Editor's note: This new column will cover the latest in the makeup product category so you can sell more cosmetics and cosmetic-related merchandise.
Contouring and highlighting are the biggest trends to hit makeup in 2015 so far. Celebrities from Kim Kardashian to Kerry Washington are all doing it, meaning customers will be asking how they can achieve the looks. There is often a misunderstanding about how to properly define those terms and how to market and merchandise the trends in a beauty store, salon or spa. So, let's discuss it.
Contouring and highlighting have been around for years, used as a trick of the trade to accentuate certain facial features for theater, film, runway, and television. Think high fashion, avant-garde runway shows and, of course, the art of drag queen makeup. The days of heavy shading and thick layers of makeup to achieve this look are long gone. Contouring and highlighting nowadays is all about enhancing the features, slimming the face, and highlighting lips and cheekbones in a natural way. The look is soft and sometimes even subtle, resulting in a perfect facial structure that tricks the eye and photographs beautifully. Who doesn't want a slim, straight nose and perfectly chiseled cheekbones without having to go under the knife?
Continue reading this story in Beauty Store Business'July digital edition.
[Image courtesy of Lori Leib, Bodyography Professional Cosmetics]