How to contour your face using self tan

Tired of layering bronzer and highlighter on your face every day? Give your skin a break from heavy cosmetics and use a lighter touch of fake tan to do the contouring for you! Simply apply once every 7-10 days to sculpt and define the natural curves of your face instead of reaching for foundation, concealer and setting powders that cost a fortune. Better yet, it’s easy peasy so you don’t need to be an expert to do it.

The key to contouring is to recognise the important part that light and dark plays in helping you to sculpt and define your bone structure. You’re looking to ‘pull forward’ the bits you want to accentuate using light and ‘push back’ the bits you want to draw less attention to using dark and shadow.

Think about where the sunshine naturally hits your face when you’re outside, like your cheekbones, the centre of your nose and your chin — it’s these bits that you want to illuminate and draw forward.

1. First off, apply your self tanner¬†(or gradual tanner) as you normally would¬†by using your fingers to gently blend the product into the skin in the same way as you’d apply a mosturiser. This will lend your skin a golden foundation, which you can use as a base for the colour you’ll be applying next.
2. Use a slightly darker self tan to apply a thin line of product along the hollows of your cheeks and blend in well. At this point buffing in with your fingers or a contouring brush is essential to making your sculpted finish look natural. Our contour applicator brush* is perfect for doing the job because it seamlessly blends self tanner into the skin to lend the complexion a subtle glow.
3. Apply the same darker tan onto your forehead, close to your hairline, and buff in again.
4. If you want to contour your nose apply more tanner down the sides of your nose and blend.

*Our contour applicator is also perfect for defining larger areas, such as the cheekbones, or creating definition in smaller areas, such as the bridge of the nose, the inner corner of the eye socket, under the brow area and cupids bow as well as the bridge of the nose and eye arch.