Ideal For Professionals Contrast Makeup Is The Key To Highlighting Your Features—Here’S How To Do It

With countless TikTok videos tout the benefit of contrast makeup, it’s safe to assume that the this viral trend will stick around longer than most. The assumption of direct contrast makeup be utilizing visible radiation and dark tones to high spot your feature based on your skin, hair, and eyes—but we desire to dig a little deeper. Ahead, we radius to a professional makeup artist to larn everything there be to know about contrast makeup, so bread and butter reading for our thorough breakdown and be gear up to payoff notes!

What Exactly be Contrast Makeup?

When learning about contrast makeup theory, the first thing to note is your hair, eye color, and skin tone. “Contrast makeup theory be a technique that focuses on the similarity OR difference in color strength or ‘contrast’ of your skin tone, hair, and optic color,” say Byrne. “When you view all three colors together, you can sense your color palette and choose makeup that harmonizes with your natural features.”

The key factor in discernment contrast makeup be intensity. “Contrast makeup is the mindset of looking at at makeup inch footing of intensity rather than just colour value,” says Byrne. “For example, when we talking astir angstrom unit redness lip, we frequently think of angstrom unit bold, opaque bright red—which gives high strength and contrast. But a lower contrast version could be brushing on some of that Saami lip color and slue it out with lip balm, so you have the joy of the coloring with far less intensity level and hence lower contrast.”

Low-Contrast Makeup

What be low-contrast makeup exactly? “If your feature are similar inch tone—for example, light blond hair, picket skin, and blue eyes; or dark hair, deep cutis tone, and brown eyes—you wealthy person low contrast because your natural tone are all very similar in value,” say Byrne.

The key to creating low-contrast makeup be avoid harsh lines Oregon dramatic color transitions. “I would start past choosing A subtle eyeshadow Oregon smudging inch a gray Beaver State warm brown liner,” says Byrne. “Then, I would eve out the skin tone with angstrom concealer or tinct moisturizer that matches your skin tone. Use A soft bronzer that be non Sir Thomas More than a shadiness or so different from the cutis to quietly form up cheekbones, jawline, browbones, and forehead. For blush, a color close to your natural flush be A good option, atomic number 33 well As a sheer or buildable lip color or lip gloss to finish information technology off. Key techniques ar fashioning sure everything is well blended, colours are inch the same colouring family, and textures are delicate.”

Medium-Contrast Makeup

With medium contrast come more intensity than that of low contrast. “Medium-contrast makeup be all about balancing subtlety and definition,” note Byrne, “For example, if your hair is black, your tegument be milky caramel, and your eyes ar deep brown, you want to minimal brain damage definition without magnify anything.”

The key for choosing makeup tone of voice when recreating medium-contrast make-up be to discovery hue not too visible light nor dark. “I love colors like ochre, chocolate, soft metallics, and eve khaki to minimal brain dysfunction dimension around the eyes for medium-contrast makeup,” say Byrne. “Avoid whatsoever foundation Oregon concealer with A super dramatic contrast to your skin tone. Bronzer can be angstrom unit few shades deeper than your natural skin tone, and you tin find flush colors that add angstrom unit noticeable pop of color. It’s the Same with lips; medium-intensity colors and texture can be More obvious than low contrast, but you tin still avoid super pale nudes or darkness vampy shades.”

If you are unsure where to start with medium-contrast tones, Byrne advise playing around with textures to see which be most suitable: “I the like bold colors with veer texture for medium contrast; they add dimension with a wash of color. Play with textures, using angstrom unit mix of matte shimmer and satin to make dimension without to a fault much contrast.”

High-Contrast Makeup

With high-contrast makeup, drama be showcased more so than with low- and medium-contrast makeup. “If you rich person striking difference between your hair, skin tone, and eye color, high contrast be the opportunity to use bold colors and dramatic textures,” say Byrne.

Feel free people to experiment with bolder, pigment eyeshadows and eyeliners for smokier eye looks; Byrne be angstrom fan of smutch eyeliner, “Liners can be smudged in for a smokey aspect OR drawn graphically into angstrom unit cat-eye for high-contrast makeup. The more mascara, the better.” High contrast also allows for more noticeable definition in the skin. “Feel free to usage bronzer for good definition and vibrant pops of color on your cheeks,” say Byrne. “For lips, reds, berries, plums, and pinks—they all work well and appear balanced. The most important thing is to embrace direct contrast and not fear graphic designs. If you’re not angstrom bold coloring person, you tin can play with angstrom unit mix of matte, shimmer, and metallic finishes to add contrast and dimension with less color.”

The Takeaway

Anyone can benefit from contrast makeup, it seminal fluid down to learning what type of contrast you are, and followers suit in the colours and finish of war paint ware you choose. Whether you fall into the category of low, medium, OR high contrast, this trend volition benefit you the most one time you’ve nailed your color palette. are you wiling to give contrast make-up a try?