Image via Youtube (belladalune)

We’ve come a long way since the Kardashian Klan first brought contouring to the mainstream.

An age-old trick used by industry professionals, it’s now a method that for many has become a daily routine (although there are still plenty – ahem me- who haven’t quite mastered it).

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We thought we’d already reached peak contouring, but it seems to be the makeup craze that just keeps on giving. And giving. And giving.

While it has its benefits (incredible cheekbones just a blend away? Yes please), I can’t help but feel we really have now reached the extreme.

Say hello to clown contouring.

The creation of YouTuber BellaDeLune, it involves painting your face with colour correction concealers, highlighters and contouring products to look like a clown. (Post continues after video.)

It looks comical, complicated and not to mention time-consuming, but here’s the thing – it actually works.

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Yep, with a little blending and blotting, the clown makeup is replaced by a surprisingly wearable (albeit high coverage) base.

While it may seem strange to put colours like green and purple on your face, they actually work well at counteracting any imperfections on the skin.

The green works to neutralise any redness, purple counteracts yellow tones and brightens skin, peach warms up any blue-ness around your eye area, while yellow can brighten up the eyes.

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The dark browns and lighter colours work to define and sharpen facial features - the basis of contouring.

When properly blended, the colours are worked into the skin and lose the brightness, looking natural. Napoleon Perdis Concealer Pro Palette ($60) is full of three everyday colours and lasts forever.

Clown contouring isn't even the strangest example - you can also find Star Wars, skull and feline-inspired colour correction and contouring tutorials. (Post continues after gallery.)

But there's more to it than meets the eye.

For BellaDeLune, it was a statement against people who ridiculed her love for makeup.

"I did this to basically send a message - even though you don't need this amount of makeup or any amount of makeup to feel beautiful, let's face it, makeup is fun and it's a way of expressing yourself," she says.

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"And personally, I can't even tell you how many times I've been called a clown or called other names and been hated on because of the way I use this art form, so I've done this to show you what a real pasaya (clown) looks like."

The video has been viewed over one and a half million times - and inspired several other tutorials demonstrating how you can turn a humorous or dramatic before into a "stunning" and realistic after.

Yet despite the worthy intention, I still can't quite get behind it.

Don't get me wrong - I completely, completely agree that makeup is an art (think about the precision and skill required to perfect just liquid eyeliner!) and I love playing around with it.

I believe as long as it's your choice, you should wear as much or as little makeup as you like, including nothing at all, without fear of judgement.

It makes me sad that these women - and any woman - have been subjected to hateful comments.

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It's the fact that it DOES actually work that kind of worries me.

Will this become the norm for contouring? Will I now be expected to have the skills of a qualified face painter as well as make up artist?

It just makes me feel inadequate.

Which is why I really hope we have finally reached the limit - I think I'm at contouring saturation point.

Do you agree?