Contouring

Contouring is a makeup technique that uses cosmetics to define, enhance and sculpt the structure of the face[1] or other body parts, such as breasts.

In the 16th century, contouring was used by Elizabethan stage actors, who would apply chalk and soot to their faces to help audience members read their facial expressions.

[3] In the 1990s, makeup artist Kevyn Aucoin was wholly responsible for the sculpted, chiseled look of many celebrities and top models, including Cher, Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow, Cindy Crawford, and Janet Jackson.

[3] In October 2000, he published his industry defining cosmetics book, Face Forward, which became a New York Times bestseller.

The book was widely noted for introducing makeup sculpting and contouring to the general public for the first time.

While contouring has existed for centuries to some extent, the technique was revolutionized by celebrities, such as Kim Kardashian and makeup artists incorporating it even more into their looks.