While makeup is fluid and allows you to have fun and be experimental without following any rules as such, it’s always a good idea to understand the basics. Once you get a few basics down and understanding of makeup theory it makes it even easier to break the rules, broaden your horizon and play with makeup. One of the key basics to get down is pinpointing your face shape. When you know the planes of your face and what works best, you will be much more confident wielding that makeup brush.
Every face shape is unique, however, they have been categorized into a few common shapes to make things easier. Usually, each face has one or more distinct features that fall into these categories. Knowing your personal face shape helps you apply techniques that work best to enhance your natural beauty and emphasise the right features. Plus when you have a specific look in mind, how you strategically place your blush, bronzer and more can make a world of difference. So while makeup choices can be very personal, it doesn’t hurt to have a few tips to help you along on the journey. Below we’ve listed a few beginner-friendly makeup tips for the five most common face shapes.
Before you get started here’s some advice on how to figure out your face shape:
- Step 1: Make sure your hair’s tied back and click a photo of your face facing forward. You want the front profile, no angles. Try to do this with the back camera of your phone for a more accurate representation.
- Step 2: Trace the outline of the face in the image and see which shape it’s the closest to.
- Step 3: Consider widest part of your face (forehead, cheekbones or jaw), the shape of your jaw (round, square, pointy) and the length of your face (short or long). Take these into consideration when narrowing down which face shape you are.
Keep scrolling to check out some handy makeup tips for your face shape:
1. Square
People with a square-shaped face have a strong angular jawbone and hairline with a minimal curve. The sides of the face are usually straight and the face is almost as wide as it is long. Since the cheekbone and jawline are the best features you can accentuate them or soften them with contour and more feminine makeup looks. The key here is to avoid any harsh or severe lines like strong eyeliner or lip colours unless you plan to go for a very strong bold look that will play up those features.
- Use a fluffy brush to create a natural soft contour on the forehead and jaw to fade them into the background
- Apply blush more concentrated on the apples of the cheeks. This will soften the angles to make your cheeks look fuller and youthful.
- Keep the lips looking very feminine and ethereal with a sheer gloss or lip colour. If you’re using a lip liner, apply a light border and make the edges less harsh by smudging or blending it.
2. Heart
A heart-shaped face’s most striking features are the cheekbones and forehead. The face is wider on the cheekbones or forehead and narrower on the bottom half with a pointed the chin area.
- If you wish to move attention away from your forehead, apply bronzer or contour on the top and blend it to the temples.
- Contour underneath your cheekbones and highlight them by adding dewy blush. If you want to accentuate your cheekbones blend and sweep the colour it towards the ear, otherwise focus on the apples of your cheeks.
- Add a strong pop of colour on the of your lips. A pop of bright lip colour makes the narrow point of a heart-shaped face appear wider and more balanced.
- Add more lip liner on the bottom lip compared to the top before adding lipstick. This is to create more fullness and width for the bottom half of your face.
3. Round
Round face shape is pretty self-explanatory. People with this face shape usually look very youthful and soft. The chin is rounded and cheekbones are generally the widest part of the face. Because the face has very soft curves the mission here is to create more angles for definition and while creating the illusion of length as well.
- You can follow your natural brows but try and opt for a more angular shape to add definition. However be careful not to make them too severe with harsh lines, fill them in lightly.
- Apply blush beneath the cheekbones towards the temples to create an illusion of angles and have a slimming effect.
- Sculpting your face is key as we don’t want the face to look too flat or washed out. Contouring and bronzing underneath your cheekbones and jawline will cut and define them.
- Don’t forget to highlight your cheekbones and brighten the centre of your face with a lighter concealer. Also, use highlight wisely to bring forward your favourite features.
4. Diamond
People with this face shape have pointed chins and high cheekbones. This might seem similar to a heart-shaped face except they usually have a smaller forehead and higher cheekbones. You can literally create a diamond shape if you draw lines tracing your face shape starting from the centre of your hairline.
- Focus on brightening and bringing attention to the centre of the face. Do this by using a slighter lighter shade of foundation or concealer on the centre of the face then blending outwards.
- Bronzing or contouring the top of your forehead, the tip of your chin and hollows of cheeks can work to tone down the width of the face. Also, you can bronze above your brow bones to make the face seem less long.
- Swirl colour onto the apples of your cheeks to help bring some fullness and round out your face.
5. Oval
This is the most balanced of all face shapes so makeup application is quite standard here. The forehead and lower face have the same width with longer sides. Your face basically has soft contours with no sharp angles The highpoints like the apple of your cheeks, the temples, and browbone are the most prominent features.
- To help reduce the length of your face slightly blend your blush or bronzer horizontally on your cheeks,
- High arched brows can give you a more oval shape so instead, follow the natural shape of your brow bone.
- Apply highlight to all the highpoints to make them stand out and more prominent. Like the temples, brow bone, bridge of the nose, cupid’s bow, and chin.
Did you find any of these tips helpful? Let us know in the comments below.
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