The visual effect of certain hairstyles, makeup, and glasses will change based on the proportions of your face. This wikiHow will help you determine your face shape.
EditKey Points
- Oblong: Your face resembles a tall rectangle with rounded corners. It has broad but even foreheads, cheekbones, and jaws.
- Round: Your face resembles a circle, with wide cheekbones and a tapering jaw and forehead.
- Square: Your face is wide at all points, with a broad forehead, strong cheekbones, and an angular jaw.
- Oval: Your forehead is somewhat broad, with narrower cheekbones, and a tapering jawline.
- Heart-shaped: You have a broad forehead, strong cheekbones, and a small chin.
- Triangular: You have a broad jaw but small forehead.
- Diamond: Your cheekbones are wider than your chin and forehead, which are both narrow.
EditSteps
EditIdentifying Your Face Shape
- Stand in front of a mirror. Any large, stationary mirror will do. You should be able to easily reach it from a standing position in front of it - you'll need to be able to draw on it without having to lean forward.
- Stand looking directly forward into the mirror, with your back straight, your head high, and your shoulders back. If you have bangs, pull them out of the way.
- Make sure the lighting is over head and not directional. Lighting will affect the shape you draw.
- Trace the outline of your face. Using lipstick, a bar of soap, chalk, a dry-erase marker, or some other non-permanent sketching tool, carefully trace the outline of your face in the mirror. Start from the bottom of your chin, proceed up the edge of your face on one side past your cheek bones, follow the curve of your hairline, go down the other side of your face, and end up back at your chin. Try to stay as still as possible while you do this.
- Don't include your ears - just the edges of your face.
- Judge your facial outline. Step back and look at the shape you've traced. Where is it widest? Is it tall or short? What shape are your jaw and forehead? Based on the answers to these questions, your face should fit in to one of the following categories:
- Oblong: Your outline should roughly resemble a tall rectangle with rounded corners. Oblong faces have broad but even foreheads, cheekbones, and jaws.
- Round: If your outline closely resembles a circle, with wide cheekbones and a tapering jaw and forehead, you might have a round face.
- Square: Your outline should not be tall but should be wide at all points, with a broad forehead, strong cheekbones, and an angular jaw.
- Oval: The forehead should be slightly broad, with narrower cheekbones and a tapering jawline.
- Heart-shaped: These faces are characterized by a broad forehead, strong cheekbones, and a small chin.
- Triangular: If your outline features a broad jaw but a small forehead, this might be the ticket.
- Diamond: A diamond face differs from a round or oval face in that the cheekbones are significantly wider than the chin and forehead, which are both narrow.
- Clean the mirror. Wash or wipe away any markings you've made, especially if you're in a public restroom!
EditUsing Precise Facial Measurements
- Find a mirror. You'll want to take facial measurements in front of a mirror. For best results, use a large mirror in a room with good lighting so that you can clearly see every part of your face. Most bathrooms have large mirrors over the sink, though any large mirror (like a vanity mirror in your bedroom) will work fine.
- You’ll also need a flexible tape measure (not a stiff ruler) that can comfortably hug the curves of your face, plus a piece of paper and a pen or pencil to write down your measurements.
- Measure your cheek-to-cheek width. To find the width of your face, measure across the top of your cheekbones. Place the end of your tape measure just past the outer corner of your eye - this is your starting point. Then, carefully lay the tape measure in a straight line across the bridge of your nose to just past the outer corner of your other eye this is the end point of measurement. The tape measure should be resting on the top of the “apples” of your cheeks (in other words, just on top of your cheekbones). Read the number on the tape measure and record this measurement.
- Measure your jaw line. Next, you'll want to determine the size of your jaw. Look straight ahead into the mirror and find the widest part of your jaw. Usually, this is an inch or so below the bottom of your ear. This will be the starting point for your measurement. Measure from this spot to the tip of your chin. Then, simply multiply this number by two to get the combined length of both sides of your jaw. Record this number.
- Measure your forehead. Look straight ahead into the mirror and find the widest part of your forehead. Usually, this is about halfway between your eyebrows and your hairline. Place the start point of the measuring tape on one side of your forehead at its widest point. Run the measuring tape along your forehead horizontally until you come to the same point on the opposite side of your forehead. Read the number on the tape measure and record this measurement.
- Measure the length of your face. Finally, it's time to determine the length (or "height") of your face. Find the exact middle of your hairline (the line formed where your hair meets your forehead). Start your tape measure at this middle point. Run the measuring tape down your face, over your nose, and to the tip of your chin. Read the number at the end point and write down this measurement.
- For men and women with shaved/bald heads - try to measure from the point where your hairline would be. Unless you've shaved your head within the past few days, you should be able to feel the light "stubble" of new hair growth at the top of your forehead. If you're unsure, estimate by raising your eyebrows and measuring from just above the highest wrinkle that forms on your forehead.
- Fit your facial measurements to a face type. Every person's face is different (unless you're an identical twin!) However, the vast majority of faces fit into one (or more) of several categories. These facial categories are: Oblong, Heart, Square, Oval, Round, Triangular, and Diamond.[1] Keep your measurements handy and continue reading to determine which category (or categories) you fit into!
- Oblong faces (sometimes called "rectangular"[2]) are longer than they are wide. They also have fairly similar measurements in terms of cheek, forehead, and jawline.
- Heart faces are defined by the upside-down triangle shape of their face, which results from having a relatively pointy chin and medium-to-wide forehead and cheek measurements. These faces are generally just a little longer than they are wide at the cheeks (about an inch and a half or less.)
- Square faces are about as long as they are wide - their cheek and length measurements are within about an inch or two of each other. In addition, the cheek, forehead, and jaw measurements for square faces should be similar - the edges of a square face should be almost straight up and down. A square face's jaw should have clear, sharp angles at its widest corners.
- Oval faces are similar, proportionally, to an upside-down egg. They are longer than they are wide, with a forehead that is slightly wider than the jawline and a gently rounded chin.
- Round faces, like square faces, are about as wide as they are long. However, they have a relatively small forehead and a small, curved jawline. If your "cheek" and "length" measurements are within an inch or so of each other, your forehead measurement is smaller than your cheek measurement, and your jawline lacks the sharp angles present on square faces, you have a round face.
- Triangular faces are the opposite of heart-shaped faces - they're widest at the bottom and skinniest at the top. Triangular faces have long, wide and square jawlines and relatively narrow foreheads.
- Diamond faces are widest at the cheekbones, with a tapering forehead and a skinny, pointed chin. They are somewhat longer than they are wide. If your cheek measurement is larger than your forehead and jaw measurements and your chin is relatively pointed, your face has diamond-shaped properties.
EditVideo
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EditSources and Citations
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