Contouring...Yes you can do it!

Sounds kinda like a painting you do on your face...and that's kinda exactly what it is!  Learning to contour is basically learning the proper brush strokes and where the color goes.  It's not an exact science but something you can work on and achieve over time based on the "palette" you have.  Contouring helps to amplify your cheek bones and give you that lean super-model like face. 

What you need to to start your own face painting project...
1. A good contouring brush
2. You favorite color blush that gives you a pinkish glow (Matte of course!)
3. A bronzer that is subtle enough to create a shadow on your face but not a sunburn!
4. A highlighter (some of these are marketed as concealer, but you wanna go much lighter than you would normally use under eyes)

What I use to contour...

1. Sephora Pro Contour Brush
http://www.sephora.com/pro-contour-brush-74-P313017

2. MAC Powder Blush in Mocha
http://www.maccosmetics.com/product/shaded/156/329/Powder-Blush/index.tmpl

3. Benefit Hoola Bronzing Powder
http://www.benefitcosmetics.com/product/view/hoola

4. YSL Touche Eclat
http://www.yslbeautyus.com/Touche-%C3%89clat/141YSL,default,pd.html

It's hard to explain how to contour without some sort of video tutorial so if you really want a visual...go to MAC's website and watch the contouring tutorial.  It's a great lesson but of course I have made my own adjustments based on day vs. night looks and what works best on me.

How I contour:

1. I highlight with touche eclat with small dabs (use ring finger to dot) just above my cheekbones or just under where I put my under-eye concealer. 
2. I then apply my bronzer with my special contour brush (don't use the benefit brush that comes with bronzer, too streaky)just under my cheek bones and up towards my temples.  I also sometimes put a little on my chin line
2. End with blush just on the apples of your cheeks...do not blend in or up with bronzer.

Basically the only visible color should be your flushed cheeks, amplified by the light on top and the shadow beneath.

Here's a great photo I found showing where exactly all these products should go...along with a little extra highlighting

I also dab my touche eclat where you see the ovals/circles, but I do not brush on my blush anywhere past the apples of my cheeks.
VERY IMPORTANT...make sure the bronzer is blended well so you do not look like you have streaky lines!  Use natural light at all times to do your makeup, especially contouring! Happy Painting!