Exactly How to Camouflage and Contour a Double Chin With Makeup

The triangle trick

“One of my favorite tricks for camouflaging a double chin is using the triangle method,” says founder of Alexa Persico, founder of Alexa Persico Cosmetics. To perform this trick, Persico recommends using a contour shade that is two shades darker than your natural tone. “Draw a line beginning at the outer edge of your chin. Then pull it back towards your neck at an angle. Be sure to do this on both sides and have each line meet in the middle of the neck, creating a ‘V’ shape directly beneath the chin,” explains Persico. “Once you have drawn each side of the V, add some more contour under the chin to ‘fill in’ the V, creating a triangle. After, take a wet beautyblender and blend away any harsh lines for a sculpted natural finish!”

Makeup artist Jaleesa Jaikaran says, “After applying the product where it needs to be, hold the brush further back to get a softer, seamless blend.” She recommends using the Mary Kay Chromafusion Contour ($14) and the Mary Kay Blending Brush ($16). The contour is “formulated to be life-proof, lasting through workouts, weather and everything in between,” she says, so your snatched chin won’t melt away halfway through the day.

Use the right products

Celebrity makeup artist Sandy Linter suggests using a cream contour stick such as Makeup by Mario Soft Sculpt Shaping Stick ($28). “Find your jawbone and pat or draw with the stick following your jawbone, then under your chin, make a deep, wide V shape going down your neck. Pat to blend with a beauty blender,” advises Linter.

Following this process, she suggests dusting on a setting powder, either skin-toned or translucent. She suggests using Dermablend Banana Powder ($29). If you don’t want to use a makeup stick, a matte foundation is your next best bet.

Use an angled brush

According to makeup artist Judi Gabbay, an angled brush can “help create the illusion of a sculpted jaw and avert any unwanted attention to a double chin.” In order to have the most believable chisel, Gabbay says you must bring the product up to the ear with the brush.

Be sure to blend well

Celebrity makeup artist Jamie Dorman says, “Firstly, all makeup must be blended well, so starting out with a smooth base is important.” Linter agrees that blending is a crucial step. “Your chin and the center of your neck should look camouflaged and deeper than the sides of your neck and jaw. Blending is key,” says Linter.

Kristen Fortier, makeup artist and product innovation lead for Crunchi Cosmetics, says blending will help ensure the most natural and seamless finish. “If needed, you can also go over the product with your foundation brush, without adding any more product, to blend and help create a beautiful airbrush finish,” she advises.

Use cool-toned colors

According to Dorman, “No matter your skin tone, you will want cool-toned colors as your contour.” For lighter skin tones, she suggests Troy Surratt Artistique Blush in Grisaille. When it comes to medium skin tones, she loves Smashbox Step by Step Contour Kit. For deeper skin tones, she goes for Westman Atelier Face Trace Cream Contour stick in Ganache.

Draw a line

It sounds simple, but there’s a bit more to it than coloring in the lines. Celebrity makeup artist Shadi Malek says she does this trick on herself all the time. “I take the product directly behind my ears and to my jawbone and draw a thin line. Then, I take a buffing brush and blend down towards my neck, creating a shadow,” says Malek. “I would then go in with a powder bronzer to set the cream product—so it lasts. Blending will ensure the most natural look. You’ll trick everyone into thinking you have a snatched jawline!” 

Malek recommends using a contour product on the creamier side. She likes the Fenty Beauty Match Stix ($28) “because the contour is a thicker consistency and doesn’t budge all day.”

Avoid shimmer around the jawline

While a highlighter or shimmery bronzer can be flattering on some parts of your face, you have to be careful where the shiny particles fall. “Be sure to avoid a bronzer or contour product that includes shimmer,” warns Fortier. “Any product with light-reflecting properties is going to draw attention to that area.”

Decide where you want your face to ‘stop’

“When hiding a double chin, decide where you want your face to stop; this is usually before the natural shadow begins to fall,” advises Dorman. She says you’ll want to shade this area lightly while gradually increasing depth as you blend toward your neck. For this process, Dorman suggests using an angled brush like the Rephr brush 04.

