The 3 Commandments of Contouring Every Girl Needs to Live By

It turns out there's a lot of misinformation out there — still — about contouring. Case in point: Celebrity makeup artist Sir John sees the same three contouring mega-fails, like, every day. Heed these warnings, though, and you'll reach contour perfection just like J.Lo.

1. Thou shalt not use a shimmery bronzer. Something to keep in mind: All brown-hued makeup is not created equal. Bronzer and terra-cotta shades have warm undertones, while contouring powders have a cool base. Sure, to an untrained eye (read: not a makeup pro) they look the same in the packaging, but they won't show up the same on your skin. Trust. The two deliver 180-degree different effects: "Bronzers are meant to warm up the face and bring a sense of brilliance to it," Sir John says,​ "while a contour is meant to create depth." 

For example, you swipe matte contour powder below your cheekbone to instantly carve it out. This creates a shadow and the illusion that your cheek looks hollower. But if you swipe on an orangey, flash-catching bronzer there instead, as Sir John puts it, "You'll look a little like the Oompa Loompas from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory." 

2. Thou shalt not skip highlighter — ever. "A contour and a highlight go together like peanut butter and jelly," explains Sir John. Contours mimic shadows by absorbing light. To counterbalance that, you want a hit of highlighter to reflect light where you need it and put a spotlight on features like your killer cheekbones. 

3. Thou shalt not see contour lines. It turns out that visible contouring lines (VCL) are as unacceptable as visible panty lines (VPL). "Anytime you see a line, you've failed," Sir John says. "Even when you're doing your contour, you should only see a line for a second or two at most." Wait, say what? No stripes? If you've been watching YouTube tutorials on repeat, this one's a shocker. But his logic makes perfect sense: Shadows — the very thing you're trying to create with your contouring powder — are diffused; they don't leave sharp lines on your face. And mimicking them is all about using the right brush. Pro tip: To make the brush head extra big, he bleaches the bristles: The fluffier the brush, the more diffused its shadowing will be.