How to Determine Your Face Shape

Co-authored by Anjuli Yera, MD and Megaera Lorenz, PhD

Last Updated: December 6, 2024 Fact Checked

The shape of your face can affect which hairstyles, glasses, or makeup effects look best on you. To determine your face shape, start by getting familiar with the basic shape categories. Identify your face shape with a few measurements, and use your new-found knowledge to help you pick hairstyles, makeup styles, and accessories that flatter your face.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Measuring Your Face

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1
Pull your hair away from your face. To truly see the shape of your face, you need to pull your hair back into a ponytail or bun. You should also pin back your bangs or loose hair around your face. Having your face clean and uncovered will allow you to see all the factors that determine your face shape.
- You might also want to wear a top that does not cover your neck and chin, so try a scoop neck or v-neck shirt. You can also go topless.^{[1]
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To measure your face, you will need the kind of soft fabric tape measure that tailors use. These are easy to come by at most department stores. It doesn’t matter whether the ruler is in inches or centimeters. The important part is how the measurements compare to each other, not the exact numbers.^{[2]
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If your hair is long, put it up or tie it back. Slick back or clip up shorter styles.

Tip: Don’t try to measure your face with a stiff retractable measuring tape. Not only will this be a lot more difficult, but you could hurt yourself if you accidentally retract the tape during a measurement.
In order to determine your face shape with measurements, you will need to write down each measurement as you go so that you can compare them all when you are done. Get something to jot down your measurements with.^{[3]
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Make sure the mirror is large enough that you can see your whole face. It also needs to be hung on a wall or able to sit up on its own so you can use both your hands. Make sure the room you're in is well-lit and that your face is in full light. You will need to be able to see each edge of your face and you don't want to misread the shape of your face due to shadows.^{[4]
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It’s easiest to measure your face if you can see what you’re doing. Stand or sit in front of a large mirror in a well-lit room. Face the mirror front on, with your chin level.^{[5]
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This is typically located midway between your eyebrows and your upper hairline. Measure the distance straight across from the hairline on 1 side of your forehead to the other. Write down the result.^{[6]
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Expert Answer

Q

A wikiHow user asked: "When measuring the width of my face, should I measure all the way to the hairline?"

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.

EXPERT ADVICE

Answer from Laura Martin:

Laura Martin, licensed cosmetologist, answers: "Yes - if you're measuring the width of your forehead, start at the hairline on one side and stop at the hairline on the other side. This should help you get the most accurate measurement."
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Take a measurement across your cheekbones. This measurement can be a little tricky. Feel for the most prominent part of your cheekbones with your fingertips. This is usually located just below the outer corner of each eye. Once you’ve located the right spot, measure straight across from 1 cheekbone to the other.^{[7]
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- You can also stand in front of the mirror with your face centered on the mirror's surface. Mark the edges of your face. You can either draw the whole area of your face now or you can place dots around your face, noting the top and edges of your forehead, the edges of your cheekbones, points on the edges of your jawline, and the bottom of your chin. Once you've placed the dots, move to the side and connect the dots, making a facsimile of your face shape.^{[8]
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- You can also do this in the bathroom mirror after you get out of the shower. All you have to do is outline your face in the steam. Make sure to take note of the shape before the condensation fades away.^{[9]
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- If you don't have a mirror, take a picture of yourself head-on with a relaxed face and draw around the outside of your face. You will get the same result.
Tip: Keep in mind that the bridge of your nose can push out the tape measure and make this width appear greater than it really is. To get a more accurate measurement, hold the tape measure straight across in front of your face and eyeball where it lines up with each cheekbone. If you do this, be sure to hold the measuring tape away from your face for your other measurements as well.
Place one end of the tape measure at the corner of your jaw below your ear, and bring the other end to the tip of your chin. Do the same on the other side and add the results together, or just multiply the first measurement by 2. This will give you your total jawline length.^{[10]
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Take your tape and measure from the center point of your upper hairline down to the tip of your chin. If you have a receding hairline or a shaved head, estimate where your hairline would be.^{[11]
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Note: If you have a prominent nose, this can throw off your length measurement. Instead of closely following the contours of your face, hold the measuring tape straight up and down in front of your face and eyeball where it lines up with your hairline and chin.
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Compare each measurement to determine your face shape. After you’ve made all the measurements and written them down, determine which measurements are greatest and which are smallest. Compare the proportions of your face with those typical of the common face shapes.^{[12]
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- For example, if your face is about as long as it is wide, it is probably round or square. A square face has a wider, more angular jaw than a round face.
- If your face is longer than it is wide, it may be oblong, oval, or rectangular. To determine which, look at how your forehead, cheekbones, and jawline measure up.
- If your measurements get gradually narrower from forehead to jawline, your face is heart-shaped or oval. If they’re similar all the way down, your face may be oblong, square, or rectangular.
- If your face gets wider from forehead to jawline, it’s triangular.
- Once you've drawn your face, it's time to analyze the dimensions of your face. Look at the width of your forehead, cheekbones, and jawline as well as the length from your forehead to your chin. Compare each side, judging which area is most prominent, which area is smallest, and how they relate to one another.^{[13]
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  Cordelia Frost
  Makeup Artist & Gothic Blogger
  
