What The Kardashians Won’t Tell You About Contouring

Let's not mince words: Most online contouring tutorials are utterly terrifying for the average person. Blending deep, dark smears of contour into icy, creamy white highlighter is not exactly what most of us want to take on when we're doing our makeup on a day-to-day basis — or ever. So. Much. Can. Go. Wrong. But that doesn't mean we're opposed to the idea of a little shading or highlighting to help our features stand out.

As you probably already know — thank you, Kardashian clan — contour and highlighter can totally change your face, but they don't have to. You can use your lightest concealer or a bit of highlighter to make your favorite features stand out, and lightly sculpt your face with a little foundation or bronzer that's darker than your skin tone. Translation: Don't fear the word "contour," because it's nothing more than an old art-class trick that you can use to your advantage in a way that suits you — even the contour virgins and beauty beginners out there.

Want to make your brows pop or frame that perfect bold lip color? Looking for a way to show off your cheekbones, or even make your legs look longer? We got you. Ahead, you'll find pared-down, illustrated guides that will show you exactly where to place your favorite makeup to subtly shade and brighten with ease.