How to Define Cheekbones

Applying Bronzer

Apply concealer and foundation. As always, wash your face before you apply makeup. Cover blemishes with concealer if necessary, then apply foundation.

Choose bronzer slightly darker than your skin tone. Peach works well for warm skin tones, while earthy tones complement cool skin tones. You can use either powder or cream bronzer. Cream bronzer is easier to apply than powder, but don't apply cream over a powder product—it tends to look really patchy. To find your skin tone, hold the underside of your wrist up to natural light. If the veins look green, you have a warm skin tone. Blue or purple veins mean a cool skin tone, while blue-green means a neutral skin tone.

Apply bronzer below your cheekbones. Suck in your cheeks to find your cheek hollows, or "shadow zone." Start just above the corner of your mouth, and sweep a small amount of bronzer all along the top of this zone, just underneath your cheekbones. Continue in a smooth, crescent pattern until you reach your hairline just above your ear. A special bronzer blush provides the most control. In a pinch, you can use a blush brush or clean fingers (for a cream bronzer), but don't use the brush for other products. When using powder, tap the brush to shake off the excess before applying.

Blend and adjust. Use clean fingertips or a clean brush to blend in the bronzer. You shouldn't see any sharp lines or stripes, but don't spread the bronzer into the apple of your cheek (the rounded center). If the shade is too light, add another layer of bronzer.

Contour the rest of your face (recommended). To further accent your bone structure, apply bronzer along the outside edge of your temples, curving down along your jaw line. Think of it like making the shape of a banana running from your temples down beneath your cheekbones. Now that you see the overall effect, you can experiment a little in future. Applying bronzer at a straighter, less severe angle makes your face look wider, while a slightly sharper angle makes your face look longer. If you follow your cheekbones exactly, it may add even more length.

Adding Blush and Highlighter

Apply blush lightly. Without blush, the bronzer may make your cheeks look gaunt. Brush your favorite blush onto the center of your cheek (the apple). If your cheekbone looks too harsh, gently blend a little extra blush directly onto the cheekbone. It's easy to overdo blush, so be careful. If you're not sure which color to choose, pinch your cheeks and try to match that flushed color. In general, fair skin calls for peach or pink blush; olive skin calls for blush with blue undertones; and dark skin can pull off bright pinks or oranges.

Choose a highlighter. Pick a highlighter slightly lighter than your skin, with no glitter. A golden highlighter works well on dark skin, while people with fair skin may prefer a light, pearly color. If you don't have a highlighter, you can improvise with a pearly nude eyeshadow.

Apply highlighter to the top of your cheekbone. Tap the highlighter right along the top of your cheekbone, where it's most visible. Extend this up to the lower edge of your eye, reaching near the outer corner. Blend the highlighter in with small circular motions as you apply it. The highlighter should look like a reflection of light, contrasting with the dark bronze. Powder highlighters are best applied with a small blush brush. You can use a sponge for liquid highlighter, but for best results, put a few drops on the back of your hand and dab it on with your fingers. Dab a little highlighter above your brow bone or to the inner corners of your eyes to add even more light to your face. To make your darker contour stand out more, apply your highlighter right inside the first line you drew, then blend the two together.

Make final adjustments. Blend in all makeup thoroughly to avoid sharp lines and other artificial effects. If you used liquid highlighter, keep it in place with a light layer of translucent powder. If you can't get the makeup to blend with your fingertips, softly brush your cheeks in a circular motion using a clean, fluffy brush. To blend liquid products, use a makeup sponge. If you need to remove some of your makeup, use a scrunched up tissue to lightly buff your cheeks.