Contouring is a
makeup
The asterisk ( ), from Late Latin , from Ancient Greek , ''asteriskos'', "little star", is a typographical symbol. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a heraldic star.
Computer scientists and mathematicians often voc ...
technique that uses
cosmetics
Cosmetics are constituted mixtures of chemical compounds derived from either natural sources, or synthetically created ones. Cosmetics have various purposes. Those designed for personal care and skin care can be used to cleanse or protect ...
to define, enhance and sculpt the structure of the face
or other body parts, such as breasts.
Contouring is usually produced by placing a warm or cool toned color that is one or two shades darker than the skin color in areas such as in the hollows of the cheeks, on the side of the nose, and on the temples to give a shadow and a slimming effect. It can be complemented with a
highlighter
A highlighter is a type of writing device used to mark attention to sections of text by marking them with a vivid, translucent colour.
A typical highlighter is fluorescent yellow, colored with pyranine. Different compounds, such as rhodamines ( ...
that is one or two shades lighter than the skin color on areas of the face that are more prominent such as on the apples of the cheeks and the tip of the nose or the t-zone (forehead, nose, and chin). This technique can also be referred to as strobing, which generally uses only lighter powders and shades and little to no darker ones.
History
In the 16th century, contouring was used by
Elizabethan
The Elizabethan era is the epoch in the Tudor period of the history of England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603). Historians often depict it as the golden age in English history. The symbol of Britannia (a female personifi ...
stage actors, who would apply chalk and soot to their faces to help audience members read their facial expressions.
In the late 1800s, when electricity was invented and lights were widely used, soot was no longer an option. Instead of soot, actors would use greasepaint to help audience members decipher their emotions. In 1800s–1900s,
Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...
deemed makeup as vulgar, as only stage actors and prostitutes wore makeup. Makeup could only be purchased in costume stores.
In the 1920s and 1930s, contouring could be seen in the film world. German actress
Marlene Dietrich
Marie Magdalene "Marlene" DietrichBorn as Maria Magdalena, not Marie Magdalene, according to Dietrich's biography by her daughter, Maria Riva ; however Dietrich's biography by Charlotte Chandler cites "Marie Magdalene" as her birth name . (, ; ...
would contour her face for her films. She would accentuate the natural lines of her face with shading and sculpting.
In 1934, makeup artist
Max Factor Sr. was famous for applying makeup for stage actors. He added shading to the face so that it would not appear flat on film. In 1945, he presented the first tutorial on how to contour the face, for different face shapes.
In 1944,
Ben Nye
Benjamin Emmet Nye, Sr. (January 12, 1907 – February 9, 1986) was an American makeup artist for the Hollywood film industry for over four decades, from the 1930s to the early 1980s. He worked on over five hundred 20th Century Fox films both in a ...
, a famous makeup artist, did the makeup for characters in ''
Gone with the Wind
Gone with the Wind most often refers to:
* ''Gone with the Wind'' (novel), a 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell
* ''Gone with the Wind'' (film), the 1939 adaptation of the novel
Gone with the Wind may also refer to:
Music
* ''Gone with the Wind'' ...
'' and ''
Planet of the Apes
''Planet of the Apes'' is an American science fiction media franchise consisting of films, books, television series, comics, and other media about a world in which humans and intelligent apes clash for control. The franchise is based on Frenc ...
''. He then created his own makeup line, which is still popular today.
In the 1950s, a time of Old Hollywood glamour, features were subtly contoured and shaded. This method was used by actresses such as
Audrey Hepburn
Audrey Hepburn (born Audrey Kathleen Ruston; 4 May 1929 – 20 January 1993) was a British actress and humanitarian. Recognised as both a film and fashion icon, she was ranked by the American Film Institute as the AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars, t ...
,
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe (; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; 1 June 1926 4 August 1962) was an American actress. Famous for playing comedic " blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s and early 1960s, as wel ...
, and
Elizabeth Taylor
Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011) was a British-American actress. She began her career as a child actress in the early 1940s and was one of the most popular stars of classical Hollywood cinema in the 1950s. ...
.
In the 1990s, makeup artist
Kevyn Aucoin
Kevyn James Aucoin (; February 14, 1962 – May 7, 2002) was an American make-up artist, photographer and author. In the 1990s, Aucoin was wholly responsible for the "sculpted" look of many celebrities and top models, including Whitney Houston, ...
was wholly responsible for the sculpted, chiseled look of many celebrities and top models, including
Cher
Cher (; born Cherilyn Sarkisian; May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Often referred to by the media as the Honorific nicknames in popular music, "Goddess of Pop", she has been described as embodying female ...
,
Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
,
Gwyneth Paltrow
Gwyneth Kate Paltrow (; born ) is an American actress and businesswoman. She is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award.
Paltrow gained notice for her early work in films ...
,
Cindy Crawford
Cynthia Ann Crawford (born February 20, 1966) is an American model, actress and television personality. During the 1980s and 1990s, she was among the most popular supermodels and a ubiquitous presence on magazine covers, runways, as well as fash ...
, and
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and dancer. She is noted for her innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows. Her sound and choreog ...
.
In October 2000, he published his industry defining cosmetics book, ''
Face Forward
''Face Forward'' is a cosmetics book written by Kevyn Aucoin. It was a New York Times bestseller. The book was widely noted for introducing makeup sculpting and contouring to the general public for the first time.
Aucoin's portrait subjects incl ...
'', which became a ''
New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'' bestseller. The book was widely noted for introducing makeup sculpting and contouring to the general public for the first time.
In the 2000s, the practice of "body contouring" – the application of contouring to other parts of the body than the face, such as
shinbone
The tibia (; ), also known as the shinbone or shankbone, is the larger, stronger, and anterior (frontal) of the two bones in the leg below the knee in vertebrates (the other being the fibula, behind and to the outside of the tibia); it connects ...
s or breasts ("boob contouring") – became more widely noticed as a result of the increasing number of images of celebrities appearing in
social media
Social media are interactive media technologies that facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, interests, and other forms of expression through virtual communities and networks. While challenges to the definition of ''social medi ...
.
In the 2010s, contouring became even more intense as makeup techniques advanced. While contouring has existed for centuries to some extent, the technique was revolutionized by celebrities, such as
Kim Kardashian
Kimberly Noel Kardashian (formerly West; born October 21, 1980) is an American socialite, media personality, and businesswoman. She first gained media attention as a friend and stylist of Paris Hilton, but received wider notice after the sex ...
and makeup artists incorporating it even more into their looks. The trend of contouring has taken over beauty brands by prompting the sale of items meant specifically for contouring and strobing, its lighter counterpart. Contouring developed from only people in the public eye practicing it, to more affordable and accessible brands manufacturing products so all people can use the technique. The practice is often used by
drag queens
A drag queen is a person, usually male, who uses drag clothing and makeup to imitate and often exaggerate female gender signifiers and gender roles for entertainment purposes. Historically, drag queens have usually been gay men, and part of ...
to emphasize feminine features and soften masculine ones.
Contouring is used largely to not only accentuate features present on the face, but also to hide or change features that are unwanted. Products often used include powder contour, which can come in palettes with both light and dark colors for highlighting and contouring, as well as cream contour products that can create a more emphasized look.
References
External links
{{wiktionary, contouring
Cosmetics