Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Preparing the Necessary Materials and Body
• Part 2 of 3: Blending Foundation and Shadows
• Part 3 of 3: Applying Brightening Powder and Finishing Touches
• Tips
• Warnings
• What do you need

Summer is approaching and the sunny beaches and swimming pools are beginning to beckon. But, unfortunately, you feel insecure due to the lack of muscle definition in the abdominal area. Don't let it upset you! You can fully enjoy the gentle sun, flaunting in an open swimsuit. By applying a little makeup on the right spots, you will accentuate your abs and give them a bump. This article will show you how to "contour" your abs, giving it a toned and trained look.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Preparing the Necessary Materials and Body

1. 1 Choose a foundation, tint moisturizer, or sunscreen that you use as a background. Before you start drawing the abs cubes, you should create a kind of blank canvas on your belly, on which you will apply makeup. This base, or “canvas,” can be a primer that matches your skin color, a tint moisturizer, or a sunscreen. You can also use a sunscreen tint, or create your own by mixing some liquid primer that matches your skin tone with sunscreen. Choose something that suits you:
   • The primer will even out the skin tone and create the necessary background. Foundation is less translucent than liquid primer.
   • A tinted moisturizer will help moisturize your skin as well as even out its complexion. However, it will create a less dense base than a primer.
   • Sunscreen will protect the delicate skin of the abdomen from sunburn and sunburn. If you add a little primer to it, it will also help to slightly even out your skin tone.
2. 2 Choose a bronze tone powder. You will need a bronze powder that is about two shades darker than your skin. Do not use shimmery powder as it is too conspicuous; opt for a matte, bronze-tone powder instead. You will apply fake eyeshadow to give the illusion of well-developed abdominal muscles, so you need a natural looking product.
   • If you don't have a non-shimmering bronze powder on hand, you can replace it with a brown eyeliner or pressed foundation powder no more than two shades darker than your skin.
3. 3 Choose a brightening powder. You will need a lightener one tone lighter than your skin. This powder should be iridescent to accentuate the features of the belly.
   • If you don’t have a lightening powder on hand, you can use pressed foundation a few tones lighter than your skin or a light ivory eyeliner instead.
4. 4 Find a powder brush and two eyeshadow brushes. You will need two types of brushes: a large powder brush and an eyeshadow brush. If you don't have an eyeshadow brush, use another small makeup brush with small, rounded bristles instead. You will need two eyeshadow brushes (or similar), one for the bronze and one for the brightening powder.
   • If you don't have a second eyeshadow brush, feel free to use the same brush for both bronze and lightening powder. Simply remove the bronze powder from the brush by brushing the bristles over the lint cloth several times to make sure no powder remains on the brush.
5. 5 Choose a well-lit area. Bright light will make it easier to see your muscles and the shadows they cast.
6. 6 Expose your belly. It is better to take off your clothes so that no makeup accidentally gets on them. You can wear an old swimsuit or a workout top. It is imperative that your belly is completely exposed.
   • Do not wear a swimsuit that you intend to show your abs in later. Otherwise, you not only can get it dirty, but you also risk that your cunning will be revealed.
7. 7 Decide how much muscle you would like to add. Do you want to have all six abs, four, or just two? Think about this before you start applying makeup.

