with a tiny bit of contouring.

Ooo thanks, I'll take a look!

Ah if you're pale,instead of Bronzer use a powder foundation that's a couple of shades darker than the one your using as a base

The body shop honey bronzers go quite pale.

I second Squeezy's suggestion of the NYX taupe blusher. Amazing product. I'm very pale and initially tried to contour with bronzer and it looked horrible and muddy. The NYX creates a proper shadow.

As with all make-up , use a light touch and blend, blend, blend.

squoosh is right. I found it hardest to do the dark areas. You need a really light touch and small angled brush.
If you go mad with it, it can look a bit badgery.

I am worried about the badger effect, but I live in Essex and believe me when I tell you I've seen some very bizarre skin tones wandering up the High Road!

NYX taupe purchased. Three days away from being drop dead gorgeous!

You certainly see some really OTT attempts at contouring on the streets but done with a restrained hand I was surprised at what a difference it made to my face. I'm a big fan.

I just watched a Wayne Goss (Gossmakeupartist) video on contouring and it was alarming! I mean, the finished job looked amazing on camera but I have to wonder how it looks walking down the street in sunlight.

Also, it requires buying cream foundations in three shades (or two, if you already have a cream in your shade.) I am not sure how it works with the technique I got from Lisa Eldridge on foundation and concealer for skin with acne (I have found it immensely helpful for my own complexion and have bought the exact products she uses).

So, what I currently do is use a Max Factor bronzer (not a horribly orange one) and brush that under my cheekbones and at my temples. I think it works, but I've never watched myself walk down the street in sunlight.

Oh yes the Kim Kardashian style contouring photographs well but I can't help but think it must look a bit draggy in real life.

I didn't even watch the KK one - I watched one with a middle-aged woman with very short blond hair. She looked amazing when he was done but I can't figure out how A) the dark brown and the very light don't just mush together into a muddy colour with the cream foundation, and B) how it really looks from the side as she walks past you in broad daylight.

I think KK must look v v. weird in RL with that make up. A bit panto dame/widow twankey. Unless she is going all the way down her neck, around her ears, down her shoulders and chest, her face must be a totally different colour to her neck and body. Obv blending helps but blending suc dramatic yellow and brown will only go so far, surely?