Contour, Highlight, Baking.....Oh My!

Ah Instagram.....you have revolutionized social media and given us a space to share our lives and our work with others. You also are partly responsible for the age of influencers.

Beauty gurus, influencers, bloggers, etc.

They are taking over the beauty world and they are a huge inspiration for how people want to look.

The problem is the false representation & skewed image that they portray.

I have gotten many brides and younger, prom clients requesting very detailed and intricate makeup looks based on these people and while I can appreciate the artistry, the thing is, that look they did could have taken them HOURS and then some more time to edit the photo to make everything vibrant, crisp, dark, sharp and smooth. When clients get their makeup done, they're expecting that same look, filters and all and don't expect to see anything but a very smooth, poreless, vibrant and sharp look. Unfortunately, our skin is flexible, it moves with every expression, so you're not going to have a 100% smooth look all the time. The vibrancy of shadows may also not be as crisp in person, because you're not walking around with a ring light on your face and photoshop in your eyes. We are all different as well. What may look incredible on one person might look odd on you because your bone structure is different, your eye shape is different, brow bone, lip shape, cheekbone structure, etc. Another thing I get asked about a lot is contouring and highlighting. Just a little history for you, but this is a theatrical makeup trick. It was used to bring shadows back into the face for performers under stage lights and used for drag queens to shape their face to look more feminine when on stage and contrast with the highlights. This is a heavy look, but influencers have made it an everyday step in their makeup routine and the public has followed suit. I contour but only to bring back the natural shadows of the face. Sometimes if a client really wants it, I will go a little heavier, but it's not my style. Baking goes along with this. Again, the drag queens are influencing these people with their techniques, but baking is unnecessary. You can powder under the eye without caking it up with powder.

My main point is that these are all trendy words and techniques, but the reality is that it's great on camera or on stage. It's not cute in person. It's a very heavy, cakey look in person. If you don't mind that, then go for it, but just have a conversation with yourself. Are you going to love this look in 20 years when you look back at your photos?