How to HAC

Back in our day Jamie and I had a short career in the direct sales of cosmetics. We went to weekly meetings learning about the products, how to use them, and how to sell them. One of my favorite lessons from that experience is how to HAC. Highlight and contour. The basic idea is to use varying shades of cosmetics  to 'sculpt' your face into a more flattering shape. This isn't something I do every day because, let's face it, I'm beautiful. Since you're beautiful too you probably don't need to HAC daily either. But, it is a nice tid-bit to know when you're going to have your picture taken or if you're going somewhere fancy.

Start step 1 after you've completed a good healthy skin care routine. Cleanse, exfoliate, moisturize, and protect.

Step 1: Conceal

I use a green concealer for red blemishes. Dab it on and rub it in.

Optional Step 2: Foundation

If you're skin tone is uneven and needs a little extra help to conceal discoloration and/or blemishes you may choose to use a foundation. Make sure you're foundation matches your skin tone and is applied evenly. I'm not going to provide tips on that process right now, I'm going to focus on HACing here.

Step 3: Highlight

See my tutorial for making your own highlight and contour creams with products you probably already have in your bathroom.

Here's a HAC map of my face as an example

Add a highlighter to your T zone, the top of your cheek bones, and on your brow bone then blend it in. Your highlighter should be a shade lighter than your foundation or your natural skin tone.

Step 4: Contour

Add contour under the apples of your cheeks, in your temple area, under your jaw line, and (optionally) on the sides of your nose. Your contour cream/powder should be a shade darker than your foundation or your natural skin tone. 

I would advise you to use contour lightly. If you have dry patches I would skip adding contour completely, the pigment can collect in dry patches and make them stand out, giving you a blotchy look. You also have to watch out for areas where you have more fine hair than in other areas (sideburns, upper lip) these areas will also collect more pigment and I know you don't want a mustache in your holiday pictures!

Step 5: Translucent Finishing Powder

See my tutorial for making your own translucent finishing powder. You can make it for pennies out of products you probably already have in your cabinets.

A translucent powder will help blend your look, dull your shine, decrease visible pours and fine lines, and just plain make you 'HAC job' look finished.

I highlight and contour in a subtle way, I want to accent my best features while still looking natural rather than looking 'all made up'. It's okay if you have a different preference, Carlibybel has a nice vlog on this same topic. She's beautiful too and uses alot more product than I do. You might find her methods useful, check her out here.

Feel free to share your own tips or opinions by leaving a comment :)