If you’ve ever dabbed the inner corners of your eyes with highlighter or swept bronzer across creases for added depth, chances are, contouring the eyes won’t feel as unfamiliar as it sounds. Seen in tried-and-true eyeshadow looks, accentuating the natural shadows and highlights of the eye area is a great way to enhance eyes for a natural makeup look.
We created our multi-use Eye Shaping Stylo with precision in mind, so you can contour tight corners with ease. Subtly sculpt and enhance your eyes, or achieve a dramatic change with this versatile stylo that can be worn alone or layered for ultimate customization. With its creamy formula and soft matte finish, achieve a look that’s as natural and undetectable as you want it to be.
To contour eyes, think about subtly accentuating the features you already have.
Start with a clean and well-prepped eye area: Remove any makeup residue and hydrate the orbital socket with a gentle, hydrating treatment like Orbital Eye Balm.
Choose your contouring shades: Select a shade that is two to three shades darker than your natural skin tone for contouring. For creating extra dimension, you can also incorporate a transition shade that is slightly darker than your skin tone, and a highlighting shade that is lighter.
Apply your contour shade: Apply the contour shade directly to the outer corner of your eye, following the natural curve of your eye socket. Start from the outer corner and blend towards the center of your crease. Build up the intensity gradually, ensuring a smooth blend.
Blend the contour shade: With a clean blending brush or fingers, blend the edges of the contour shade to create a seamless transition. Use back-and-forth windshield wiper motions and small circular motions to soften any harsh lines. For an elongated, lifted effect, blend outward towards temples.
Highlight the brow bone: Using a small brush or fingers, apply your highlighter shade to your brow bone, which is the area just below your eyebrows. This will help lift and define your brow area.
Blend the highlight: Gently blend the highlighting shade to ensure a soft and diffused look.
Eye Contour Placement For Your Eye Shape
Round
To define and visibly lengthen round eyes, apply your contour shade to the creases and outer corners, creating a V shape. Light shades can be used to highlight inner corners for an elongating effect.
Almond
For visibly sculpted and defined almond eyes, apply your contour shade to creases and outer corners. A wash of color in a transition shade can be used all over the lid for extra dimension.
Monolid
To define monolid eyes, apply your contour shade to the outer corners of lids, blending in towards the center of the crease, creating a soft outer V shape.
Hooded
To create the illusion of more defined, lifted eyes, smudge your eye contour shade along the lash line and blend upward, ensuring pigment remains just below the natural crease.
Small
For the appearance of large, deeper set eyes, apply your contour shade to creases and outer corners, blending with fingertips to avoid any harsh lines. A highlighter shade can be applied across your brow bone, on the inner corners of eyes, and the center of your lids for a lifted and larger look.
Downturned
To elevate downturned eyes, apply your contour shade directly above your natural crease, blending from the middle of your crease towards the outer corners. For a wide-eyed effect, a lighter shade can be applied to lids.
Upturned
Apply your contour shade along the outer, lower corner of the eye, thereby balancing out the eye shape.
