BAKING & CONTOURING: WHY THIS TREND IS HERE TO STAY
+ Tips on how to use this technique with Runway Room's brand new product: BAKE & CONTOUR KIT
Through the years, us beauty lovers have had to wrap our heads around the makeup trends that are dubbed the Next Big Thing: highlighting, strobing, contouring and of course, baking. We have seen styles come and go, but our team at Runway Room aren’t willing to let go of a couple of our favourite little techniques that always make our in-salon customers look- and feel- on point.
B A K I N G
Not to be confused with oven-roasting your favourite powders - this technique has been used for decades to amp up the brightness under your eyes. That’s right, even if you didn’t get your recommended 8 hours last night, you can still create the illusion of picture-perfect skin and say goodbye to those dark circles!
Believe it or not, baking is not exactly new to the makeup market. This technique has seen success in the drag community for decades!
Celebrity makeup artists including Mario Dedivanovic have continuously been resorting to the baking technique to make sure their A-listers look fierce and flawless 24/7.
HOW-TO
Apply your concealer under the eyes and anywhere else you’d like to highlight and ‘bring forward’, (bridge of the nose, under cheekbones, centre of forehead) and follow this step by applying loose, translucent powder over the top. If you are using Runway Room’s Setting Powder, feel free to add extra layers because you won’t run the risk of looking cakey.
The theory behind the technique surrounds the idea that your body’s natural heat ‘cooks’ the product, allowing the product to set into your skin and result in a flawless finish.
Cooking time: 5-10 minutes. Proceed to sweep excess powder off the highlighted areas.
Voilà! Serve face.
C O N T O U R I N G
The art of contouring has also been used in the makeup industry long before the Kardashian’s brought light to the method. Back in the 1500s Elizabethan era, stage performers would use soot and chalk to make their features more prominent for audience members to see - a little bit more rustic than the beautifully designed palettes we keep in our makeup drawers!
In contrast to baking where we want to bring forward higher areas of your face, contouring is a method artists use to mimic shadow. When done correctly, contouring can make cheekbones appear more prominent, jaw lines more slender, nose appear thinner- the possibilities are endless! In SPFX settings, contouring can be used to create wrinkles for aged makeup, and in more photographic settings can even be used by spray tanning artists to create the illusion of a more striking six-pack. Contouring can additionally help add symmetry to the face and body.
HOW-TO
Apply your base as normal (primer, foundation, concealer) then with a paddle brush, use a soft brown/grey shade cream shade to shape your features; see below for Runway Room’s Conceal and Illuminate palette- a product we think is perfect for the job!
Use one of the contour shades to apply product on the following areas:
-Sides of the temples: this technique creates balance to the face, giving an overall slimming effect and can also help you to look a little bit sunkissed because it is an area often exposed to the sun.
-The hollows of the cheekbones: start to apply the product from your ear, and work the product down towards the edge of your lips. Be mindful not to come too far down; stopping half-way down will do the job perfectly! Remember to blend upwards and not downwards, as we don’t want to drag the face down. We want a beautiful lift!
-The nose: Apply contour shade down the bridge of your nose, noting that the narrower or wider you carve the nose, the overall shape will change accordingly.
-Jawline: Apply product along the jawline to create a more defined look, ensuring you blend down your chin and neck to avoid obvious lines.
-Under the bottom lip: A tiny bit of product underneath the bottom lip will create a shadow that will give the illusion of plumper looking lips!
At Runway Room, we love how the process of baking and contouring adds definition, dimension, and an overall flawless look, so we decided to create a go-to, easy to use product bundle that you can use to achieve studio-standard skin everyday.
The pack includes:
Conceal and Illuminate Palette: This all in 1 product includes 2 shades of concealer to suit all skin tones, 2 shades of warm bronze contour to shape and define your face, along with gorgeous skin illuminating cream for brow and cheekbones.
100% Mineral Setting Powder- The main ingredient to bake your way to a flawless face! This translucent powder will help prolong your makeup for longer-lasting wear. This is the perfect product for smoothing complexion, eliminating shine and avoiding a ‘cakey’ finish.
Mini Beauty Blender- another key ingredient to the contour and bake recipe is this mini beauty blender egg. It is lightweight and dense and will be sure to leave your highlight and contour beautifully blended. It is the perfect size for the delicate under eye, and works best when damp!
Flat paddle brush- Perfect for the application of your conceal and illuminate palette to ensure that perfectly enhanced and flawless finish.
Press play to watch our Brand Ambassador, Mia Fevola, demonstrate how to perfect these methods with our new Bake & Contour Kit:
Online photo credit:
https://www.byrdie.com.au/history-of-contouring
https://www.morphebrushes.com/products/360-nose-contour-collection
https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/80150068342176813
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/hayleys-hacks-bake-your-face-7847068
https://www.raytrends.com/how-to-contour/