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If you’re a beauty hun, you’ll know the importance of contouring. Done correctly, it gives you more definition and generally helps you look sculpted and on point.
Contouring isn’t a new makeup trick, of course, and most of us are familiar with how to contour our own faces. But have we been doing it wrong? Maybe so.
We were curious as soon as we spotted the new ‘Cheek Contour’ filter doing the rounds on TikTok. Created by beauty and makeup TikTokker @gracemchoi, it work by measuring out your facial proportions to serve you the perfect guidelines for your contouring.
Another week, another TikTok hack. Are you even on TikTok if you haven’t tried them all? But we’re happy to say this latest trick might actually be a winner.
As demonstrated in this video by TikTokker @mikaylanogueira, the ‘Cheek Contour’ filter adds blue triangles to your cheeks to show you where to apply your cream contour product.
It’s all based on the ‘golden ratio’, a geometric mask of the face developed by Dr Stephen_R_Marquardt, an American maxillofacial surgeon and researcher who believes that how we perceive human beauty is mostly down to maths.
As well as this, Choi’s filter adds a line straight down your nose, too, to show the perfect middle point to add your all important highlighter.
Users have indeed been intrigued to test the results as the filter puts the blue triangles really high on the cheekbones, which isn’t how most people usually contour. So the HuffPost team decided to try it out for ourselves.
‘One for the big events, not every day’
Habiba: I apply my make-up as I usually do – I’m going out for dinner so I’ve decided to do a full face. This includes foundation, blush, concealer and contouring. After I apply my concealer, I go on TikTok to use the filter.
I’m a bit taken back at how high it wants me to go. Normally, I contour near my jaw area or a bit lower than that. Nevertheless, I follow the (literal) guidelines with my Morphe Dimension contour stick and I’m immediately impressed. My face looked way more sculpted then it does from my usual contour.
I definitely want to try the hack again, using other contouring products such as Fenty’s Beauty Match Stix Matte Skinstick and Too Faced Concealer. I’d probably use this for big events and parties and not on an everyday basis, but only because my usual contouring looks a little more natural.
‘It’s so specific to your face type’
Faima: I like this filter as you can trace your contour underneath as you use it, and it’s so specific to your face type. I have a naturally round face so I’ve been wanting a good contouring hack and this feels like an easy one to try.
I normally wear my contour a lot lower – under my cheekbones, so this certainly feels unnatural to start with. But after applying with my trusty Stila Perfecting Foundation, I do feel like it’s sculpted my face a bit better. I’ll probably try this again, but maybe a tiny bit lower next time, so I can make space for my favourite blush and highlighter.
A MUA’s tips for getting the most of the filter
Make-up artist Saffron Hughes, who works with FalseEyelashes.co.uk, says the filter is a real game-changer, whether you’re new to contouring or a dab hand, and has some useful tips for how we can use it to elevate our make-up game.
“It outlines how to contour the face for beginners and makes it easy for pros to perfect their technique with cream contour,” she says. “Fans who have tried the filter are shocked that the blue triangles, where you apply your contour, are so high on the cheekbones – it outlines approximately 2-3 cm above the ear!
As Hughes explains: “This placement will lift your face and give you that ‘V’ line shape that chisels your cheekbones. After you have applied the cream contour, use a beauty sponge and blend up and out. Remember we are lifting the face, and don’t want to drag the product down which creates that messy, brown splodge on your face, rather than a defined contour that’s brushed up and out.”
What about blush? We’d usually apply it right above our cheekbones. Do we now apply it directly where we’d normally contour? Hughes doesn’t think so.
“As the contour is so high, many users have questioned ‘where do you place your blush?’ The filter creates a cream contour application that elongates the face, you don’t want to take away from this when you apply blush,” she says.
“Typically, you would apply the blusher on the apples of your cheeks and blend upwards. However, you want to keep that lifted effect so as weird as it may seem, you want to apply the blush above the cream contour.”
“Blend the blush upwards, and really keep it in that concentrated area. You can even take it above the brow for the ultimate glowy, face lift look.”