Watching “How to Contour” video tutorials can have a completely different effect on your mood than actually learning how to execute the look on yourself. (One is ASMR, while the other can be... less soothing.) Figuring out which products to use and where on your face to sweep them isn’t always obvious (who else has ended up with a muddy chin-strap in their first attempt at a sculpted look?), which is why we decided to call up a pro.

Ash K. Holm is the mastermind behind the chiseled, fresh-faced looks of Shay Mitchell, Camilla Cabello, and—the contour-fluencer herself—Kim Kardashian. She detailed her tips for an everyday, sculpted makeup look, ahead. Relax, deep breaths—the process is only four steps.

The Kit

You'll need your go-to skincare and foundation, a bronzer that is two shades deeper than your skin tone, and a concealer that is one to two shades lighter than your skin tone.

Your bronzer is what you’ll be using to enhance the angles of your face, and when it comes to picking its texture, Holm notes that powders can be more forgiving than creams. “If you’re not familiar with creams, the texture can get muddy on you quickly, and it may not last as long if it’s not set right,” she says. Her go-to: The Buxom Staycation Vibes Primer-Infused Bronzer, which she applies using a dense angled brush. (We like the Sigma Beauty F23 Soft Angle Brush for this.)

On the other hand, a cream product can give skin a fresher look—especially if you have dry skin. “If your skin is dry, you will fall in love with cream bronzers once you see how hydrated your skin looks and feels,” Holm says. Have a wet sponge on-hand (like the Original Beautyblender) to blend this product out.

Once you’ve picked out your sculpting tools, find your highlighting hue. Holm suggests using a concealer that is one to two shades lighter than your skin tone, like the Kosas Revealer Concealer, which has an easy-to-blend, lightweight formula that doesn’t crease.

The Prep

Before picking up a brush, give your skin a quick facial massage, which can help with lymphatic drainage, a.k.a. the draining of static, excess fluids from an area that can cause puffiness. “When massaging my clients face, I like to use a soft relaxing touch while lifting the face in a continuous upward direction to give it a mini lift,” says Holm. If you want an even more luxe experience, wield a face massaging tool like a jade roller or the ReFa CAXA M1, which has four roller balls on one side and a smooth curve on the other to sculpt, massage, and help promote lymphatic drainage.

After massaging your face, apply your foundation as you normally would.

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