There are 7 main face shapes - oval, square, round, oblong, triangle, heart and diamond, depending on the width of your forehead in comparison to your chin, and the length of your face compared to the width. Sometimes your face shape may fit into two categories, so you may find that you have a combination face shape. If so, you will need to apply corrective techniques to suit your personal needs and enhance your best features.

It is very easy to find out what shape your face is. You will need to tie or pin your hair back from your face, so that you can clearly see the edges of your face. Divide your face into measured sections: Lengthwise (divide into equal thirds)


1. Start at your hairline and go to the top of the bridge of your nose
2. From the top of the bridge of your nose, go to the bottom of your nose
3. Begin at the tip of your nose and end at the tip of your chin.

The width of your face , is measured into thirds also, so starting from each side of the face (the hairline) and stopping at the pupil
1. Right hairline to right pupil
2. Right pupil to left pupil
3. Left pupil to left hairline An easy variation is to trace your silhouette onto your mirror with a lipliner or eyeliner pencil, and your face shape is really obvious!

The "ideal" face was traditionally the oval face, considered the artistically ideal face because of its proportions - it is approximately  as wide as it is long. So with this as a guide, once you have identified your face shape, using the above method of dividing the face, you then base your highlighting and contouring work around correcting any out of proportion areas of your face. Knowing your faceshape means that you can effectively contour and highlight, specifically to balance your face shape. Every face is individual, so use highlighting techniques to enhance your best features, and contouring to play down any flaws and disguise blemishes.

Face shape guide: Oval Face - perfectly symmetrical, face length is equal to one and a half times width - rounded edges.
Square - Forehead, cheekbones + jawline look almost equal in width - similar to oval with stronger, straight lines.
Rectangular / Long / Oblong - face is similar width from temples to jawline, with more length than width.
Round - broad hairline, full cheeks, face is as wide as it is long (or almost as wide).
Heart - Narrow jawline, becoming gradually wider up to temples.
Diamond - Widest at cheekbones, narrow forehead + jawline.
Triangle (also described as Pear) - Narrow forehead, wider jawline.


More importantly, the key to good makeup is knowing how to "feature focus" - that is, take into account your face shape analysis, and then objectively analysing your features: look at your eyes (their size and shape), your nose (is it long, short, narrow, wide?), your cheekbones (prominent or undefined), and your lips (thin, naturally pouty, round, uneven, large, full), and decide how to enhance your own beauty. Use shading and highlighting to create light and shadow, and visually improve facial features or bring out your favorite features!
GOOD lUCK!