Understanding your face shape is essential to mastering personal style and beauty techniques. This comprehensive guide explores the nine types of face shapes, helping you identify your own and discover styling strategies that enhance your natural features.
What Are Face Shapes?
Face shapes play a crucial role in determining the most flattering hairstyles, makeup techniques, and even eyewear. They are defined by the width of the forehead, cheekbones, and jawline, along with the overall length of the face.
The Nine Types of Face Shapes
Oval Face Shape
Oval faces are longer than they are wide, with a softly curved jawline and forehead that are nearly equal in width. This balanced shape allows for versatility in hairstyles, makeup, and accessories. People with oval faces can experiment with various looks, from voluminous curls to sleek straight styles.
When it comes to makeup, focus on enhancing your cheekbones, as this face shape already has natural balance. Oval faces work well with almost any eyewear or beard style, making it easy to find flattering looks.
Round Face Shape
A round face is typically defined by full cheeks and a similar width across the forehead, cheeks, and jawline. The soft curves give a youthful appearance, and the lack of sharp angles makes the face appear shorter and broader. The goal for those with round faces is often to create the illusion of length.
Hairstyles that add height, like updos or layered cuts, work well. Minimalist makeup that focuses on contouring the cheeks can enhance facial definition. Angular eyewear also helps balance the roundness of the face.
Pear Face Shape
Pear-shaped faces have a narrow forehead and wider jawline, creating a natural taper from top to bottom. This face shape benefits from styles that add volume at the top to balance the wider jaw. Hairstyle choices that include layers around the crown can help add that balance.
When applying makeup, focus on highlighting the forehead and cheekbones while keeping the jawline more neutral. Choosing eyewear with wide frames or bold tops can also help create the illusion of a wider forehead.
Square Face Shape
Square faces have equally wide foreheads, cheekbones, and jawlines, creating a strong, angular appearance. This face shape benefits from softening the sharp lines with hairstyles that add roundness, like waves or side-swept bangs. Identifying the types of face shapes, especially square ones, helps in choosing styles that complement your features.
For makeup, contouring can soften the jawline and bring out the cheekbones. Square faces pair well with round or oval eyewear, as these shapes balance the strong angles of the face. A well-groomed beard can also help soften the jawline.
Rectangle Face Shape
Square faces have equally wide foreheads, cheekbones, and jawlines, creating a strong, angular appearance. This face shape benefits from softening the sharp lines with hairstyles that add roundness, like waves or side-swept bangs. Identifying the types of face shapes, especially square ones, helps in choosing styles that complement your features.
For makeup, contouring can soften the jawline and bring out the cheekbones. Square faces pair well with round or oval eyewear, as these shapes balance the strong angles of the face. A well-groomed beard can also help soften the jawline.
Oblong Face Shape
Oblong faces are similar to rectangle faces but with softer, more rounded features. The forehead, cheekbones, and jawline are typically similar in width. Adding width to the sides of the face with voluminous or layered hairstyles is often recommended.
Makeup techniques that highlight the cheekbones and minimize the forehead can bring balance. Eyewear with bold, wide frames can also add width to the face, creating a more proportional appearance.
Triangle Face Shape
Triangle faces have a narrow forehead and wide jawline, giving a distinctive triangular appearance. The goal with this shape is often to create balance by drawing attention upwards. Layered hairstyles or side-swept bangs work well to broaden the forehead.
In makeup, highlight the forehead and cheekbones to balance the jaw. Eyewear with a wider top or bold accents around the brow area helps balance out the proportions of a triangle face.
Diamond Face Shape
Diamond-shaped faces are characterized by high cheekbones, a narrow forehead, and a tapered chin. This rare face shape is angular and defined, benefiting from hairstyles that soften the sharpness of the features. Understanding the types of face shapes, such as the diamond shape, allows for better choices in styles like side-swept bangs or textured layers that help balance the narrow chin and forehead.
For makeup, emphasize the cheekbones with highlighter while keeping the chin more neutral. Diamond faces suit oval or rimless glasses that complement the angular features.
Heart Face Shape
Heart-shaped faces have a wide forehead and narrow chin, creating a naturally balanced yet distinctive shape. This face shape is often flattered by hairstyles that add volume around the jawline, such as curls or waves. Side-swept bangs or chin-length cuts help balance the proportions.
When it comes to makeup, emphasize the eyes and cheekbones while keeping the forehead more neutral. Heart-shaped faces pair well with rounded or oval eyewear to soften the angles and bring balance to the features.
Types of Shapes of Faces Infographic
Styling for Your Face Shape
Discover hairstyles, glasses, and makeup that highlight your best features. Whether you have an oval face that suits most styles or a triangular shape that looks best with volume at the top, each section provides tailored advice.
