Technique · Written in Casablanca
How to contour round face
Take the shadow further up and further back than you would on other face shapes, to create length.
Written by Lamyaa Aissi, professional makeup artist, Casablanca.
How to do it
- Start the shadow higher on the cheekbone and angle it up toward the temple.
- Add shadow at the temples and along the outer forehead to draw the eye upward.
- Keep the jaw contour light — heavy jaw shadow on a round face reads as a shadow rather than a shape.
- Place highlight down the centre of the face to lengthen.
The Moroccan adjustment
Warm-toned sculpting reads better on olive skin than cool contour, so the shadow shade wants to be deep rather than grey.
What goes wrong
Contouring in the same place as on a longer face. Placed low, it widens exactly what you were trying to lengthen.
Questions
How to contour round face?
Take the shadow further up and further back than you would on other face shapes, to create length.
What goes wrong most often?
Contouring in the same place as on a longer face. Placed low, it widens exactly what you were trying to lengthen.
Does this change on Moroccan skin or in a Moroccan climate?
Warm-toned sculpting reads better on olive skin than cool contour, so the shadow shade wants to be deep rather than grey.
Related
Learn it in person
One-to-one makeup lessons in Casablanca, built around your own face and the products you already own.