Through all of our handy beauty products, we enhance and improve upon our features that we were born with, and play up the ones that we wish had a bit more prominence. So that saying “fake it until you make it” can really ring true in the beauty world – if you want fuller lips, make them; bolder brows, create them; and a contoured jawline, contour it! In this article, we’ll teach you the tips and tricks to tweaking your features and “faking it” until you “make it.” So, you’ve already mastered the prominent cheekbones, now what about that chin? A defined jawline is a model-worthy quality we all desire, but of course we weren’t all born with such definition. Thankfully, we live in a beauty world where contouring exists. By following the few simple tricks below, your jaw will be in shape in no time.

Contour correctly

As you might expect, contouring is the first step to using makeup to create artificial jawline definition. If you want your sharper jawline to look natural, it is essential to use the right shade of contour and apply your contour to the right places. When contouring your jawline, use a shade of powder or cream contour that is one or two shades lighter than the shade you use to define your cheekbones or nose. Using this slightly lighter shade helps correct for the lighter skin tone on your neck and underneath your chin that results from minimal sun exposure.

Don’t start applying contour at the edge of your jaw. Instead, start behind your ear to create a more natural, seamless finish. Using a medium angled brush, blend your contour in short, downward strokes. Stop at the center of your chin and repeat this process on the other side of your jaw.

Add highlight

Highlighting just as important as contouring to achieve the jawline definition you want. Balancing the darkness of your contour with highlighter draws attention to your jawline and makes it appear sharper and more defined.

Make sure you use a highlighter without a shimmery or overly shiny finish. Subtle, natural-looking highlighter in a shade that is close to your natural skin tone works best for enhancing your bone structure without looking cakey or obvious.

Try shaping powder

Shaping and sculpting powders are special products designed specifically to enhance the appearance of your natural bone structure.

These powders are meant to be used as an alternative to contour, bronzer, and highlighter for accentuating and defining your cheekbones, nose, and jawline. They come in dark and light shades for highlighting and contouring and have a subtle effect on your skin. If your goal is sheer coverage and slight definition for an extremely natural finish, try shaping powder.

Avoid shimmer

No one has a jawline that naturally shimmers. If you want to keep your fake jawline definition to yourself and create a born-this-way look, nix any contour or bronzer products that sparkle and stick with finishes only.

Chunky glitter is a big no-no, but you also need to watch out for products with a subtle shimmery finish. The sparkle in these sneaky shimmery products isn’t always obvious at first glance, but will shine bright on your skin as soon as you step into natural sunlight. If you’re not sure whether or not a product has a shimmery or matte finish, scan its list of ingredients for any signs of glitter or sparkles before you buy it.

Choose your formula

There are two main types of contour: powder contour and cream contour. Which contour formula should you use to define your jawline? There is no single right answer to that question. The product that will create the best, most natural results for you depends on your skin tone, skin type, and contouring skill level. If you have a deeper skin tone, use cream contour. A cream formula creates a bolder finish that helps your contoured jawline stand out more. Cream contour can be difficult to blend seamlessly into paler skin. Women with fair skin often have more success contouring their jawlines with powder products that are easier to blend and distribute on your skin. In fact, powder contour is easier to blend into all skin tones. If you’re not very experienced with contouring, you’ll probably get better results with powder products. If you have oily skin, you should also stick with powder contour to avoid unnatural greasy patches under your chin.