Whether you’re experiencing temporary face bloat, or you have a naturally round face like me, these makeup tips to slim your face are just what you need. Each of these techniques are subtle and easy to learn, offering a natural way to draw attention to your best features for a beautiful, flawless look. From learning how to shape your brows, to a simple contour and highlight routine, to learning how to apply blush the right way, these face-slimming makeup hacks are a game-changer!
5 Common Causes of Temporary Face Bloat
While some of us have a round face due to genetics, our weight, and/or the use of certain medications, there are other lifestyle factors that can cause or worsen face bloat. Before we dive into our best makeup tips to slim your face, take a look at the list below to see if there are any changes you can make outside of your makeup routine to help alleviate bloat and roundness.
1. Drinking Alcohol
Drinking alcohol – especially right before bed – can lead to dehydration and puffiness the next morning. Alcohol’s dehydrating effect causes your skin to hold onto any water it has, creating symptoms like swelling and redness. If you’re going to be drinking before bed, make sure to drink lots of water to curb dehydration.
2. Seasonal Allergies
Seasonal allergies lead to congestion, which can cause increased inflammation in the skin, and especially in the face. Pollen, dust and animal dander can cause sneezing and have you rubbing your eyes before bed and while you’re sleeping, which can result in you waking up looking puffy. Taking an antihistamine before bed can help, as can using air filters, changing your pillowcases 2 or more times a week, and dusting and vacuuming on the regular.
3. Poor Sleep
A restless sleep can leave you with a puffy, swollen face. Try to minimize stress and anxiety before bed by turning off screens an hour or two before you go to sleep, read a book, and try a calming tea or relaxing yoga. Get to bed at the same time each night so your body can get into a rhythm and enjoy a deeper sleep.
4. Eating Salty Foods
Salty foods retain water in your body, making your face puffy the next morning if consumed too close to bedtime. While a bowl of chips or a plate of nachos may seem like a good idea at the time, you’re sure to pay for it the next day as your body will hold onto extra fluid in an attempt to dilute the salt. Cut back on these types of foods before bed, and if you do eat them, make sure to drink lots of water to keep yourself hydrated.
5. Crying Pre-Sleep
If you have a cry session before going to bed, there’s a really good chance you’ll wake up with puffy eyes. This is due to a temporary condition called periorbital edema. It happens when the salt in your tears irritates the skin around your eyes and results in swelling.
7 Makeup Tips to Slim Your Face
1. Wear Earth-Toned Makeup
Applying neutral, earth-tone makeup to your eyes, cheeks, and lips is a smart way to keep the eyes moving rather than focusing on problem areas. If you wear a bold eye or lip colour, people are likely to be instantly pulled in. Colour draws attention, so if you’re on the hunt for makeup tips to slim your face, stick to neutral tones!
2. Give Your Brows a Nice Arch
Your eyebrows can do a lot for your face, completely transforming it when shaped correctly. When you visit the salon, ask for an angular arch that will frame your face, and make sure to fill your brows in on the regular. Remember that thin brows will round out your face, while full brows will frame your face and create a slimming effect.
If you’re in need of a little eyebrow shaping 101, the following tutorial by ShifraSays is just what you need. She demonstrates how to get naturally looking brows by blending the products in slowly but effectively, and giving attention to the arches. You can see that she doesn’t go crazy filling in her brows with tons of colour, but instead blends it in a little at a time until her brows look naturally fuller. She uses the Anatasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Chocolate, the Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade in Medium Brown, and the Anastasia Clear Brow Gel to get the finished look.
3. Create a Cat Eye
If you’re looking for makeup tips to slim your face, the cat eye is a great makeup technique to add to your arsenal. This look helps elongate the lash line and eye shape in an outward and upward direction. By drawing attention to the corner of your eyes, you’re giving the illusion that your face is triangular in shape, which makes it look leaner.
4. Learn How to Contour
Contouring made its mark back in 2008 thanks to stars like Kim Kardashian, and it has been life-changing for round-faced gals like me. Learning how to contour your face will allow you to define your cheekbones, jawline, and nose, making it one of the best makeup tips to slim your face.
If you’re just getting started with contour, the tutorial below by Roxette Arisa is perfect for you. She shows you how to contour and highlight with products like the Benefit Hoola Quickie Compact Stick and the Ofra Cosmetics Highlighter in ‘Rodeo Drive’. You’ll learn how to contour with both powder and cream, and she also shares tips on how to contour your nose!
5. Give Strobing a Try
If you’re looking for makeup tips to slim your face, strobing is another great technique to learn. Strobing involves illuminating strategic spots on your face to give your skin a bright, healthy look. To use this technique, apply highlighter on spots where light naturally hits your face, such as the bridge of your nose, the highest points of your cheekbones, over the arch of your brows, your cupid’s bow, and the middle of your forehead. Adding a little highlight to these areas brings the focus to the highest points on your face, which has an instant, slimming effect!
6. Conceal and Brighten Under Your Eyes
Whether you had a terrible night of sleep, or have naturally dark under eye circles, this tip is for you. Darkness under your eyes can make your face look wider, so learning how to conceal and brighten the under eye area is key in slimming your face.
The following tutorial by The Glam Belle is a great one if you need a quick cover up in the morning before you head out the door! She shows you how to conceal your under eye bags and keep them concealed throughout the day with products like the Graftobian Makeup Wheel and the MAC Pro Longwear Concealer. Don’t forget to use a powder on top of your concealer such as the Rimmel Stay Matte Long-Lasting Pressed Powder to ensure the darkness stays covered from morning to night.
7. Blush It Out
The final item on my list of makeup tips to slim your face involves both the color and placement of your blush. Look for a product with a slight brown undertone to lightly contour your face (especially if you’re not going to contour to begin with), and remember that a red undertone will often round out your face. When it comes to placement, brush the blush to the upper apples of your cheeks and then slightly towards your temples instead of applying it directly to the apples of your cheeks.
Whether you have a naturally round face, or you’re experiencing a little face bloat thanks to a big night out, I hope these makeup tips to slim your face prove useful to you!
