HOW TO - Determine Your Face Shape

The Essential First Step: 

Knowing The Structure of The Face

Before applying makeup, knowing the structure of the face is a key aspect as it can determine the different shapes, motions and textures of makeup and help the artist create the most flattering look for the client. The shape of the face is usually influenced by our culture and ethnicity and is determined by the structure of the facial bones. Every face structure is unique, beautiful and a bit different, but there are key elements that can help you categorise the main face shapes.

The 6 Main Face Shapes:

Oval Face

One of the most common face shapes, where the forehead is slightly larger narrowing towards the chin. Because the cheekbones are usually higher, this face is structure can be emphasised perfectly with the right highlighting and contouring techniques.

Round Face

Unlike the oval face shape, rounder face shapes do not narrow down towards the chin: usually, the whole face has the same width and length from the forehead to the chin, being the widest at the cheekbones

Heart Shape Face

With a slightly pointy chin and the whole face narrowing down to the chin, heart shape faces are very special and easy to recognise. 

Square Face

Women with square face shape have very structured features with strong jawline and cheekbones. Although it looks similar to the heart shape, square shapes tend to be the same width at the forehead and the cheekbones, which creates the illusion of a square.

Pear Shape

A pear shape face is slightly slimmer around the forehead and widens out towards the chin, but instead of a sharp jawline and cheekbones and a rectangular shape, the general shape of the face is rounder.

Long Face

Long faces shapes tend to have the same width on the whole face with a slightly thinner chin and jawline – the most recognisable aspect of this shape is definitely the longer and a bit thinner shape of the overall face.

Aspects to Consider:

Shape of the face 
Shape of cheekbones
Shape of the forehead
Shape of chin and jaw line 
Shape and size of the eyes
Shape and size of eyebrows
Shape of the mouth 
Shape of the nose

To find out how to make each face shape look the most stunning and other must-know aspects while applying makeup to different structures, subscribe!