If you’re not quite up to speed with the latest beauty terms, we’re pretty sure you’re not alone. With bloggers, pro makeup mavens and online tutorials rapidly rolling out new words and techniques on social media and IRL, even the most knowledgeable beauty buff could get stumped. Get on fleek: from strobing to squoval, we’ll help you decipher the latest lingo.
baking: a technique that uses your body heat to set base makeup, creating a flawless finish
contouring: to add definition and shape to the face by shading and highlighting certain areas
cut crease: to “cut” across eye shadow with a contrasting colour to add depth and definition to your eyelid’s natural crease
on fleek: to have accomplished makeup perfection, particularly eyebrow shading and shape
overlining: to outline lips with a pencil or lipstick beyond the natural line, giving the illusion of a fuller lip
sparkling: to use glitter, rhinestones, sequins or any shiny, metallic material on the face, particularly eyes
squinching: when taking a photo, the act of narrowing the eyes by tightening the lower lid and letting the top one drop down slightly, which gives the appearance of chiseled cheekbones and a defined jawline (aka the new smizing – try this technique in your next #selfie!)
squoval: the mix between an oval and square-shaped nail
strobing: to use shimmery makeup to illuminate facial features where light would naturally hit
tontouring: to strategically apply a combination of light and dark tanning moisturizers on the face to create a makeup-free, chiseled look