With the help of makeup, chiseled cheekbones can be yours, even if you weren't born with them!
The Chiseled Cheekbone Look
Chiseled cheekbones are a coveted look, and many top celebrities and models showcase prominent cheekbones. If you're wondering what high cheekbones look like, Angeline Jolie, Helena Bonham Carter, Amy Winehouse, and Kiera Knightly are just a few popular celebrities who have chiseled cheekbones. The celebrity factor is not the only reason for wanting the look, however. Beauty and high cheekbones go hand in hand because sharp-looking high cheekbones provide a slimming effect, and many women feel the look adds sophistication to facial features. Plastic surgeons even have a procedure for creating the look of more prominent cheekbones for those who want this look badly enough to go under the knife.
For many women, however, creating a more sculpted look by playing up your cheekbones can easily be accomplished with the help of makeup. Makeup also makes this a no-commitment look - so you can play up your cheeks when donning a structured jacket or trendy geometric pattern top, and opt for a softer, more romantic makeup look for date night when it's time to slip into a pretty floral or slinky slipdress.
Get the Look: Makeup, Chiseled Cheekbones, and You
Simply dabbing some blush on your cheeks can certainly add a touch of color to the face and brighten it up, but if you want to go for the appearance of prominent cheekbones, you'll need to apply blush in a certain manner along with a few other tricks to get the look.
What You'll Need
- Blush: A soft colored blush appropriate for your skin tone (for example pink, peach or rose). A cream or mousse blush works well and can be blended flawlessly into your skin, but a good powder blush can also work well.
- Highlighter: Complexion highlighters (also referred to as light-diffusing cosmetics) are available in liquid and powder forms. You can also use a light-colored shimmer blush.
- Bronzer: Choose a powder or cream bronzer that is slightly darker than, but coordinates with your skin tone. You can also use a foundation that is a shade or two darker than your skin for the darkening step.
How to Apply Makeup to Get the Chiseled Cheekbone Look
Apply your foundation or tinted moisturized as usual, but don't set with powder until you're done with your cheeks. Have all you supplies ready and work in a well-lighted space with a good mirror.
- Step 1: Using the bronzer or dark foundation, blend into the hollows of the cheekbones in an upward diagonal, following the natural hollow. Make sure the bronzer or foundation is blended well so it is more like a shadow rather than a noticeable line.
- Step 2: Take your complexion highlighter and apply high on the cheek, along the most prominent lines of your cheekbones. Again - blend well. The highlighter will catch and reflect light, making the cheekbones appear more prominent. (In a pinch, you can also use lip balm or a shimmer stick).
- Step 3: Finish off with your blush, placing on the apples of the cheeks and upward in a gently sweeping motion on the upper portion of the cheekbones. Use small strokes to keep blush focused higher on the cheekbone but away from the eye area.
- Step 4: Finally, set the look with a light dusting of powder or a makeup finishing spray.
Together, the highlighter, bronzer, and blush create an optical illusion that makes the cheekbones appear more chiseled and draws the eye upward to focus on the most prominent portion of the cheekbones.
Product Ideas
Stuck on what to try to get your makeup chiseled cheekbone look? Here are a few ideas:
- MAC Sculpt and Shape Powder (available at MACCosmetics.com)
- Laura Geller Shade-N-Sculpt Powder Combo (available at QVC.com)
- Benefit Moonbeam Complexion Highlighter (available at BenefitCosmetics.com
- Joey New York Chiseled Cheeks (available at most beauty and skincare retailers)
For Men
Many men may also covet the look of prominent cheekbones. To get a chiseled cheekbone look that's simple and masculine, skip the light-diffusing products and blusher, and simply apply a dark bronzer or foundation in the hollow of the cheekbones and blend well.
