How Should I Contour and Highlight My Nose to Make it Look Slimmer?

One of the biggest insecurities people have about their face is the size and shape of their nose. Today's contouring and highlighting cosmetics offer knife-free, inexpensive, no-commitment restructuring.

What is contouring and highlighting?

Contouring and highlighting is the art of applying makeup skilfully to create the trompe l'oeil effect of altered bone structure. The right makeup shades and application can be used to completely change the apparent shape of a nose—most commonly to slim it down.

Contouring is the use of a darker product to create the illusion of recesses and shadows on the face and detract from prominent features. A highlight is a lighter product that enhances features and draws attention to them. The two techniques can be used in conjunction to slim down a nose.

Picking the perfect contour product

Your contour product should be a matte shade that's just one or two tones darker than your natural skin tone. Unlike bronzers, which are used to warm the complexion, contour should have a cool undertone. Contour powders are popular, but cream products are easier to blend.

Clinique Chubby Stick Sculpting Contour is a great product for contouring the nose. This stick is quick and easy to use, and you can easily draw on straight lines.

If you have oily skin and prefer a powder, we recommend you use a narrow and dense brush, such as the Sigma F77, to ensure straight lines. Take a look at our contour palettes to choose an appropriate shade match for your skin tone.

Applying your contour

Once you've applied foundation, use the contour product to draw two straight lines on either side of your nose. If your nose is wonky, you can always build up contour on the uneven side to give the illusion of a straight nose.

Continue your lines to the bridge of your nose if your nose is wide all the way up. If the base of your nose is wide, draw your lines outwards at the nostrils.

If you want to slim down the tip of your nose, join the vertical lines at the tip to create an inverted triangle. Don't blend the contour until you've applied your highlight.

Choosing your highlighter

For slimming down the nose, it's best to choose a highlighter with minimal shimmer. Shimmer works great for highlighting cheekbones and other areas you want to plaly up. However, to avoid calling undue attention to your nose or creating a shiny look, it's better to use a matte product.

Palettes such as the Youngblood Contour Palette contain lighter, matte shades, which are perfect for the job. You can also use Clinique Chubby Stick Sculpting Highlight to complement the brand's aforementioned contour.

Applying your highlighter

Use a narrow, dense brush such as the Sigma F03 to apply your highlight down the centre of your nose. If you're trying to narrow the tip or base of your nose, don’t go all the way down with your highlight, as this will only enhance the larger area.

Blending is key

Once the contour and highlight products are in place, it’s time to blend. Try to avoid blending the two tones together too much. Just blend the lines so they're no longer obvious. We recommend using a small blending brush, such as the Sigma E40, as this will give you additional precision.

The process may take some practice, especially at the blending stage. But once you've mastered contouring and highlighting, it’s an easy way to temporarily narrow your nose and banish any insecurities.