When it comes to a woman’s face, a less-than-perfect nose is often the object of much frustration. The nose occupies the center of the face, and so is hard to ignore. Plastic surgery, which is both costly and painful, is not the only solution altering a nose’s shape; expertly applied makeup can create the illusion of a smaller, pointier nose. This technique is called contouring, and it is a cheap and painless alternative to surgery. Contouring can be done to subdue prominent features and make a face appear more proportional. The idea is to use dark colors to mimic shadows and create the illusion of depth, and to use light colors mimic highlights and make a feature more noticeable.

Things You'll Need

Use the tip of the angled brush to apply a line of the darker powder to either side of the cartilage in the nose, from the inner part of the brow bone down between the nostril and the tip.

Blend the darker powder with the flat part of the brush, using a vertical motion down the sides of the nose. Repeat until there are no hard edges.

Apply the translucent powder down the middle of the nose along the cartilage, especially at the very tip.

Use the fluffy powder brush to blend the lighter powder with long vertical strokes down the nose.


  • Use this contouring technique after you’ve applied foundation and all other makeup.

  • Brown eye shadow can be substituted for contouring powder, so long as it is one or two shades darker than your natural skin tone.