"DIY" Contour+Highlight "Palette" (Tip/Trick + Mini Tutorial)

I feel like I woke up one day and everyone and their mothers were running out to buy contour and highlight palettes.  When did this happen?  Anastasia Beverly Hills created their original contour palette, and all of a sudden every other makeup line started churning out their own versions.  Although they seem like a good idea in theory -- and who knows, I might pick up the Kat Von D Shade Light palette any day now -- I just don't understand the hype.

Contouring and highlighting was all the rage in 2014, and to be completely honest, I wouldn't mind if we left it there.  Don't get me wrong, I'm all for a pretty contour when it comes to the cheekbones and even the nose.. but the OVER highlighting and OVER shading for DAYTIME LOOKS needs to end!  I don't care what anyone says.. I'm not a fan of stark white under eyes, sallow looking cheekbones, or obviously chiseled nose bridges.  I'm not saying it's not appropriate at times (like.. hey.. if you're going to a formal event, or a bachelorette party, or.. something like that? GO CRAZY and do whatever you want!), but why does any regular person (read: not a makeup artist) need an entire palette dedicated to highlighting and contouring?!  For $40+?!

The only reason I say this is because it's SO EASY to create your own contouring and highlighting "palette" from makeup I'm sure you already own.  And if you already own it.. it's for free.  Yes.  I have the ABH palette and I have the BH Cosmetics palette, but A) I'm insane when it comes to makeup, and B) I have virtually no desire to go out and buy the other 15+ types of contouring and highlighting products currently on the market.

I know I have a strangely ridiculous amount of makeup for someone who doesn't do makeup professionally, so this is probably easier for me to pull off than most.  BUT for what I'm putting together, it only costs $20 to recreate using some tried and true NYX products.

All a real person needs to contour and highlight are: (1) a warm toned bronzing powder, (2) a cool toned taupe contouring powder, (3) a brightening highlight powder, and (4) a blush.  THAT'S IT, PEOPLE.  And, hint, I use matte eye shadow for a lot of these steps.  Trust me, it sounds strange, but it's one of my biggest makeup tips/tricks.

I've put together my own perfect contouring and highlighting shades, custom to my individual skin tone -- which, ahem, you cannot do using a pre-made contour palette.  Either you have to buy an excessive amount of shades you won't use, or spend $50 on a palette like the Make Up For Ever one.  No.

For my bronzing shade, all I've done is taken one of my plethora of bronzers.  Out of all the bronzers I have (aka way too many), my favorite is still my MUFE Mat Bronze.  Most people who dabble in makeup have some sort of bronzer.  Any matte bronzer will do.

For my contouring shade, I love using Urban Decay's eyeshadow in either "Naked" or "Buck," depending on how tan I am.  "Naked" is good for my paler months, and "Buck" works like a charm when I'm darker.  No matter what colors you use for your contour shade, make sure it is a COOL TONED shadowy shade.  You're trying to mimic the "color" of a natural shadow cast by your cheekbones, nose bridge, etc.  Shadows are.. shadowy.  Not warm or bronzy!

[There is a big difference between bronzing up the face and contouring it.  I'm all for a gorgeous bronze glow.  But if you're truly trying to change the actual shape of your face and trick the eye into seeing a different bone structure (aka "contouring"), use cool tones!  Bronzy warm shades won't do the same thing.  Know the difference between these two processes!]

"Buck"

For my highlighting shade, I use another Urban Decay eyeshadow, in "Foxy."  It's that perfect "banana" like color that everyone raves about.  Trust me.

For my blush I use.. basically any blush you want.  I'm a big fan of peachy, warm blushes (and tend to shy away from really pink and cool toned ones).  A good go-to is always NARS "Orgasm" blush, which for some reason came across as super rosy on camera -- it's actually a true peach color in person.

*I've also compiled four perfect shades from the NYX Nude Matte Eyeshadow line that work for all four categories in this DIY palette.  Each shadow only costs $5, for a whopping total of $20.  This is half the cost of the ABH Palette and even less than half of all the others.  For shade (1) use "Blame it on the Midnight," for (2) use "Tryst" for lighter skintones and "Underneath it All" for tanner skintones, for (3) use "I Have a Headache", and for (4) use "Leather and Lace".  It really is that simple!*

Below is a pictorial of the basic steps of contouring and highlighting.  And excuse the poor quality and terrible lighting.. there's only so much I can do in a dimly light room without having to use flash on my camera (and risk washing out all the contouring on my face).

"Buck" on a contour brush (in hollows of cheeks)

"Buck" on a small shader brush (along bridge of nose)

"Foxy" on an angled fluffy brush (under eye area to hairline)

"Foxy" on an angled fluffy brush (directly underneath contour shade)

"Foxy" on a small fluffy brush (down middle of nose)

"Foxy" on a small fluffy brush (on center of forehead to nose)

"Buck" on a contour brush (for jawline)

Matte bronzer on a large powder brush (along frame of face + hollows of cheeks)

Blush on a blush brush (on apples of cheeks to hairline)

It's super simple (and virtually free if you have any similar eye shadow shades at home) to create your own DIY contouring and highlighting palette.  There's definitely no need to go to the store and drop $40-$50 for something you can do yourself!  Sure, palettes are convenient and easy to travel with -- but let's be real.  How often are you really going to have to travel with a full-out contour palette?  (It's pretty rare, at least for me.)  My advice?  Save the money and make your own!