The first thing you notice when talking with someone is their face — its features, complexion, expressions. Understanding your face shape helps you identify which areas to highlight, which to contour, and which haircut suits you best.
How Do You Determine Your Face Shape?
Two quick and simple methods can help you find out.
Method One: Trace Your Outline on the Mirror
- Stand facing a mirror (freestanding or wall-mounted) so you can see your whole face, hair pulled back, head level and back straight. Lighting placed above the mirror avoids shadows that distort the reflection.
- Take a lipstick or a dry-erase marker and trace the outline of your face on the mirror: starting at the tip of your chin, going up one cheek to the top of your head (at the hairline), then back down the other side to your starting point. Don't trace the outline of your ears.
- Step back and study the outline you've drawn: the length of your face, its roundness, and the shape of your jaw and forehead.
Method Two: Measure Your Face
- Grab a tailor's measuring tape, a sheet of paper and a pen, and stand in front of a large mirror.
- Measure the distance between your two cheekbones, running the tape across the bridge of your nose.
- Measure the length of your jaw, from a point about 2 cm below your earlobe to the center of your chin (then double the result).
- Measure the width of your forehead at its widest point, generally between your eyebrows and your hairline.
- Measure the length of your face, from the top of your forehead (at the hairline) to the middle of your chin.
- Compare these measurements to the different face shapes below.
How Do You Recognize Your Face Shape?
| Shape | Characteristics |
|---|---|
| Oblong | Outline close to a tall rectangle with rounded corners; jaw, cheekbones and forehead fairly balanced |
| Round | Outline close to a circle; narrow jaw and forehead, prominent cheekbones |
| Square | Face not very tall and rather wide; strong forehead and jaw |
| Oval | Fairly wide forehead, slightly narrower cheekbones, narrower jaw |
| Heart-shaped | Small chin, strong cheekbones, wide forehead |
| Triangular | Narrow forehead, wide jaw |
| Diamond | Especially prominent cheekbones, chin and forehead noticeably narrower |
