Balmain x H&M Introduces the New Way to Contour
(Photo: Tyler Joe)
By Julie Schott
“Cool girl” rules tell us contour makeup is for YouTube-watching try-hards—and yet the models (Gigi, Bella, Kendall, Joan, Jourdan, Karlie—you get it) at last night’s Balmain X H&M show trotted down the runway fully shaded and sculpted without sacrificing an ounce of carefree beauty. According to makeup pro Tom Pecheux, who created the monochromatic look, the difference is “there’s no line; everything is diffused and transparent,” unlike the streaky warpaint look that gives contouring a bad rap. Not to be confused with “natural makeup” or “no-makeup makeup,” Pecheux’s feathery contour accentuates bone structure by manipulating the way light hits the face. Best of all, with the soft-focus approach to sculpting, there’s no big reveal when makeup comes off at the end of the night—you look like yourself, illuminated. Here, Pecheux breaks down how to contour the #balmaination way.
BASE YOURSELF
“The first step is a skincare treatment,” says Pecheux, whose “first step” is really three: prep bare skin with Butter Elixir Face Oil, followed by Avene Cicalfate Restorative Skin Cream, and finished with Estée Lauder Idealist.
PERFECT THE SKIN (DUH)
“From there we do foundation concealer,” he says, because obviously. Each makeup station was stocked with the usual suspects: Nars Sheer Glow Foundation, M.A.C Studio Conceal, and Beauty Blenders.
START FROM THE BOTTOM
This is important: Pecheux used the holy grail of contouring palettes, Tom Ford Shade & Illuminatein Intensity One. For streak-free sculpting, he applied “Shade” in the hollows of cheeks and swept pigment UP towards the tops of cheekbones using M.A.C’s Duo Fibre Face Brush; “the one with the white ends,” wispy bristles that are essential to diffusing dark lines.
POWDER SELECTIVELY
“Highlight and powder the t-zone; don’t powder this,” Pecheux said, signaling the c-curve, which is exactly what it sounds like, a light-reflective semi-circle that frames each eye. “It’s glowy because there’s no [translucent] powder.” Finally, the tops of cheeks got a generous dose of light reflective “Illuminate” from the Tom Ford Palette.
Karlie Kloss modeling Balmain x H&M. (Photo: Getty)
Related:
A Balmain x H&M Fragrance is Coming