  Expert Interview. 30 July 2021} Keep in mind a few questions. How wide is my forehead compared to my jawline? How wide are my cheekbones compared to my forehead and jawline? How long is my face? These spatial relationships are what determine your face shape. Look at the next section to figure out what shape your face is and understand what each face shape means.
  - If your face seems to be in between two shapes, you can try a more exact method to determine which areas on your face are larger than others. In a mirror, measure the length between the side edges of your forehead, between your cheekbones or temples, between the edges of your jaw, and from your chin to your hairline. Use these exact measurements to determine what the largest and smallest areas of your face are.
  - If you aren't exactly sure about the shape of your face, have a relative or close friend help you decide. Sometimes it's easier for others to decide because they see your face more often than you see your own.^{[14]
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    Research source} Another option is to look for a face chart online and compare the basic shapes with your face.^{[15]
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    Cordelia Frost
    Makeup Artist & Gothic Blogger
    
    Expert Interview. 30 July 2021}

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Flattering Your Face Shape

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Choose a flattering hair length for your face shape. The length of your hair can affect how long and wide your face looks. Go with a length that balances out the dimensions of your face.^{[16]
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- Long, straight hair is an excellent choice for round and square faces, because it adds length and minimizes width.
- Extremely short cuts with more volume on top, such as a pixie cut, can also lengthen short faces and draw attention to the eyes and cheekbones.
- Medium to short cuts, such as a chin-length or shoulder-length bob, can make long faces look shorter and add fullness to the face. This is a good choice for oval or oblong faces.
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Style your bangs to fit your face. The shape of your face is an important factor in determining what kind of bangs look best on you (or whether you should have them at all). Consider the following when deciding on bangs:^{[17]
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- Long, feathery bangs that frame the forehead in an A-shape can help soften the look of a square face.
- Side-swept bangs are flattering on a variety of face shapes, including round, heart-shaped, and oval or oblong.
- Blunt, long, straight-across bangs can make narrow foreheads appear wider and minimize the length of longer faces.
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Pick frames that balance out your face shape if you wear glasses. Glasses can change the appearance of your face quite a bit. If you wear glasses, select frames that complement the shape of your face rather than exaggerating it. For example:^{[18]
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- Maintain the balance of an oval face with frames that match the width of your face.
- If you have a heart-shaped face, minimize the breadth of the upper half of your face with light-colored or rimless frames. You can also choose frames that are wider at the bottom.
- For long faces, such as oblong or rectangular, choose wide frames with low bridges and decorative temple elements that add width.
- For faces that are narrower on top, such as triangular faces, pick frames that are wider on top, such as cat-eyes.
- Choose narrow frames for short, wide face shapes, such as square or oval. Curved frames balance out more angular faces, while angular frames work best with round faces.
- Soften the look of an angular diamond face shape by choosing oval frames.
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Flatter your face shape with complementary makeup. If you wear makeup, apply it in ways that balance the proportions of your face and bring out your best features. For example:^{[19]
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- Add width to an oblong face by putting blush on the apples of the cheeks and blending out toward the temples. Reduce length by adding bronzer to the hairline and jawline.
- Use bronzer to minimize the width of the forehead on a heart-shaped face.
- Give structure to a round face by applying bronzer around the entire outer perimeter of the face and under the cheekbones. Highlight the central part of the face (middle of the forehead, bridge of the nose, high point of the cheeks, and chin).
- Soften square faces by contouring the forehead, temples, and jawline, and adding highlighter to the cheeks.
- For face shapes with narrower foreheads, such as diamonds and triangles, widening the space between your brows a little can give the illusion of greater width at the top of the face.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Recognizing the Basic Face Shapes

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1
Recognize oval faces by their slight tapering. Divide your face into 2 halves, then check and determine the shape of top half of your face.^{[20]
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Expert Source

Anjuli Yera, MD
Certified Professional Makeup Artist

Expert Interview. 29 September 2021.} If your face is oblong but tapers slightly from forehead to jaw, you may have an oval-shaped face. Oval faces tend to be about 1 ½ times longer than they are wide.^{[21]
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- You have an oval face if your cheekbones and jawline are pretty much the same width with your forehead just a bit wider, your face is only slightly longer than it is wide, and your chin is slightly rounded and smaller than the width of your forehead.
- Because the oval face is so proportionate, there are very few hairstyles that do not look good. Bangs, no bangs, long, or short, this face shape can pull off any style and look good while doing it. It is often considered the ideal face shape due to its proportions and ability to be styled in any way.^{[22]
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Look for width across the cheekbones to identify a round face. You can identify the shape of the face by examining the lower half of your face.^{[24]
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Expert Source

