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Is there any body part left that you can’t contour? If you answered “no” — and you can clearly see how ear makeup is the magic you need to keep your ears from sticking out as three shades lighter than the rest of your face — than you’re ready for the next logical step: learning how to apply ear makeup.
Pretty much since the day we discovered foundation, concealer, and contouring, we’re been scolded by makeup artists about the dangers of makeup blending mistakes — specifically, not blending foundation onto the neck. Do you really want your neck to look blindingly light compared to the rest of you? Of course not. But it stands to reason you wouldn’t want your ears to give your makeup away, either — yet it took Kylie Jenner to really open our eyes (and ears?) to the concept of ear makeup.
Jenner posted a video on her website in which she gave props to makeup artist Hrush Achemyan for creating what she calls the “smoky rockstar” look — a look that includes a perfectly contoured ear. According to Achemyan: “…It’s not really cute when you’re on the red carpet, or you get snapped and then your face is one color, and the ears are different. It shows, like, the tone is not really your skin tone and you have on a lot of foundation. Just like your neck, your ears, are a part of your face.”
Ignore that part about the red carpet and it still makes perfect real-life sense to blend a bit makeup onto your ears. So, where should you begin? Here are three simple steps to keep in mind when applying ear makeup.
1) Blend Foundation Onto Ears
After you’ve finished applying foundation to your face, place a dot or two of liquid makeup onto the back of your hand. Take a thin brush (such as a fine corrector brush), and dip it into the makeup. The next part takes a little practice and a good mirror (preferably a magnifying mirror). Apply the smallest amount possible to various sections of your ear and brush it in short strokes until you’ve covered your entire ear. You may need to go over your ear again with a blending brush. Don’t neglect the backs of your ears or the inside lining of your ear — but, of course, never stick a makeup brush into your ear canal.
2) Don’t Be Afraid To Contour Your Ears
If the last few years have taught us anything, it’s this: contouring really isn’t that scary once you get the hang of it. If you’re curious about extending your contour skills to your ears, try experimenting with a darker shade along the edge of the ear and a bit of bronzer and highlighter close to your earrings to help make them pop even more.
3) Go Bold With Crazy Ear Makeup Trends
It was one of the craziest beauty trends to hit the runway in spring 2016 and there’s no reason you can’t have fun with it now: bold ear makeup statements. A departure from correcting and concealing makeup, in-your-face ear makeup is all about placing vibrant shades of metallic gold, silver, and dusty yellow anywhere and everywhere you desire on your ear. You can go wild and draw black eye shadow stripes along your lobe or even outline your ear with pale blue shadow and rock your brightest blue statement earrings as the perfect complement. The sky’s the limit when it comes to this trend.
Whether you use ear makeup to ensure your face is the same shade or because you’re bored creating 100 versions of winged liner and are looking for your next beauty fix, it will prove an unexpected, but totally logical, place to apply makeup.
