Just because school's out, doesn't mean we can't all benefit from an extra lesson here and there.
Of course, staying *completely *on top of every beauty trend going requires a lot of commitment: constant vigilance to the Instagram posts of Kendall, Kylie et al, an encyclopedic knowledge of MAC's new season arrivals, and several hours lost to Lisa Eldridge's YouTube videos on the daily.
But don't worry - we've put together your very own cheat sheet of beauty buzzwords, so you can be top of the class. Read on to decode the jargon and learn how to get the look...
1. What is Strobing?
Contouring's cousin, strobing, is big news at the moment, thanks to the more ethereal, other-worldly glow it bestows. Contouring often goes wrong, and requires a 360 degree view of your face at all times - and strong lighting - to master to Kardashian levels, but strobing is much more forgiving. In short? Just use a creamy highlighter (we like RMS Living Luminizer) to pick out your Cupid's bow, tip of your nose, cheekbones, and temples, and see a soft-focus, healthy radiance appear. Follow Australian makeup artist, Ania Milczarcyk, on Instagram for more ideas.
[Baking via @MakeUpByMario and strobing via [@AniaMilczarczyk]
2. What is Baking?
Sadly nothing to do with cupcakes, this trend has offbeat origins. ‘Baking’ originally rose out of the world of drag queens, who often employ this technique to keep their make-up looking immaculate for long periods of time. Here's the recipe: after applying your normal make-up, add a thick, thick coat of light-coloured powder with a powder puff under the eyes, or the tops of cheekbones or the bridge of your nose, and leave it to 'bake' for anywhere between ten minutes to half an hour. Then, sweep away with the excess with a fluffy brush.
3. What is 'Cut Crease'?
If your eyes are on the smaller side, this is for you. Essentially, this technique of emphasising the natural crease of your eyes will help you cheat bigger, rounder peepers. Clare Lille, Illamasqua's head of training, told us,"it's a technique in which the crease is ‘cut’ sharply with a contrasting colour. This dramatically defines the socket and can make the eyelid appear larger. It’s a fairly easy look to recreate as all you need are the right brushes, and a deep and light eyeshadow." Check out the tutorial below for more pointers...
4. What is Contouring?
Contouring is the centuries-old practice of shaping and re-sculpting the face using shadow, and has been propelled into the spotlight in recent months thanks to none other than one Kim Kardashian West.
In a nutshell? You use a product slightly darker than your skin tone, be it bronzer, contour powder or darker foundation, in the hollows of your cheekbones, sides of your nose, temples and the bottom of your jaw to create the illusion of a slimmer face. We'll hand this over to Kim-inspired tutorial now...
5. What is 'Tontouring'?
Wait, that sounds familiar... yup, you guessed it... the contour has had a love-child with fake tan and brought us a new beauty trend. In beauty maths, you have: tan + contour = Tontour. A tontour is warmer than your typical contour and promises to make your skin look natural, glowy and of course sculpted. The tantour also lasts longer than your typical contour, which gets Grazia's seal of approval.
Everything You Need To Know And More About Contour...
Now you're clued up on the beauty buzzwords, it's time to put them into practice! A bad contour can ruin your entire base and leave you looking unkempt and tiger-esque... not the adjectives we would like to associate with our Saturday evening make-up, ey?
We at Grazia have rounded together everything you need to know about contouring, strobing, tontouring to what brushes will give you the best result.
Which contour palette does Kim Kardashian swear by?
Kim Kardashian is a true ambassador for the contoured look, so click to find out which palette the self-proclaimed selfie queen uses to achieve her exemplary sculpted base. Clue: it won't break the bank!
Beauty bloggers are using stationery to achieve the perfect contour!
Click for more contour tips and how to be top of the class with this infallable make-up hack, courtesy of beauty blogger @hudabeauty.
Want a long-lasting contour? It's time to become acquainted with the 'tontour'
The hybrid of the self tan and the contour. It's perfect for those who want super sculpted cheekbones, with minimal effort.
What about strobing? Apparently it is the new contour?
Strobing highlights your best features and the overall result is more dewy and bright - perfect for those pining for a more subtle take on the classic contour. Alternatively check out the 'non-tour' which is a lowkey strobing effect... (We can barely keep up!)
How about choosing contour at your next hair appointment?
It's not just for creating enviable cheekbones! With a hair-contour you can distract from a strong jaw line or balance out your features. Read more on hair-contouringand how to choose an effect based on your face shape.
Here's 9 of the best makeup brushes to help you contour like a pro
As we all know, a bad brush can be a dealbreaker when it comes to creating a polished makeup look. The contour is no different, so here are the best blending brushes on the market to get cheekbones a la Kim K.
What's the deal with colour correcting?
Remember the colour wheel from Art lessons when you were 5 years old? It's knowledge worth holding on to for a subtle, yet effective contour look. The principles are adding the opposite colour concealer to balance out redness, dark circles and spots. Find outmore about colour correcting concealer here.
And finally, an 80 year old grandma is stealing Kim K's thunder!
You need to see the self-confessed'Glam-Ma' slaying the contour game! Kim Kardashian is clutching her 'sculpted cheekbone trophy' a little more tightly nowadays...