Makeup Terms

“Contour,” “cut crease,” and “baking,” are just a few of the MANY makeup terms that are frequently used by those involved in the makeup world, but what do all of those words mean? This blog post will make you familiar with some makeup terms and get you one step closer to becoming a makeup “contour-sseur” (I tried). Contour is used to define a person’s features typically with a brown bronzer shade that’s meant to give the skin a tan-look. Contour can also be used to alter the appearance of your features by creating the illusion of a smaller forehead or a slimmer nose. It is typically applied to the “edges” of your face on top of your foundation. Cosmopolitan released an article that answers some makeup questions about what contour is and how to use it.

Highlighter is a reflective, shimmery makeup product that’s involved in the contouring process. It’s applied to the places of your face where light shines on it the most, which creates an illuminating glow and liveliness to your skin. Take a look at L’Oréal’s demonstration of the different ways you can apply highlighter to your facial features! There are powder, liquid and cream options.

Cut creases are personally one of my favorite things to do with my eye-looks. It divides your upper eyelid in half with a base layer of concealer (which is used for cut creases, covering dark circles, and “concealing” whatever else you would like to). It creates a highly defined separation between both sides, which is often even more emphasized by contrasting colors. Jocy Reyes’ Instagram post @_.jocyyyy shows the perfect example of what a cut crease looks like. Gorgeous!

Baking sounds like something that belongs in the kitchen, but it belongs on your face too! You “bake” your face with translucent powder by letting the heat of your skin “melt” the product into your skin. It essentially locks the products in underneath it. You can apply a hefty amount of powder with a dry beauty sponge or a powder brush and let it sit on your skin for about ten minutes, and then lightly swipe away the remainder with a powder brush. Here is a picture of Kim Kardashian’s before-and-after from Glamour Magazine:

Beating your face sounds aggressive, but it’s just another way to say that you intend to apply your makeup in an “extra” way. It’s typically said when people are vigorously applying their foundation. It’s a term associated with over-the-top makeup looks.

Fallout happens when excess makeup products falls onto your cheeks. It can be really hard to clean up, so I would recommend doing your eyes before your foundation. Fallout can also be noticed in the makeup pan when you go to dip your brush in the palette and the extra product creates a dusty layer.

Now you know some makeup terminology! Keep a lookout for my next blog post which will be about how to master your makeup! Bye for now!