August 14th, 2023
Soft Sculpting Is The Most Natural Look For Contouring In 2024
Say goodbye to heavily contoured chiselled cheekbones, for fall of 2024 trends will be a clean aesthetic with radiant, softly-sculpted skin that looks “touched by candle-light”. Trends are showing that “Soft Glam” continues into fall and winter and includes neutral colors just a few shades darker than your natural complexion, light layers of makeup mostly in cream and liquids that are softly blended to create an airbrushed look, no harsh lines or heavy finishes, natural lips and tamed brows, diffused eyeshadow, softly glowing cheeks and radiant skin.
Mario Dedivanovic, the “Contour King” makeup artist, is known for the most natural techniques for contouring with makeup. In 2021, he launched a “Soft Sculpt Collection” within his makeup line, including cream contour and blush sticks. When being interviewed by Elle Magazine that year he stated,
“I like to put soft layers on and then I like to build, if necessary, but I don’t like to go on with something heavy and then work to remove it. After blending, just take the leftover [product] on the brush and just hit other areas of the face. And this is not to contour, but this is more of a color thing. It’s just that so you make the color more cohesive and so that you’re adding a little bit of warmth. I like to use (powder) bronzer in the end, after. I’m going to hit the bronzer into the forehead, the jawline, and then finally go slightly above the cream product at the end, just to lock it all in and get that little final pop to the skin.” (1)
For the “Soft Glam” trend, this is exactly the type of contouring technique that you will want to use. Use a cream contour and go for very light layers, building up product and being very careful to not apply heavily. Remember, your blush and natural highlights will take center stage giving your skin a healthy, “glow-from-within” finish.
Recommendations For This Look
For the foundation AND the contour I suggest Graftbian Cream Foundation. Each pot is $30 and only a small pea size amount in most cases is enough for a full face of contour. Not only is the finish dewey and natural, but the product blends easily. I use this high definition makeup on all of my film sets in my makeup kit and use this on my actors for both foundation and contour. With 70 shades to choose from, they have a shade for all.
Not sure about which shade to use? The Avalon Day Spa offers a free color matching service with foundation order. You can call the spa at 248-686-1259 and speak to concierge to schedule your free appointment.
With so many highlighters on the market, it’s hard to find a product line that is not full of glitter particles and instead more natural looking. It’s important to note with this look, it’s a “candle-light” or “glow-from-within” look so the finish has to be very natural. Merit checks all of these boxes with their Day Glow Highlighting Balm.
Solstice – Neutral Bronze
Citrine – Soft Gold
Cava – Champagne
Bounce – Rose Gold
Chanel BAUME ESSENTIEL Multi-Use Glow Stick is also a great highlighter stick that provides a natural glowey finish.
Dragėe- light pink shade
Transparent- translucent shade
Sculpting- sheer champagne-beige shade
Rosėe- pearl pink shade
Moonlight Kiss- rose gold shade
Solar Glow- copper bronze shade
Pro Tip: Any highlighter balm stick is going to be slightly tacky by nature as it is a balm. The best technique to use highlighter sticks with is called “Underpainting”. This technique involves applying products like highlighter, contour, and blush before adding foundation to achieve a softer, more natural-looking finish. Use your finger to blend!!! Your heat from your skin will warm the product, helping to melt down the formula.
Avoid: Putting on a thick layer, instead tap a light layer into the skin.
Contouring By Face Shape
An Oval Face Shape means the forehead width is smaller than the cheekbone width, and the face is longer than it is wide. An oval face shape is a combination of a square and round. When contouring an oval face, the goal is to slightly shorten the look of your face while sculpting the look of the cheeks and jawline.
Contour
On either side of the forehead for a shading effect that helps it to look smaller and shorter
Deeper into the cheekbones as this will help the face to look wider and more sculpted
Outer jawline for a chiselling effect
An Oblong Face Shape means that your face is almost twice as long as it is wide. There are no defined points to your chin, jaw or hairline.
Contour
Along your hairline to bring this down and give the illusion of a smaller forehead
Below your cheekbones starting at your ears and ending in the middle of the cheeks
A Diamond Face Shape means that your cheeks are the widest part of your face, with your hairline and chin narrowing. Diamond shaped faces also tend to be longer, rather than wider.
Contour
Below your cheekbones starting at your ears and ending in the middle of the cheeks
Don’t bring the contour too close to your mouth, as this will have the opposite effect you’re looking for
A Heart Face Shape means that your chin is narrow and pointed and your cheeks are narrower than your hairline. You may also in most cases have a widow’s peak.
Contour
Along the sides of your forehead and temples to balance out the wider upper half of your face with the narrower lower half
On the lower chin to bring up the point
A Round Face Shape means that your face is the same length and width and you have no obvious points along your jawline, chin or forehead.
Contour
Around the sides of your forehead and temples to slim down this area
Below your cheekbones from your ear to the middle of your cheeks and then down to your jawline to add some length to your face
A Square Face Shape means that your face is the same length and width (if not slightly longer for a rectangle) and your hairline and jawline are even.
Contour
Around the sides of your forehead and temples to slim down this area
Along your hairline to give the illusion of a smaller forehead
Below your cheekbones starting at your ears and ending in the middle of the cheeks
Under your jawbone to slim this area
Research & References
https://www.elle.com/beauty/a36595768-makeup-by-mario-soft-sculpt-collection