Part 2 of 3: Blending Foundation and Shadows

1. 1 Apply foundation, tinted moisturizer, or sunscreen to your belly. Use your fingers to rub foundation, tinted moisturizer, or sunscreen over your belly. Be careful to apply the product to all exposed belly areas, smoothing the edges as you would normally with a foundation or tinted moisturizer.
   • You can use a primer brush or cosmetic wedge to apply the foundation.
2. 2 Wait for the base to dry. To avoid ruining your brushes in the following steps, wait until the foundation, tint moisturizer or sunscreen is completely dry. You will see this by the fact that your skin will lose its luster and no longer look damp.
   • If in doubt, you can check by gently touching your belly with your finger. If this leaves a primer, moisturizer, or sunscreen on your finger, you should wait longer.
3. 3 Tighten your abdominal muscles. This will help you locate the muscles to emphasize in the next steps. There is no need to tense your muscles all the time, but it doesn’t hurt to do it before applying makeup in order to know where to apply shadows.
4. 4 Scoop up some bronze powder with an eyeshadow brush. Dip a brush in powder and wiggle it, then shake off excess powder from it. You can also lightly blow onto the brush to remove excess powder.
5. 5 Draw a vertical line down the middle of your belly. Take a bronze powder brush and brush it from top to bottom along the center of your belly. The line should start just below the ribs and end at the navel.
   • If the line is not dark enough, you can redraw it, but do not overlay too many layers. The line should be fairly light. A line that is too dark will look odd and unnatural.
6. 6 Apply bronze powder to the area under the ribs. Dip the brush in bronze powder again and draw two lines just below the ribs. As a result, you will have a shape that looks like an upward-facing arrow.
7. 7 Draw two more vertical lines. If necessary, tense the abdominal muscles again and find the two vertical grooves on the sides of the abdomen. Starting at the ribs, they go down. Once you've found these depressions, brush along each brush with a bronze powder.
   • If you tighten your abdominal muscles, you can also find horizontal grooves running along both sides of the navel. Starting at the navel, they connect it to the vertical lines you just pointed. If you want to emphasize the abdominal muscles more, brush along with the bronze powder along these horizontal valleys.
8. 8 Use a powder brush to blend the lines. Take a powder brush and brush it along the lines you've made in light, quick strokes from top to bottom. You can also brush your belly lightly from side to side. This will smooth out the previously drawn lines, making them less sharp.
   • If the lines seem too dark, don't fret! Just take a little pressed foundation powder that matches your skin color, dip a powder brush in it and run it over your belly. This will brighten the shadows, making them less visible.

Part 3 of 3: Applying Brightening Powder and Finishing Touches

1. 1 Examine your belly. You have already applied the base and shadows, resulting in a shape that resembles an upward pointing arrow and some cubes. These cubes represent your muscles and should be shaded a little harder.
2. 2 Take a clean eyeshadow brush and dip it into the highlighting powder. Just lightly wiggle the brush in this powder, then shake it off, brushing off the excess. You can also blow lightly over the bristles of the brush to blow away excess powder.
3. 3 Fill the cubes with lightening powder. Take a brush and lightly brush it over the muscles. First, apply the powder with a light dabbing motion in the middle of the cubes, then smooth the edges along them from side to side and from top to bottom.
4. 4 Smooth, smooth and smooth again. Take your powder brush and brush around the lines you made earlier in a circular motion.
5. 5 Ready. Examine yourself in the mirror, checking the fruits of your labors from all sides: front, left and right. Apply some more bronze or brightening powder if necessary, but then smooth the lines again.
   • If the lightening powder is too light, and the bronze is too dark, and anti-aliasing does not work, you can shade the colors more by going over them with pressed tonal powder. Simply dip your brush lightly in the pressed foundation powder that best matches your skin color and brush it over your belly.

Tips

• When shading colors, look in the mirror, trying to make your makeup look as natural as possible.
• When buying mineral and iridescent powders and self-tanners, compare them to your skin tone and choose darker shades.
• If you put on too much makeup and it doesn't look very good, just wash your belly area and start over.
• You can make your make-up last longer by covering it with hairspray, powder, or makeup fixing spray.
• Use water-repellent powders to keep them from washing off with water or sweat.
• Keep straight without leaning forward. Otherwise, you will get the impression that you have a small tummy, which can ruin the entire effect of the applied makeup.

Warnings

• Do not simulate abs while wearing a swimsuit. If makeup gets on your swimsuit, it not only stains it, but also reveals your secret.
• Don't use too much makeup, or your lines will look too dark or light and look unnatural.
• If you use a special make-up base ("primer"), tinted moisturizer or sunscreen as a base, make sure that they match your skin color well. A base that is too dark, light or reddish will look unnatural.
• On a hot sunny day, makeup can float.
• If you bathe, all the fruits of your labors will be washed away with water.

What do you need

• Foundation, tint moisturizer or sunscreen
• Bronze Powder, Dark Pressed Foundation Powder or Brown Eyeliner
• Brightening Powder, Pressed Foundation Powder Lighter, or Ivory Eyeliner
• Large powder brush
• Eyeshadow brush (or other small rounded bristle makeup brush)
• Cosmetic wedges (optional)
• Foundation brush (optional)