Know Your Face: How to Determine Your Face Shape

Before you just start slapping on eyeshadow and lipstick, you have to know where and how to place them. In order to know how to wear makeup, you'll need to spend some time looking in the mirror and determine your face shape. Knowing the shape of your face helps you know your best features to accentuate and minimize the appearance of anything you feel is unflattering.

Things You'll Need

• Mirror 
• Room with good lighting
• Measuring tape
• Piece of paper
• Pen
• White eyeliner pencil 

Step 1.
Be sure to choose a room that is well lit and have a mirror you can get close to. A mirror that is stationary or mounted works best for this. Have your white eyeliner pencil, measuring tape, a pen and a piece of paper handy to record your measurements.

Step 2.
 Began with looking in the mirror and measuring across the  top of your cheekbones. The end of your tape measure should be placed at the  outer corner of your eye. Mark this as your starting point with the white eyeliner pencil. With the tape measure, measure a straight line across the bridge of your nose to past the other eye to it's outer corner. Mark this as your end point with the white eyeliner pencil. The tape measure should sit at the very top of your cheekbones. Write this measurement down with your pen on your piece of paper.

Step 3.

Next, look in the mirror and began measuring your jaw line. Place the measuring tape on one side of your jaw under your cheeks and closest to your ear. Measuring across to your to the middle of your  chin. Multiply this number times two and record this measurement on your paper.

Step 4.
 To measure your forehead, while looking in the mirror, measuring from one side of your forehead at  the widest point halfway between your eyebrows and your hairline across your forehead to the same point  on the opposite side of your head. Record this measurement on your paper.  

Step 5.
Last, measure the length of  your face by looking in the mirror and measuring from the middle of your hairline down your face (over your nose) to the tip of your chin. Record this measurement on your paper. 

Face Shapes

Oval: Face equals one and a half times the width. This face usually has high cheekbones and narrow chins. By adding a light shade of lipstick and liner on your top lip and a darker, color on the bottom, this will draw attention to your bottom lip and balancing out the length of your face. This face doesn't need much blush because the cheekbones are already high.

Round: Face is as wide as it is long. Even if the two measurements aren't exactly the same, your face will be classified as round. Lining only the sides of the lips or applying bold glossy lipstick will make your face less like a circle and more straight on the edges of your face. Wearing a darker blush will give your face more shape causing it to appear to be less round.

Oblong: Your face is longer than it is wide. Follow the instructions for the Oval Face.

Heart Shaped: You have a narrow jaw with wide cheekbones and/or forehead. Follow the instructions for the Oval Face.

Square: Face is as wide as it is long but with a more angular shape than a round face. By avoiding the use of dark colors and adding soft, light colors, your lips your the attention will be drawn to the lower part of your face. Softly apply a wide but light border of liner on the edge of your lips, making it look like a shadow. This will make the edges of your face appear softer, and not as square.

Diamond: Face is widest at the cheekbones and you have a narrow forehead and jaw line of approximately equal widths. Put on a fair amount of blush in circular motions with a medium-sized brush. If you have fair skin, avoid putting on a bright shade of pink, you want your skin tone to look even.

Face Chart