CHEST TO IMPRESS
With more New Yorkers using makeup to enhance their cleavage, the trend is busting out beyond Hollywood
HEN Mandy Moore stepped onto the Golden Globes red carpet last week, viewers were stunned at the starlet’s sweeping cape gown, which featured a plunging neckline revealing her mesmerizing, sparkling sternum.
Moore wasn’t the only one brandishing makeup-enhanced globes at the ceremony. Heidi Klum, Naomi Campbell and Naomie Harris — in strapless dresses — all appeared to have some extra glitter and highlighter around their décolletage, while funny gal Kristen Bell posted a photo on Instagram of her primpers brushing powder onto her chest.
“Body makeup in general is super popular on the red carpet,” says Kelli Bartlett, director of makeup at the beauty-service company GlamSquad. “But the trend for plunging necklines in bodysuits and gowns is putting [chest contouring] center stage.”
Boob contouring is an old theater (and drag) trick that uses makeup to create depth, volume and definition, resulting in breasts that look larger or smaller than they actually are. And like face contouring — the makeup technique the Kardashians helped bring to the mainstream — it’s now expanding beyond the red carpet.
“It’s widely popular on social-media platforms such as YouTube and Instagram,” says makeup artist Melissa
Hernandez, who was responsible for “The Edge of Seventeen” actress Hailee Steinfeld’s Golden Globes glow. “And I think more women are participating in it because, one, it’s easy, and, two, it works!”
Julia Salvia, a 22-year-old socialmedia influencer and student at Quinnipiac University, first tried contouring her breasts a couple of years ago when she was going out with friends and wanted to wear a low-cut top.
“I’ve always been a butt girl, but not so much up here,” says the Hamden, Conn.-based Salvia, pointing to her chest area. “I just wanted some extra oomph to my look. I never wanted to come across as slutty, but elegant and sexy.”
Now, Salvia — who posts makeup tutorials on her YouTube channel and Instagram account, @beautybyjulia — is an expert who can add the illusion of depth and fullness to her chest in 10 minutes. She also provides the service for her friends, who go to her when they have a date.
“It really makes the whole look!” she says.
Andrea Lam, who had seen contouring deployed to great effect in drag shows, decided to try the technique out for a Halloween party in October.
“It probably took me about 20 minutes,” says the 31-year-old Long Island City resident. “I didn’t have to wash it all off and start over, but I did have to keep adding layers and layers till it looked right.”
Lam, who planned on wearing a glamorous strapless dress with a sweetheart neckline, watched a couple of YouTube videos before concocting her own blend of eye shadow, bronzer and highlighter to help enhance her bust.
“I’m very small in the chest department, so the drag-queen tech- niques were really relevant for me,” she says.
To make your breasts look larger but still natural, you can’t use just any makeup lying around.
“The trick is to use products that are meant for your body and meant to not transfer,” says Bartlett. She suggests using a waterand transfer-resistant foundation such as MAC Studio Face and Body in a color that’s three or four shades darker than your skin tone. Then, set the foundation with a loose powder, such as Make Up For Ever HD, using a wet Beauty Blender — an eggshaped makeup sponge. “This should absolutely help with streaking from sweating,” she says.
Drag queen and femme coach Amnesia Sparkles — who has been contouring since 1997 — says, when in doubt, keep blending. “If you’re gonna put them out there, you want the reaction to be, ‘Wow, that’s amazing,’ ” says the 37-yearold Williamsburg resident. “It’s like a magic trick — you don’t want to show the audience how you did the trick, you just want it to be seamless.” But for many beauty dilettantes, spending 20 to 30 minutes buffing and blending one’s bosom for a normal night on the town is simply too extreme.
“I can’t see myself doing it again, unless I was doing a drag-queen costume,” says Lam.
And it’s one thing to do it in the winter, but during a heat wave? Watch out.
“I live in Miami, so when I go out I sweat like a beast,” says Bella Dunbar, a 23-year-old college student who tried contouring one night before going out with friends.
“It gets all over your clothes! It’s absolutely not worth it.”