Fashion
November 25, 2015

5 Tips to Accentuate Your Features

If you are wanting to make your cheekbones appear more defined, your nose look smaller, your lips look fuller, etc. (using makeup!) you are in the right place… maybe. Okay, you all know I am far from a makeup artist, but I get the same reoccurring questions & decided to turn it into a full out post on how to accentuate features. This is not an updated makeup routine – most of my makeup was already done – I was just showing a few of the steps.
1. First things first, Contouring. I know you all have seen my contouring posts before, however, this post was inspired because of a few e-mails I recently started getting… All of a sudden I started getting questions asking if I had a nose job. I won’t lie, the first time I got the e-mail… I was pretty shocked. No one has ever asked me that before & my nose is a very average nose (I think?! – It’s the same as my dads!). Anyway, once I started getting other e-mails regarding this, I told my best friend here in Tulsa (who sees me sans makeup often) & she goes “Emily, your nose really does look different when you contour it!” At this point, I knew a dedicated post was vital. (So to answer the question, no nose job here!)

This step is essential for defining your cheek bones & slimming down your nose. I love the Anastasia Contour Kits – they are the best since they have great highlighting shades as well as contour shades, that’s what I’ve sworn by for the past year. However, I’m showing you how to use a bronzer to do this in case that’s all you have on hand! The key to using a bronzer is making sure it is MATTE (aka NO glitter.)

1. I use the NARS ITA BRUSH (worth the $$) & this Bobbi Brown bronzer (in shade ‘Natural’) to quickly carve out my cheekbones.
2. I use my favorite eye shadow brush (also worth the $$) & the same bronzer to draw two lines down my nose. 

All of this HAS to be blended out after – I use THIS brush to buff/blend the lines so that they are no longer just lines.
*Contouring is creating a shadow – you may want shadows in different places than me so it may take experimenting.*

2. Next step is what I call “Glow” because this isn’t necessarily part of contouring. After you’ve blended out your contour, you can use a lighter shade of bronzer around the rest of your face – especially working it around the hairline. If I skip this step – my face looks so lifeless & dull. 

Also, if you are wanting to make your face look slimmer all the way around – or even your forehead, this step will help! It is similar to contouring in that you are creating shadows – just not as hardcore. 

THIS is my  HOLY GRAIL bronzer for the ‘glow’ effect & THIS is the best brush to apply it with… especially around the hairline. (This doesn’t have too much shimmer which is why I love it!)

3. Next is eyebrows. I have an obsessed with eyebrows – mine are cray-cray. Since I am on accutane I get them threaded. I recently had them done which is nice because they do a great job giving me my arch back. However, if they start to lose shape and be arch-less, I can’t go w/o brow product.

Just adding a little bit of brow product on your brows defines them & helps shape your face. You can see in the photo below on the right what I look like w/ one eyebrow filled & the other not filled. 

I have all of the Anastasia brow products (the powder, Brow Wiz, & Dipbrow)..
I alternate depending on the season, so during the winter I tend to use the Dipbrow more which is what I am using here. 
The best brush to use with Dipbrow is THIS brush (it also works w/her powder the best!) & I lightly dip the brush in the product and quickly fill in my brows. (using shade Soft Brown)

*I always use a spoolie to brush through them AFTER I use Dipbrow.*

4. (Eye)lashes are a big deal because they help to open your eyes up and make them pop. It is also very feminine to have big lashes! 

 One of the top questions I get asked is about my eyelashes since I love love love long, thick eyelashes. You all know my magic trick is using THIS serum at night (I feel like a broken record.) Also, if you don’t have long eyelashes – get THIS mascara at the drugstore & only use the white side. TWO COATS of this and your eyelashes will look thicker & longer. I’ve been doing this for about 1.5 years now & everyone I know has started using it! (You can see me apply mascara primer in my summer makeup routine HERE.)
Also, I love the Too Faced ‘Better Than Sex’ mascara & the Dior Extase mascara. (I used the Too Faced on for these photos.)
5. Lips. It seems like the trend is having big lips – but those are hard to come by…. I always thought my top lip was kind of small so I tried EVERY lip plumper on the face of the earth… or it felt like it! But about 2 years ago, I was reading reviews online for lip plumpers that actually work. When I was reading about the Dior Maximizer – women were leaving reviews saying “if you use this for 15 days like the instructions say, you’ll see a difference!”. I broke down and bought it and use it to this very day because it truly does make a difference. (Is it gross that its the same bottle?? Getting my money’s worth!). 

Also, a trick to making your lips look fuller is finding a good lip liner — I like mauve or brown liners because they tend to help make my lips look bigger (like a shadow effect?). Some girls like to over-line a little bit which can help, but I don’t have steady enough for that! 

Also, I always sweep a little highlight over the cupids bow because this makes that top lip look like it is protruding.

I am using THIS liner in “Mauve” & this lipstick in “Angelic“. This is just a good,  everyday combo. The liner is a long wear formula so I like that it stays put all day!

My favorite brown liner is “Stripdown“.

(Sorry I don’t have any good photos of lip liner application – since Accutane has destroyed my lips I don’t think you’ll wanna see a close up, not cute. :/ )
~~~
Okay, that’s that. I really hope this helps! Let me know if you have questions.
Other details:
My red tunic is HERE ($48 – obsessed.).
My monogram is HERE. (4xl, 16″ chain)
Earrings are Chanel.
My watch is here.
THIS is the eyeliner I am wearing.
My hair had not been fixed or curled prior to these photos, but I use THIS curling iron & THIS hairspray.

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30 thoughts on “5 Tips to Accentuate Your Features”

  9. YES! I love all of these tips! I especially love your contouring tips. Using an eyeshadow brush to contour your nose is perfect! Its small enough to get a precise application and fluffy enough to blend! Adding a lighter bronzer is so important after contouring! I always remind my clients of this. You need that warmth to bring life to the skin!

    ivyandgraceblog.blogspot.com

    Reply

  10. Love these tips! Are you saying that those are your natural lashes though?? If so you are one blessed girl, I have tried so many different mascaras and the only way to achieve lashes that look like yours are by getting extensions (which I have on now). I think extensions are one of the best inventions haha

    xoLauren
    http://www.thelavenderskies.com

    Reply

  21. I love when you do makeup posts!! 🙂 love all these tips and i even use most of these myself, but still fun to read other people's routines too! Happy Thanksgiving to you John and Fitzy #snapchatfam

    Reply

  29. You are too cute! I'm going to have to try the eyelash serum, and maybe, maybe get the Ita brush. Thanks for these recommendations!

    Lisa
    everydayelevated.blogspot.com

    Reply

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