In recent months, the terms contouring and strobing have been appearing more and more often in the field of makeup. These two terms refer to methods that not only enhance facial features but can also significantly change them. We have explored these two techniques and looked at how strobing and contouring differ from each other.
Contouring – Emphasizing and Shaping Facial Features
Contouring translates roughly to contouring or outlining. It specifically involves emphasizing certain facial features and shaping their form. This way, advantageous facial features can be highlighted, and perceived flaws can be balanced out. For this, camouflage makeup or bronzing powder is used, for example. Essential for effective contouring is that the powder or makeup must be two to three shades darker than your own skin tone.
How Does Contouring Work?
Contouring is basically elaborate – it can often take up to 30 minutes to complete. First, a light day cream should be applied to the face. Then apply foundation and concealer, and the contouring can begin: Use a concealer brush to apply the darker camouflage makeup or bronzing powder to the desired facial areas and then blend everything to make the transitions invisible, for example with a makeup sponge. After that, light accents are set with a highlighter or a light powder, which are also blended well. Finally, the finished makeup is fixed with transparent powder.
Strobing
Many describe strobing as the new form of contouring. In this technique, certain facial areas are also skillfully highlighted. The difference, however, is that strobing uses only highlighter. You could say that strobing is therefore an easier technique to learn than contouring. In any case, you can achieve good effects faster.
Strobing in Detail
In strobing, usually 5 areas are highlighted: the cheeks, which visually slim the face, the bridge of the nose for a narrower nose, the eyebrow area, the area above the cupid’s bow, and the chin. With the help of strobing, these areas of the face are specifically emphasized, and the overall impression becomes more accentuated. However, you have to be careful not to use too much highlighter and to blend the highlighted areas well. After the actual strobing process, you must also be careful not to fix the makeup with powder – otherwise, the shine effect of the highlighter is lost. Instead, blotting paper is recommended.
As you can see, the effects you want to achieve with strobing and contouring are almost the same. Only the technique distinguishes these two methods. Strobing is clearly less elaborate. Whether contouring or strobing: a must for every makeup look is full, dense, and long lashes.
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