Define the jawline

Fortier has a fool-proof method to help your chin appear more defined. Apply a matte bronzer—Fortier suggests Crunchi Solarise Bronzer ($36)—in small circular motions using a fluffy brush. “Work from one side of the jaw, just below the ears, to the other and blend down toward the neck.”

 Take the makeup down to your neck

“I like to take the tones down the sides of my neck too to increase the slimming effect,” says makeup artist Dakota Alexandra. She notes that cream makeup products are her favorite for this technique and any other kind of shading.

Highlight the high points of the face

By highlighting other areas of the face to bring attention upward, you’ll be drawing attention away from a double chin, explains Fortier. She advises bronzing or contouring the cheekbones, nose and top of the forehead, putting blush above the apples of the cheeks blending toward the hairline and adding highlighter to the tops of the cheekbones, bridge of the nose and right above the brows.

Focus on the jawline

To camouflage a double chin, celebrity makeup artist Toby Fleischman suggests creating a defined jawline by dusting off our contouring skills.

“Even for those who are a bit anxious about trying, this skill can easily deliver great results,” she explains. “I like to use RCMA Makeup creams to contour the chin area, because I find it easier to apply, and most importantly, easier to blend, which is the key here.”

“Whatever you use to contour the face, be sure to go just below the chin on the underside, make a triangle shape to the left and right, and blend back and down to create a subtle shadow,” says Melissa Mangrum, professional makeup artist and VaultBeauty ambassador. “This will make a double chin less noticeable.”

Don’t neglect the rest of your face

To keep your contour looking seamless and well-blended, celebrity makeup artist Robert Sesnek advises extending your look to other areas of the face to keep the look balanced and blended. “Make sure to blend the contour around the jawline to the ears,” Sesnek tells us. “Don’t just stop at the chin area, because this really does unify the entire jawline and the overall look.” 

Celebrity makeup artist Lindsey Forrest adds that you’ll want to include your neck in your contouring look, too, as neglecting this area can also make your overall look appear quite incomplete. “Bringing your makeup down the neck helps perfect discoloration in the neck area, and shapes this area of the body,” she says.

Perfect your shade

Because contouring requires sculpting the face with a darker shade of makeup, Mangrum advises doing so by selecting a shade of makeup two shades darker than the one you already use to create a shadow. This makes the chin a lot less noticeable as a result, she says.

“My biggest tip to hide a double chin is to create a shadow right under the jawline with a darker shade of makeup,” Mangrum tells us.

Trick the eye away from the chin 

Believe it or not, hiding a double chin isn’t limited to the chin and neck, as celebrity makeup artist Lisa Freshman says you’ll also want to hone in on other parts of the face to help your look stand out.

“Focusing on the eye and cheek areas diverts attention from the chin area,” she tells us. “Eyes can be shadowed subtly and lined to make the eyes pop, while cheeks can be highlighted upwardly.”

Similarly, Freshman adds that the lip area can also be helpful draw attention away from a double chin, as bolder lip colors can easily allow the lips to become the focal point of the face. “Lip color should be bold—think bold reds, browns and pink—to draw attention to that area, and away from the focal point of the chin.”

Remember: Practice makes perfect

Much like mastering a smokey eye for the first time, the idea of contouring can seem scary and intimidating to makeup novices. However, no matter the makeup skill level, Sesnek advises not letting fear or hesitation hold you back, as you’ll only get better at contouring by practicing it often.

“Practice, practice, and practice some more,” he says. “Contouring can be scary and intimidating, but it makes all the difference in person and photos. Also, it gets much easier once you get the hang of it.”

Or, nix the makeup altogether

If you’re looking to sculpt your chin without any makeup, Emmy-winning celebrity makeup artist Andrew Sotomayor offers up his own camouflaging hack, perfect for use during your next video call.

“Simply put a pillow behind your lower back when you’re sitting, so it will encourage you to lean forward,” Sotomayor explains. “Not only does it shift your body language so you’re more engaged in the conversation, but it also lifts your chin, and proportions your body in a more flattering way in the camera.”