Contrast Makeup: How to Enhance Your Features Using Laura Mercier’s Best Sellers

TikTok has given us countless beauty trends, but the contrast makeup theory is more than just a passing fad—it’s a technique that can help you tailor your makeup to complement your unique features! Whether you have high, medium, or low contrast, choosing the right shades and finishes can elevate your natural beauty.

What Is the Contrast Makeup Theory?

Contrast makeup theory is all about the level of difference between your skin, hair, and eye colors. The higher the contrast, the more impact bold makeup will have. The lower the contrast, the more soft, blended shades will complement your features.

Not sure where you fall? Try this simple trick: take a black-and-white selfie in natural light. If your features stand out sharply, you have high contrast. If they blend together softly, you have low contrast. If you're somewhere in the middle, you have medium contrast—which gives you a lot of flexibility with your makeup choices.

Makeup Tips for Each Contrast Level

At Laura Mercier, we believe makeup should enhance (not mask) your features. Here’s how to apply contrast makeup theory using our best-selling icons. 

Low-Contrast Features: Effortless, Natural Glow

If you have low contrast (think fair skin with blonde hair or deep skin with black hair), subtle, seamless makeup enhances your beauty without overpowering your features.

• Base: Opt for a radiant, lightweight tinted moisturizer, like our cult-favorite Tinted Moisturizer Natural Dewy for buildable, sheer coverage.
• Cheeks: A touch of Tinted Moisturizer Blush in a pink nude adds a natural flush without looking too stark. 
  
• Eyes: Keep it soft with Caviar Stick Eye Shadow in nude shades like (Strapless).
• Lips: A nude lip gloss like Lip Glacé in 125 Rosé enhances your natural lip color with a sheer, soft finish. 

Artistry Tip: Set everything in place with the iconic Translucent Loose Setting Powder, ensuring your makeup stays flawless while maintaining a natural, skin-like finish.

Medium-Contrast Features: The Perfect Balance

If you have medium contrast (like warm brunette hair with medium skin or olive undertones), you can play with both bold and natural elements for a well-balanced look.

• Base: Try a blurring, matte foundation like Tinted Moisturizer Blurred Matte for a long-wear, soft-focus finish. Then, even out your complexion with the Real Flawless Concealer for crease-proof coverage.
• Cheeks: Sculpt and glow using Bronze Color Infusion for a radiant soft kiss of color that mimics the skin's natural flush.
• Eyes: Add a pop of shimmer to the lids using RoseGlow Caviar Stick Eye Shadow, and subtly define the waterline with the Caviar Tightline Eyeliner in brown instead of black. 
  
• Lips: Complete your look with the Caviar Hydra-Crème Lipstick, a for full-coverage, satin finish. 
  

Artistry Tip: Sweep the Translucent Loose Setting Powder Ultra-Blur over the T-zone to lock in your makeup while maintaining a soft-focus finish. 

High-Contrast Features: Bold and Striking Looks

If you have high contrast (like fair skin with dark hair or deep skin with bright eyes), bold makeup will make your features pop even more.

• Base: A flawless, long-wearing complexion is key—use the Real Flawless Weightless Perfecting Foundation for a naturally perfected finish that doesn’t feel heavy.
• Cheeks: Sculpt your cheekbones with Tinted Moisturizer Bronzer for a more defined, contoured effect.
  
• Eyes: High contrast faces shine with rich, deep eyeshadows. Spice up your eye makeup with Caviar Stick Eye Shadow in Nuit (dark blue), Cocoa (rich brown), or Burnished Bronze (metallic bronze) for an intense, eye-catching effect. Then, add a precise wing with Caviar Tightline Eyeliner for extra drama.
• Lips: Line your lips for a defined look, then apply the Caviar Smoothing Matte Lipstick in a bold red (520 Scarlet Velvet) or a deep berry (777 Plum Plisse) lip.