Anjuli Yera, MD
Certified Professional Makeup Artist

Expert Interview. 29 September 2021.} Round faces are widest across the cheekbones, with rounded foreheads and jawlines. Another good rule of thumb is that the round face is typically about as long (measuring from hairline to chin) as it is wide (from cheekbone to cheekbone).^{[25]
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- Those with this face shape often consider their cheeks to be chubby, but the cheeks usually give them a young, youthful appearance.^{[26]
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  - For round faces, avoid hairstyles that fall directly at the chin line because they accentuate the short, round qualities in your face. Instead, wear styles that fall below your chin, giving your face the appearance of added length.
^{[28]
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Anjuli Yera, MD
Certified Professional Makeup Artist

Expert Interview. 29 September 2021.} Heart-shaped faces are widest across the forehead, and gradually narrow as you move down to the chin. The forehead should be wider than the cheekbones, and the jaw narrower than the cheekbones and the forehead.^{[29]
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Note: This face shape is often associated with a pointy chin.
If your face is long, widest at the cheekbones, and narrow towards the forehead and chin, you have a diamond-shaped face.^{[30]
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Oblong faces are long, but also rounded at the top and bottom. They tend to be about equally wide across the cheekbones and jawline.^{[31]
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Identify a square face by looking for a wide jawline and forehead. Square faces tend to have a jaw that is about as wide as, or even wider than, the cheekbones. Square faces typically have a wide forehead as well. The slope from the corners of the jaw to the chin is gentle, and the chin is usually fairly wide, rather than pointy or rounded.^{[32]
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- You have a square-shaped face if your face is nearly as wide as it is long, your cheekbones and jawline are nearly the same size, your hairline is flat, and your jawline is defined with minimal chin curves. The forehead can be large and is typically the same width as the cheekbones.^{[33]
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Like round faces, square faces are usually about as wide as they are long. If you have a square jaw with a longer face, your face shape is rectangular rather than square.^{[34]
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A square jawline can also be a feature of a triangular face. If your forehead and cheekbones are significantly narrower than your jawline, your face is triangular.^{[35]
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Understand the heart-shaped face. You have a heart-shaped face if your forehead and cheekbones are wider than the bottom of your face, your jawline is angular, and your chin is prominent and pointy. These individuals often have a large forehead and may also have a widow's peak, which is the element that lends the shape its name. This shape is also described as an inverted triangle shape, given the prominence of the chin and width of the forehead and cheekbones.^{[36]
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- For heart-shaped faces, wear your hair long and wavy with a thick bang, which hides your larger forehead and balances out your face or wear it chin length, which helps even out the prominence of your jaw. Avoid hairstyles that are above the chin because they can make your face appear unbalanced.
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Recognize the square-shaped face.
- For square-shaped faces, wear long hairstyles that add length, retracting from your wide, prominent jaw. You can also have soft curls around your face to soften the harsh angles of your jaw or an off-center part to draw attention across your face, adding length. Avoid blunt bangs and straight bobs because they accentuate the harsh angles of your face.^{[37]
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Know the oblong face. You have an oblong face if your forehead, cheekbones, and jawline are almost the same width, your face is long, your forehead is long, and your chin is slightly pointed. Your face will be noticeably longer than it is wide, at least 60% longer, which is what sets this shape apart from the oval face. This type of face is often called rectangular shaped as well. ^{[38]
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- For oblong faces, wear hairstyles that add width to your face such as long, wide curls. The bigger your hair is around your cheekbones, the wider your face will look. You can also shorten your face with a thick bang or a side part.
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Understand the diamond-shaped face. You have a diamond-shaped face if your chin is narrow and pointed, your cheekbones are high and prominent, and your forehead is smaller than your cheekbones. These individual's faces are slightly longer than they are wide and can have a wide jawline that tapers into the pointed chin.^{[39]
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- For a diamond-shaped face, wear your hair in a chin-length bob to accentuate your chin, and side-swept bangs help hide your small forehead and show off your prominent cheekbones. You can also rock a pixie cut because it draws all attention to your cheekbones and jawline.^{[41]
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Expert Q&A

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Question

Why is oval the ideal face shape?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

Oval is sometimes considered ideal because it is the most classically proportional, but this can also make oval face shapes sometimes look plain. Oval faces can wear the widest variety of hair and makeup styles.

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Question

Which face shape is the best?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

No one face shape is necessarily better than another, but the oval face is considered the most classically proportioned.

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If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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Question

How do you measure your face shape?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

You can use a flexible non-retractable tape measure or you can trace and measure your reflection in a mirror. Just be aware that your reflection is smaller, so don't try to combine these methods.

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Some articles about face shape make claims about which face shape is “ideal” or “most desirable.” These kinds of judgments are totally subjective, however. There is no one face shape that is better than any other.

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Determining your face shape is not an exact science, even when you are taking measurements. Use your best judgment to decide which shape category is the best fit for your face.

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To look your best, keep your face shape in mind when deciding on how to style your hair and apply your makeup. Also, consider your face shape when picking out accessories such as hats and glasses.

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