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Soldier image of shade 31N in Softlight Smoothing Foundation
4.5
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 Stars
Product details

Softlight Skin-Smoothing Liquid Foundation

A medium-buildable foundation with a smooth, soft-matte finish.

31N

Deep with Neutral Undertone

Original price: $54Current price: $54

Softlight Skin-Smoothing Liquid Foundation

Medium Coverage, brightening, balancing

Current price: $54
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Image of the Cream Blush Refillable Cheek & Lip Color in Hydrangea in front of the open compact - Cream blush
4.8
Rated 4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 Stars
Product details

Cream Blush Refillable Cheek &

A hydrating cream that brightens and blurs with a radiant...

Hydrangea

Light cool pink

Original price: $32Current price: $32

Cream Blush Refillable Cheek & Lip Color

Brightening, blurring and longwearing

Current price: $32
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Rose Inc Concealer Bottle
4.8
Rated 4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 Stars
Product details

Softlight Luminous Hydrating Concealer

A does-it-all concealer that brightens, blurs and contours while nourishing...

LX 200

Very Deep Skin Tone, Neutral Undertone

Current price: $30

Softlight Luminous Hydrating Concealer

Medium coverage, brightening, blurring

Current price: $30
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Rose Inc Tinted Serum in shade 140 - Deep
4.9
Rated 4.9 out of 5 stars
4.9 Stars
Product details

Skin Enhance Luminous Tinted Serum

A hydrating skin tint that delivers powerful skincare and sheer,...

140

Very Deep Skin Tone/Red Undertone

Current price: $49

Skin Enhance Luminous Tinted Serum

Sheer Coverage, illuminating, hydrating

Current price: $49
The Difference Between Contour and Bronzer — & How to Use Each

The Difference Between Contour and Bronzer — & How to Use Each

Education
When it comes to makeup, what you don't do is just as important as what you do. Using contour as bronzer is one makeup mistake makeup artists see often. Although bronzer and contour products can appear similar at first glance as they come in shades and formulations that look alike, they serve different purposes. To help clear things up, we chatted with Marsha Page, a New York-based makeup artist — known as the Melanin Therapist for her knack for making people of color, in particular, feel beautiful and seen — about all things contour and bronzer, including the differences, why using bronzer as contour is a makeup don’t and where to apply each product.

    The Difference Between Contour & Bronzer

    There are a few differences between contour and bronzer, most notably their intended purpose and the effects they create. Contour is meant to add dimension or shadow to the face giving it a more sculpted look, Page says, while bronzer is meant to amp up warmth and a sunkissed glow.

    Bronzers and contours are also available in different formulations. Contour can come in a cream or powder formula and usually has a matte finish, whereas bronzer is available in a cream, liquid, or powder formulation and often has a  radiant property to bring a glowy warmth and iridescence to the complexion. 

    As for shades, generally, a bronzer one or two shades darker than your natural skin tone will be easy to apply and blend, but going three to four shades darker can work on medium to deep complexions, notes makeup artist Harold James.

    The same goes for selecting a shade of contour. The main difference lies in the undertones. Bronzers have warmer undertones, while contours have more neutral, cool undertones. Need help determining your undertone or color? Rose Inc has a digitial a Shade Finder tool for that.

"...bronzer is meant to amp up warmth and a sunkissed glow."

    Where to Apply Bronzer vs. Contour

    Since bronzer and contour serve different purposes and are applied on different face areas, they can be used simultaneously. "You just have to make sure that they are each applied correctly for the look you are trying to achieve," Page says. Selecting complementary contour and bronzer shades is also key for creating a cohesive look. When it comes to contours, “make sure it is matte and a shade darker than your bronzer," she says. "This will add definition to the face."

    To apply contour, use a soft angled brush, Page says. Start by applying it around the forehead and swiping along the temples. You can also sweep the contour along the hollows of the cheeks to add definition. Note: Some people also contour the nose. But since everyone has a different nose shape, this is considered a more advanced technique that requires some practice.

    Bronzer is meant to add warmth and color, so apply it to the areas of the face where the sun naturally hits the skin, such as the high points of the cheeks, the nose and the temples. Pro tip: Use a large brush to sweep and blend the product, Page recommends.

    To complete the look, apply some highlighter as well, which works with the contour to further sculpt the face. "Highlighter can be used on areas of the face that you would like to accentuate or bring forward, and contour acts as a shader to push your features back and define them more," Page explains. So applying a highlighter to the high points of the cheekbones and the bridge of the nose can help accentuate the areas and beautifully shape the face.

"Contour acts as a shader to push your features back and define them more..."

Why Bronzer Doesn’t Always Work as Contour

Because of the similar shades and formulas bronzers and contours are available in, it's easy to see why some people may be tempted to use them interchangeably. Bronzer adds warmth and color and [gives a] sunkissed glow to the skin, while contours typically come in more neutral tones with a matte finish, making them more appropriate for creating a sculpting effect. 

For fair and light skin tones, bronzer can actually work as a contour if it's done correctly because it creates less of a contrast than a contour in a deeper shade., Page says. If you choose to use a bronzer as contour, she recommends using one that is a few shades darker than your natural skin tone and has a matte finish.

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Open jar of Solar Infusion Soft-Focus Cream Bronzer in shade Capri
4.8
Rated 4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 Stars
Product details

Solar Infusion Soft-Focus Cream Bronzer

A mistake-proof bronzer that instantly warms the complexion while blurring...

Capri

Deep

Current price: $36

Solar Infusion Soft-Focus Cream Bronzer

Smoothing, antioxidant-rich and non-comedogenic

Current price: $36
Rose Inc Number 5 Bronzer Brush
4.4
Rated 4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 Stars
Product details

Number 5 Bronzer Brush

A dual-fiber brush designed for buffing and stippling cream bronzer...

Current price: $28

Number 5 Bronzer Brush

Buffing, seamless and vegan

Current price: $28
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Image of the Solar Radiance Hydrating Cream Highlighter in shade Lustrous in front of the open compact
4.9
Rated 4.9 out of 5 stars
4.9 Stars
Product details

Solar Radiance Hydrating Cream Highlighter

A velvet-soft cream that illuminates the complexion while smoothing the...

Lustrous

Rich copper

Current price: $32

Solar Radiance Hydrating Cream Highlighter

Illuminating, smoothing and non-comedogenic

Current price: $32
Rose Inc Number 6 Highlighter Brush
4.8
Rated 4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 Stars
Product details

Number 6 Highlighter Brush

A petite dual-fiber brush that delivers seamless cream highlighter application. 

Current price: $26

Number 6 Highlighter Brush

Sweeping, effortless and vegan

Current price: $26
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Rose Inc Tinted Serum in shade 140 - Deep
4.9
Rated 4.9 out of 5 stars
4.9 Stars
Product details

Skin Enhance Luminous Tinted Serum

A hydrating skin tint that delivers powerful skincare and sheer,...

140

Very Deep Skin Tone/Red Undertone

Current price: $49

Skin Enhance Luminous Tinted Serum

Sheer Coverage, illuminating, hydrating

Current price: $49

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