Makeup should be a fun accessory, but for many of us, it’s an inconvenient necessity we rely on to look our best. Trying to contour and highlight your features every day with makeup is a hassle that comes with plenty of drawbacks:
- Cost – Good contouring and highlighting products are expensive, and you’ll go through them quickly with everyday application.
- Mess – Cosmetics rub off on your clothes, your phone, and even your loved ones when you hug or kiss them.
- Effort – It’s time-consuming to create the look of volume and angles every day, and not everyone is a skilled makeup artist capable of creating a flawlessly contoured look.
According to Google, people are searching for ways to “look good without makeup.” At Mabrie Facial Institute in San Francisco, our patients enjoy a beautiful, no-makeup look thanks to our unique approach to fillers.
Compared to makeup, fillers provide the “I woke up like this” effect, giving you lasting, 24/7 results from any angle. How do fillers/makeup stack up against one another? Here we compare makeup to fillers for the most common cosmetic applications.
Dark Circles & Bags: Under Eye Concealer vs. Fillers
Makeup
Many of us wouldn’t be caught dead without under-eye concealer, but it can cake and crease in the delicate skin under the eyes. We use concealer to lighten the appearance of dark circles, which are often shadows cast by under-eye hollows. Sometimes these shadows are cast by bags—pockets of fat under the eyes. Light shades of concealer can sometimes make bags look more prominent.
Midface Rejuvenation for Circles & Bags
The under-eye area is one of the most common areas we treat at MFI. Fillers are a great choice for smoothing this area—both the indentations and the bags that can cause shadows. Our Midface Rejuvenation package builds support in the midface for a smooth transition from the cheek to the under-eye, so results are flawless and lasting. You’ll look bright-eyed and rested from morning ‘til night—no touchups required! Bonus: This package has the added benefit of smoothing nasolabial folds by lifting the midface. Check out our patients’ amazing results below and in our Midface Rejuvenation gallery.
Nose Refinement: Contour Kits & Highlighter vs. Fillers
Makeup
“How to fake a nose job with contouring makeup” tutorials on YouTube have millions of views—it’s a hot topic. You can use makeup to create the appearance of a slimmer nose, a straighter bridge, and a narrower or more pointed tip, and results can be pretty impressive, at least, from certain angles. But in different lighting or from varying vantage points, makeup can look…well…like makeup.
Non Surgical Rhinoplasty With Fillers
What can fillers do that makeup can’t? Well, all of those things and more, but with real results that don’t wash off. At MFI, we can effectively make a wide nose slimmer by contouring the bridge and refining the tip. Similarly, we can add dimension and angularity to a flat nose. We can fill indentations, often left after a nose job, and smooth bumps, balance out crookedness, and change the angle of the tip. Frankly, it’s incredible what we can do for the nose with fillers. Just take a look at these real patients and check out our Non Surgical Rhinoplasty gallery.
Defining Your Cheeks & Chin: Bronzer & Blush vs. Fillers
Makeup
You can use contour makeup to darken the shadow under the cheekbones, effectively making it appear as if they protrude more. Highlighting on the “apples” of the cheeks can make cheekbones look more prominent or full, giving the illusion that they’re catching the light. Needless to say, it takes quite a bit of makeup, makeup artistry, and time to shape this central area of the face. Plus, makeup can’t do anything for a receding or “weak” chin.
Cheek & Chin Contouring With Fillers
Unlike all that heavy, messy makeup, filler actually brings prominence, shape, and balance to these features with results that last up to 2 years. People who lack definition in their cheeks or chin often feel like they have a “doughy” face or a “babyface.” Fillers can increase the angularity of the cheeks and chin, for more chiseled or elegant contours. The best dermal filler injectors shape cheekbones in a subtle, natural way that actually catches the light, no makeup required. A weak or receding chin can be built up to balance the profile and face shape. Check out our real patients’ Cheek & Chin Contouring results.
Creating a “Snatched” Jawline: Contour Kits vs. Fillers
Makeup
It’s really tough to make your jawline look slimmer or more defined, or add prominence to a small or weak chin with makeup. Although these are beauty concerns many people have, highlight/contour products really fall short in these areas. People attempt to create the appearance of jawline definition with dark contour, but again, not much can be done to bring out a weak or small chin.
Chin & Jawline Contouring With Fillers
Filler really has the advantage in the chin and jawline, since it can add structure/definition to the jawline and add size and projection to a small or weak chin. Filler can be used along the jawline all the way from the mandibular angle (by the ear), to the chin to create that clean, angular jawline that frames the face. This can help reduce the appearance of jowls and give structure to an otherwise undefined lower face. Filler can also define the shape and projection of the chin, bringing balance to the entire face and enhancing either femininity or masculinity. Our Injectors can also use BOTOX to shrink the masseter muscles, slimming the lower face into more of a V-shape. See for yourself in our Chin & Jawline Contouring gallery.
Fuller, Shapely Lips: Lip Gloss, Lipstick, & Lip Liner vs. Fillers
Makeup
Practically everyone uses cosmetics to enhance their lips. We use lip liner to give definition, create the illusion of symmetry or fullness, and prevent lipstick from bleeding into the vertical lip lines around the mouth. We use sticky gloss or lip plumpers to create a fuller, more pillowy pout.
Lip Contouring With Fillers
Lip fillers can add real fullness, definition, and symmetry, but without the gooey mess. We can also take care of those pesky vertical lines, so you don’t need to worry about lipstick bleed. At MFI, we specialize in our “San Francisco aesthetic,” which means your lips will be full, sensuous, and youthful, yet natural and balanced—like a gift from Mother Nature. Fillers can also give your lips a natural “shine” without looking overfilled or unnatural. And results are kiss-proof. Our patients’ lip filler results speak for themselves.
Want It All? We Have a Package for That!
When you see the remarkable results our Injectors create in each of these areas, it’s hard to choose just one. That’s why so many of our patients opt for our Full Face 360° or Non Surgical Facelift packages. These all-in-one packages are customized to your face and concerns, giving you optimal results from your forehead to the tip of your chin, and everywhere in between.
The Verdict: Fillers for the Win
Makeup has its perks, but it’s limited in what it can do for your looks. That’s because your appearance has more to do with what’s under your skin than what’s on the surface. Structure, form, and shape are keys to determining how great you look.
If you’re using makeup to create the illusion of your desired contours/features, consider fillers as a lasting, real solution. You can learn more by requesting a consultation with one of our Injectors, or calling us at (415) 445-9513 to schedule an appointment. We can’t wait to see you!
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