Baking Technique

Hi again!
I did my friend's hair and makeup today and used the "baking" or "cooking" technique in contouring and highlighting, so I thought I'd snap some pictures and share the technique with you here on the blog.

Letting your makeup "bake" basically means you're letting it set for a while with a light-colored or a translucent powder. It helps you achieve a precise contour and provides a really clean finish to your makeup. I baked Lesley-Ann's makeup and, in the meantime, worked on her eyes or touched up her hair a bit.

 

I used a (clearly shattered) translucent powder from Ulta and a sponge that kind of looks like a beauty blender. If you normally dampen your beauty blender, don't. This works best with a dry sponge. If you don't have a sponge to work with, a dense powder brush will work just fine.

 

Pack on a thick layer of powder to your sponge or brush. Apply this over your foundation; remember, this is a setting technique.

 

 

 

Pack on the powder in places that you want to set well or highlight. I started with packing on an upside down right triangle underneath her eyes. Let this set for at least 5 minutes or until you finish your makeup. I suggest leaving mascara until the very last step just in case the powder flies and catches in your eyelashes... not cute, girl.

 

After that, I went ahead and contoured her face using the Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer which is matte. Using a matte bronzer will help create a perfect shadow for your contour.

 

I continued baking underneath that contour. You can probably see how stark white it looks in the pictures above. Baking underneath your contour really cleans up the look and it pretty much makes you look like Kim K.

 

I know this looks harsh, but don't worry. You're going to dust off that powder after it bakes for a while with a big fluffy powder brush and blend out that contour as much as you want. I didn't blend her contour after I dusted away the powder, because I wanted to keep it a bit more dramatic and noticeable.

 

 

 

Here are pictures of the finished contour after the makeup has been "baked." The contour is crisp and the makeup will not budge after this technique!

 

Details on eye makeup:

*Naked Palette (Sidecar all over the lid)

*Naked Basics (Crave on outer lid)

*Lighter brown shades from both palettes were used for transition shades

*Darker brown shades from both palettes were used in the blending process

*Venus from Naked Basics used as brow bone and inner corner highlight

 

*Maybelline black gel liner

*Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes mascara

 

And, lastly, here is her finished hair! (Just in case you're curious!)

 

 

I hope you're having a lovely summer! Off to Hotlanta tomorrow, HOLLA.

Also, thank you, Les, for being my model!

 

Love, Kris