Contouring. It's one of the things that seems to confuse people the most, based on what we always hear. For a beginner, it's no wonder why, when you've seen all those tutorials out there where you start out with crazy colors all over your face and blend-blend-blend until your arm falls off-or messing with temperamental powders that are easy to overdo when you're first trying it out. There's an easier, better way.

Contouring is all about using light tricks to add definition to your facial structure right where you want it-and it's also all about being subtle. Contouring with only foundation is a genius technique that has been used by pros on photo shoots for years. Read on for our simple tips to get an understated and beautiful contoured look for day.

The trick to contouring and highlighting is understanding that you're simply trying to lighten the areas of your face where light naturally hits it most (high points like your cheekbones, brow ridge and the top of your nose) while accentuating shadows (hollows of your cheeks and sides of your nose). That's how the subtle sculpting effect is achieved to 'sculpt' your way to a thinner nose, less pronounced jaw, and/or more narrow forehead.

1. Apply concealer and foundation as you normally would.
2. Get your hands on another two foundations-one that's 2 shades lighter and one that's at least 2 shades darker than your regular foundation.
3. With a foundation brush, swipe the darker foundation shade into the upper part of the hollows in your cheeks. Use a beauty blender-make sure it's damp-and stipple (dabbing in dots or short strokes) to blend, while bringing the color lightly up into your temples and along your hairline. Avoid wide strokes or swirling, which can move the makeup away from where you want it. To lengthen or slim the nose, the dark foundation can be swiped in a narrow line along the sides of the nose and worked in with the beauty blender. The closer the two lines on your nose, the slimmer your nose will appear.
4. Swipe your lighter foundation on any or all of these areas: the upper portion of your cheekbone, above your brows, down the top of your nose and in the cupid's bow of the upper lip. Additional highlighting can be dabbed in the inner corner of the eye, below the brows, just above the bottom of the chin and along the jawbone. Again, using a damp beauty blender, stipple and blend the highlighting color into the skin, ensuring you blend out any distinct lines of color separation.
5. Finish the contoured look with a setting powder, like Laura Mercier translucent loose setting powder.