Table of Contents
Contouring has revolutionized the beauty industry over the last few years. It has transformed the way makeup is used and is now a staple in the daily makeup routine of most women. It involves strategically highlighting or shading areas of your face to give the appearance of higher cheekbones, an elegant nose, and a slim chin. A new twist on contouring has been added to this trend, giving you a “natural” look and instantly slims down the neck area. This newest edition is called “neck contouring”. Yes, you read it right. After sculpting almost all of your body parts like face, cleavage, abs, etc. with makeup, now it is time to pay some attention to your ‘neck’. Looking to take your contouring game to the next level?, Are you interested in smooth, streamlined neck skin? Then neck contouring may be just what you’re looking for.
What is Neck Contouring?
Neck contouring has suddenly become a very popular trend among women of different age groups. However, if you are one of those who want to enhance their appearance by reshaping your neck structure, then we have good news for you. You can now achieve an attractive and elegant neck shape by using makeup.
Neck contouring is the most recent technique of ‘contouring .’ The back of the neck is precisely contoured with makeup to give it a defined shape. Doesn’t it sound strange? Well, you may not be convinced until you see the results. ‘Neck contouring’ was born out of the desire to have a swan-like neck when wearing an updo hairstyle.
The method is more or less comparable to other types of contouring, where dark and light makeup shades are used to fade and highlight certain portions of a given body part, respectively. However, the difference lies in the fact that you need to do this for the back of your neck in order to bring it more depth and dimension.
Why Should You Contour Your Neck?
Often, the neck shows more signs of aging than the face and is one of the most troublesome and undertreated regions of the body for which women seek aesthetic guidance and treatment (1). As a result, there aren’t many choices for addressing an aging neck. Many opt for laser treatments or the less visible cosmetic treatments like waxing. However, if you’re in the search for a safe, quick, and easy way to add more depth and dimension to your neck area while giving you that youthful look, then neck contouring is perfect for you!
Also Read – How to Prevent and Tighten Turkey Neck – 10 Facial Yoga Routines
How Did the Trend Start?
Let’s explore how the trend actually broke out and became viral over time. Huda Heidi Kattan, also known as ‘Huda Beauty’, shared a video clip of her contouring the back of her neck on her Instagram page. The footage quickly went viral. With her innovative makeup hacks, Huda has gained a following of more than 11 million admirers, and her neck contouring hack lesson has attracted more than 80K likes. Makeup Wearables, another popular beauty vlogger, also came up with a simple DIY neck contouring method to slim the nape of the neck and created elegant updo hairstyles (2).
When did this contouring makeup craze begin? Well, you would be surprised to find out that it had been a trend followed across the globe for many centuries. Contouring is an ancient art that dates back to the mid-1500s. In Elizabethan England, stage players would paint chalk and soot to their faces so that audience could interpret their expressions more easily (3).
How to Contour the Neck?
Neck contouring can be a messy process since you can’t keep an eye on your application with a mirror on the back of your neck. If you try to do this on your own, you may find it impossible. However, “Practice makes perfect,” and once you start to get the hang of it, it gets a little easier.
If you’re looking for a way to add definition to your neckline without doing major work on it, here is a detailed step-by-step guide to neck contouring. Follow the below steps and watch the magic happen! You will look like a million bucks no matter what outfit or hairstyle you decide to rock that day.
TIP: If you’re planning to give this trend a shot, we recommend being cautious of the brush you use, as dirty brushes can lead to neck acne.
1. Setting the scene
Start by cleansing your neck. Next, You need to move the collar of your cloth off the nape of your neck, and also don’t forget to tie up your hair so that the application of makeup products becomes easy and mess-free.
2. Map out your neckline
Take a bronzer that is one or two shades darker than your original skin tone and apply it on both sides of the nape of your neck in two straight vertical lines. Make sure that the stripes of bronzer have a gap in between them. We’ll work on the gap in the upcoming steps.
3. Blend it away
With the help of a powder brush, start blending the vertical lines of the bronzer in your skin. There should be no prominent trace of bronzer lines left on your skin.
4. Adding definition
Now, it’s time to fill out the gap we left. Begin by taking your favorite concealer in a shade that is lighter than your actual skin tone and apply a generous amount right in the middle of the back of your neck to fill in the space between the bronzer lines.
5. Let’s get lit
Blend it into your skin nicely with a foundation brush. Then, don’t forget to add a little shimmer by using a highlighter to the concealed area. And, Voila! You’re done!
When you’re contouring, one of the worst mistakes you can make is failing to blend smoothly. You will be left with noticeable harsh contour lines if you haven’t blended the product smoothly onto your skin.
Is Neck Contouring Really Worth It?
Despite the massive attention gained by this rather unusual makeup hack, the concept of neck contouring has been attacked rather badly in the social media world. The simple and easy-to-follow procedure has been called ‘ridiculous’ and ‘unnecessary’ by a lot of women as there is really no point in contouring the back of the neck.
The fact is that a woman’s gracefulness is not, by any means, determined by the beauty of her nape. Though it transforms the neck to look precisely slim, no one seems to worry about how the back of the neck appears when there are so many other noticeable features in our faces to focus on. Hence, it has been considered a waste of time and makeup. However, despite all the criticism, it can be concluded that the tutorial is of absolute fun, and there is certainly no harm in trying. Don’t you think so?
Summary
Contouring is the key to creating a sculpted canvas on your face. It helps create the illusion of depth and shadow. The newest cosmetics trend is neck contouring, and it’s taking the industry by storm. Why is neck contouring so fashionable now? Thanks to the rise in popularity of social media and the cosmetic industry, women are constantly looking for ways to enhance their appearance, especially if they have a youthful look or want to look more confident. Essentially, it’s the same as any other contouring procedure, except instead of sculpting out your cheekbones or emphasizing your jawline, this technique aims to elongate your neck while making it appear slimmer. While a majority of the women think that this process is time-consuming and unnecessary, many seem to even swear by this technique as it makes your neckline appear more graceful when styling your hair in an updo hairstyle.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Should you contour your neck?
While it all comes to personal preference, if you want to achieve a more defined, slender look, be it in the collarbone area or even in the back of the neck, you could add neck contouring into your makeup routine.
What is used for contouring makeup?
Two shades of foundation or either concealer in a shade that’s darker and lighter than your skin tone, a bronzer, and a highlighter.
Do you need concealer to contour?
Not necessarily, a foundation of a lighter shade than your skin tone will function as a concealer if you want to brighten your under-eye area and aren’t concerned about full coverage.
Is bronzer the same as contour?
If you want a more neutral matte finish, contouring is the way to go. Using a bronzer on your face gives it a more luminous, shimmery finish.
References
- “Non-Surgical Neck Contouring“- researchgate.net
- “Ultra-bizarre ‘neck contouring’ is the newest makeup trend popping up on Instagram“- businessinsider.com
- “From 1500 to 2015: The Fascinating History of Contouring” – byrdie.com
