If you’ve found clues about face shape, it was likely while shopping for glasses or looking up haircuts – both of which contain recommendations based on a person’s face shape. But what if your face shape isn’t obvious? And what if it doesn’t neatly fall into a certain category? Here’s what you need to know to find out your face shape and why it matters.
Why is face shape important?
On the whole, face shape is pretty insignificant – but knowing yours will make it easier for you to decide what looks best on or near your face. Things like hairstyles, makeup, glasses, hats, and other accessories. However, remember that it is possible to combine different face shapes and that the shape you have as a young person can evolve over time.
How to find out the shape of your face
At first, the concept of face shape can be a little confusing. OK, maybe someone has an obviously round face, but what exactly is a triangular face supposed to look like? And when it starts to get into hearts and diamonds, they can sound more like lucky charms than human faces.
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How Wendy Rose Gould explains in an article for Real Simple, the first step in finding your face shape is to measure this. It’s best to use a flexible tape measure, but she says a measurement app on your phone can do the job too. According to Gould, here’s how to take the measurements you need (just write them down so the information is convenient):
- Face length: Measure from the top of your hairline to the bottom of your chin.
- Forehead Width: The distance across the center of your forehead from hairline to hairline. Don’t bend the tape measure against the curve – keep it flat.
- Cheekbone Width: Feel the highest point of your cheekbone, then measure from one cheekbone across your face to the other. Again, instead of bending it against your skin, keep the measuring tape flat.
- Jaw Width: Hold the tape measure just below your ear and run it to the center of your chin, then multiply by two. In this case, you can bend the tape so that it sits on your skin.
The characteristics of each face shape
Use a combination of measurements and visual cues to determine which of these face shapes is most similar to yours, says Dr. Robert Sigal, a specialist in plastic surgeon says Real Simple:
triangle
- Key Features: High cheekbones and a narrow jaw
- Measurements: The width of the forehead and cheekbones becomes longer, while the chin is narrow and pointed (either rounded or stiffer)
Round
- Key Features: Rounded hairline and jawline
- Measurements: Face width and length that are the same dimensions
square
- Key Features: The jaw and forehead are wider and more pronounced
- Measurements: Forehead, cheekbones and jaw are equally wide; The dimensions are similar to a round face, but the overall texture of the face feels edgier with minimal curves
diamond
- Key Features: A more angular version of an oval face shape; The chin is also narrower and more pointed and the hairline becomes more angular; Cheekbones are high and strong
- Measurements: The distance between the cheekbones is slightly larger than the length of the forehead
oval
- Key Features: Forehead is a combination of square and round; The jaw and chin are more rounded
- Measurements: Usually the forehead width is smaller than the cheekbone width and the face is longer than wide
heart
- Primary property: Widow’s tip hairline
- Measurements: Jaw and cheekbones are wider than the forehead; the chin is narrow with a strong point
rectangle
- Key Features: Most commonly seen in the elderly, when the skin of the cheeks and cheeks builds up on the lower half of their face
- Measurements: Face length longer than wide; The forehead, cheekbones, and jaw are also similarly wide
Even if they don’t fit perfectly into a single category, you should be able to narrow them down at least a little bit to a few specific shapes – which should come in handy next time you search for a new “do or pair of specs”.
