Contouring may not be for your everyday makeup routine, but when the photographs are important, so is taking the extra time to contour and highlight.

The basics of contouring are simple. You are darking or hiding the natural hollows of the face for a thinner appearance or changing the facial structure to be more symetical. The areas to contour are usually below the cheekbone, the temple, the sides of the nose (not often),the orbit of the eye, and below the jawline.

Highlighting, on the other hand, has the opposite purposes. It accentuates the peaks of the face and adds a healthy glow if you are using shimmer. The areas to highlight are the cheekbone, the cupids bow, the brow bone and the center of the nose.

Choosing a contour always varies from person to person, from day to night. A general rule is buying a color that is 2-3 shades darker than your skin tone. Keep away from shimmer. A popular color is “Blunt” by MAC or “Taupe” by NYX. Highlighters are fairly similar from person to person. Stay away from thick glitters and opt of a natural dewy finish. My favorites are Boots No. 7 cream shimmer highlighters, MAC cream eyeshadow base in “Pearl”, and Physician’s Formula Shimmer strips.

Note the difference from my before and after. I put a lot on so the camera would pick it up but a good rule is to keep it subtle and natural. Not talking about the photo above.