Bronzer vs. Contour Is There Really A Difference?
Bronzers have been a golden ticket in the beauty world for many years! There’s nothing like adding a bit of warmth and glow to your face whether you are doing a full glam look or a natural no makeup look!
With all the amazing makeup TikTok and Instagram reels gracing us with their presence, contouring has become really popular too!
Using the dynamic duo together can transform any face into the perfect snatched bronze goddess.
However, if you don’t know how to use them correctly it can become a recipe for disaster.
In this post I’m sharing the big differences between bronzer and contour — and how to master each technique!
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BRONZER AND CONTOUR PRODUCTS?
Both bronzer and contour products come in different formulas like cream, liquid, and powder. However, the main difference between the two is in the color tone.
Bronzers are going to have a warmth to them — mimicking the tan tones your skin turns when you get back from a tropical vacation
Contours are going to have cool tones to them such as greys — mimicking the colors of a shadow.
Also unlike contours, bronzers come in multiple finishes — such as shimmer, radiant, satin, and matte. Whereas contour products are usually only available with a matte finish
PRO TIP: If you want a radiant look, then shimmer bronzers are for you! If you want more of a natural and healthy glow that looks great for an everyday makeup matte bronzers are for you.
WHICH IS BETTER CONTOUR OR BRONZER?
Both products are equally amazing and great staples to have in your makeup bag. A more detailed answer to this question relies on what you are trying to accomplish with your makeup.
If you are looking to add warmth and accentuate your skin's warm glow where the sun naturally hits your face (think JLO) then bronzer is the better product to use.
If you are looking to create the appearance of more chiseled cheekbones, a stronger jawline, fuller lips, thinner nose (think Angelina Jolie) then contour is a better product to use.
CAN WE USE BRONZER AS CONTOUR?
If you are in a pickle and can’t find your contour product for the life of you (even though you swear you just saw it - happens to me all the time) and you still want to achieve some dimension - yes, you can reside to using your bronzer.
However, keep in mind when using a bronzer to contour — without a contour’s cool grey tones it will be harder to achieve the look of a shadow to define your favorite features.
DO YOU PUT CONTOUR OR BRONZER FIRST?
Your contour is always going to go on before your bronzer for many reasons — one of them being you don’t want to apply your contour after you have already applied a ton of other makeup products — this can cause a dirty & muddy look rather than a beautiful defined shadow.
Unlike contour — when applied correctly bronzers look beautiful on top of your other makeup products locking in warmth and a sun kissed glow!
WHERE DO YOU APPLY CONTOUR AND BRONZER ?
You want to apply your bronzer to the high points of your face that the sun naturally hits:
Above cheeks
Chin
Forehead
Nose - I like to dust what is left over on my brush horizontally over the bridge of my nose.
You want to apply your contour to the areas that would naturally create a shadow because they’re so prominent and snatched.
Under cheekbones = volume and higher cheekbones
Along jawline = chiseled jawline
Along hairline = smaller forehead
Under bottom lip = pouty fuller lips
I hope you found this post helpful and feel confident enough to snatch and glow on the go!
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