Determining your face shape is a useful first step when choosing hairstyles, glasses, and grooming techniques that complement your features. To determine your face shape, follow these five steps:
- Gather the necessary tools:
- A mirror
- A soft measuring tape (or a ruler if a measuring tape is unavailable)
- A pen and paper to record measurements
- Pull your hair back: To get an accurate assessment of your face shape, pull your hair back from your face using a hairband or clip so that your facial contours are clearly visible.
- Measure your face dimensions: Use the measuring tape (or ruler) to take the following measurements. If you’re using a ruler, write down the measurements as you go along:
a. Forehead width: Measure the distance across your forehead at its widest point, typically from one hairline to the other.
b. Cheekbone width: Measure the distance from the outer edge of one cheekbone to the outer edge of the other. c. Jawline width: Measure the distance from the tip of your chin to the back of your jawbone, near your ear.
- Record your measurements: Write down the measurements you’ve taken for each part of your face.
- Determine your face shape: Based on the measurements you’ve recorded, compare them to the following common face shapes:
- Oval: If your forehead width is slightly larger than your jawline, and your face tapers down to a narrower, more pointed chin, you likely have an oval face shape.
- Round: If your cheekbone, jawline, and forehead width measurements are all roughly the same, and you have soft, rounded contours, your face shape is round.
- Square: If your forehead, cheekbone, and jawline measurements are similar in width, and your jawline is angular with little tapering, you have a square face shape.
- Heart: If your forehead is wider than your cheekbones and jawline, and you have a pointed chin, your face shape is heart-shaped.
- Diamond: If your cheekbones are the widest part of your face, and both your forehead and jawline are narrower, you likely have a diamond face shape.
- Oblong/Rectangular: If your face is long and your forehead, cheekbone, and jawline widths are fairly similar, but your face is elongated, you have an oblong or rectangular face shape.
Remember that not everyone neatly fits into these categories, and your face shape might be a combination of a couple of shapes. Use this general guide as a starting point for choosing hairstyles and glasses that enhance your unique features.