Beauty & the Brush: Colour and contour

If we took a survey of all the women we know, most would tell us that their one staple beauty product is a great blush. Why? Because a little colour to the cheeks evens out a sallow complexion and adds warmth to your face without an overdose of cosmetics. But, most importantly, once you determine your face shape, you can use blush to brighten your features by contouring your cheekbones.

To ascertain what shape you fall under, outline your face in a mirror with a lipstick or erasable marker while looking straight into it. Stand back and take a look at what form your tracing makes. A round face will appear to be equal in width and length, while a heart shape widens at the forehead or cheekbones and narrows near the chin. A square face will be about the same width at the forehead as the jaw line. Finally, an oval face will have a greater length than width and will be thinner at the forehead and chin.

Remember, if you can’t find the apples of your cheeks, simply smile while you apply your blush. The fleshy mound that appears when you grin is the starting point for your colour play.

Round shape

Women that wish to slim out a round silhouette should avoid brushing colour directly onto the fleshy part of their cheeks. Doing this will only cause a more circular illusion. Start by brushing on your favourite hue under your cheekbone and whisking up and out to the skin near the tops of your ears. Then, bring the brush back in towards your temple, thus creating a sideways ‘V’ shape. Lengthen your face by applying a little blush on your chin, but be sure to blend well to prevent your skin from looking irritated.

Heart shape

As for a round face type, those with a heart shape should steer clear of depositing colour directly onto the cheeks. The reason for this is that heart silhouettes are already wide in this area and the idea is to soften the look rather than draw attention to it. Take your brush and apply the shade right under your apples and sweep in a diagonal motion toward the bottom of your temples. Unlike round faces, heart-shaped ones should not use blush on the temple where the forehead is wide.

Square shape

Because this type is the same width at the temples as the jaw, blush should be used to soften facial contours. Begin by placing your brush directly onto your cheekbones, and then sweeping up in a soft outward arc towards your temples. Try to avoid any straight or harsh lines during application. To further draw attention away from a hard silhouette, blend a little colour into both your forehead and your chin. Use circular motions while colouring and pay most attention to the apples.

Oval shape

This face shape is generally thinner at the cheeks than other face types, so it doesn’t need much work. Place your brush at the inner corner of the apples of your cheeks and swipe outward toward your hairline. The result should be a neatly blended horizontal line that is thick so you don’t end up with zebra stripes. This method will balance out the length of the face by widening your silhouette.

Maria Saadat is author of the popular desi beauty site Lipstick Masala.

QUESTION TIME

Do you have a question about make-up? Can’t figure out a hairstyle for an upcoming wedding? Do your attempts at smoky eye make-up leave you looking like a raccoon? Have no fear! E-mail your questions and issues to [e-mail] and Maria Saadat will respond to them in an upcoming column.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 29^th, 2010.