A viral beauty technique can make a makeup artist’s career, as seen with the likes of Nina Park and Mary Phillips. The Kim Kardashian #kontour post on Instagram in 2014, showcasing her face mapped with unblended streaks of foundation and highlighter, paved the way for contour kits and sparked a global phenomenon.
This technique, created by makeup artist Scott Barnes, gave millions of followers a glimpse into how Kim’s famously chiselled features were achieved. The post was captioned “Wanna see how @scottbarnescosmetics contours?!” and marked a significant shift in the beauty industry.
Viral Beauty Techniques
Today’s viral beauty looks are more subtle than the sharp contouring and sculpted brows of the Kardashian-Jenner era. The focus has shifted to a ‘natural’ aesthetic, characterized by an almost undetectable finish. Achieving this look requires precise skill and patience, as seen in techniques like underpainting and pinpoint concealing.
Nina Park, a makeup artist to the stars, has popularized a signature blurred lip look that’s being recreated everywhere. Her technique involves contouring the corners of the lips and cupid’s bow with a taupe-brown shade, blending it beyond the natural lip line to add volume.
To achieve the Nina Park lip, one needs two lip liners and a small blending brush. A cool taupe or brown shade is used for the lip contour, while a slightly deeper or pink pencil is used to define the natural lip line. The look is finished with a sheer, warm nude color applied to the center of the lip.
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Another technique making waves is pinpoint concealing, popularized by Lisa Eldridge. This method uses precise coverage with minimal product to even out the complexion, rather than layers of foundation. It is a significant improvement for those struggling with acne who want to avoid heavy coverage.
Lisa Eldridge uses a matte cream concealer and a small blending brush to cover blemishes, redness, or pigmentation with a small amount of product. The concealer is then carefully stippled and blended around the spot to seamlessly fade into the skin.
Mastering the Techniques
For those looking to master these techniques, it’s essential to invest in the right products. A matte cream concealer like Glossier Stretch or Nars Soft Matte works best for pinpoint concealing, while a cool taupe or brown shade is ideal for the Nina Park lip.
As a makeup artist, Mary Phillips has brought underpainting to the mainstream, a technique that creates a sculpted, snatched complexion. This method involves mapping out the contour, color corrector, and highlight before applying a sheer foundation or skin tint over the top.
Mary Phillips uses a matte highlighter to paint areas where the light naturally hits the face, followed by a peach-toned color corrector to lift and brighten dark areas. The contour is then applied using a cool-toned shade, and the look is finished with a layer of sheer-to-medium coverage foundation.
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In practice, mastering these techniques can be a significant improvement for individuals who struggle with acne or uneven skin tone. By using pinpoint concealing and underpainting, one can achieve a natural-looking complexion without relying on heavy foundation or layers of makeup.
One of the most critical aspects of underpainting is mapping out the contour and highlight areas of the face. Mary Phillips recommends using a matte highlighter to paint areas where the light naturally hits the face, such as the high points of the cheekbones, nose, and cupid’s bow.
This technique involves drawing two lines at the corner of the eye in a narrow V-shape, then filling it in. To master the V-Flick, it’s essential to keep the eye open while sketching out the lines and face forward in the mirror to check the shape.
Eye Types and Techniques
Some people think they have hooded eyes. They may or may not. Hooded eyes have less visible eyelid.
Mastering Viral Beauty Techniques
The key to achieving a stunning look is to practice and invest in the right products. For the V-Flick technique, a flat, slanted eye pencil like Half Magic Velvet Flick can make the job easier. Alternatively, mapping out the shape with a matte eyeshadow using an angled eyebrow brush before going over with eyeliner can also help.