How to Determine Your Face Shape

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By CindyM
eHow Community Member

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Choosing the perfect hairstyle starts before you look at any photos or a visit your hairdresser. In order to select the perfect cut for you, you’ll need to take a good, hard look in the mirror and determine your face shape. Knowing the shape of your face helps you choose hairstyles that compliment your good features and counter balances your not so flattering features.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Mirror in a well lit room (bathroom works great)
Measuring tape
Piece of paper
Pencil

Measuring Your Face

Step 1

Choose a bathroom with good lighting and stand in front of the mirror. You’ll need a tape measure, a piece of paper and a pen to write down your measurements.
Step 2

Start by measuring across the top of your cheekbones. Place the end of your tape measure just past the outer corner of your eye. This is your start point. Then, carefully lay the tape measure in a straight line across the bridge of your nose to just past the outer corner of your other eye. This is your end point of measurement. The tape measure should be resting on the top of the “apples” of your cheeks, or just on top of your cheekbones.

Read the number at the end point and write down this measurement.
Step 3

Measure your jaw line next. Start on one side of your jaw at the base near your ear. Run the measuring tape along your jaw line until you come to the middle of your chin.

Multiple the number at the end point by two and write down this measurement.
Step 4

Measure your forehead now. Place the start point of the measuring tape on one side of your forehead at the widest point halfway between your eyebrows and your hairline. Run the measuring tape along your forehead until you come to the same point on the opposite side of your head.

Read the number at the end point and write down this measurement.
Step 5

Finally, measure the length of your face. Start at the middle of your hairline. Run the measuring tape down your face, over your nose, to the tip of your chin.

Read the number at the end point and write down this measurement.

Hairstyles for Your Face Shape

Step 1

You have an oval face shape if: the length of your face equals one and a half times the width. This face is well balanced and proportionate. An oval face can wear practically any hairstyle so feel free to experiment! Celebrities with oval faces are Julia Roberts and Heather Locklear.
Step 2

You have a round face shape if: your face is as wide as it is long. Close counts, so even if the two measurements aren’t exactly the same, your face will be classified as round. Try hairstyles with height at the crown to balance out the width of your face. Off center parts, sweptback styles or lots of length will help counter a round face. Avoid very short, cropped hairstyles or hairstyles that have fullness at the sides, as these will make your face look larger. A celebrity with a round face is Kate Winslet.
Step 3

You have an oblong face shape if: your face is longer than it is wide. Try hairstyles that are short to medium in length. Layers will soften the angles in your face so ask your stylist to add layering, especially around your face. Avoid very long hairstyles that will make your face look even longer than it already is. Niki Taylor is a good example of this face shape.
Step 4

You have a heart-shaped face if: you have a narrow jaw with wide cheekbones and/or forehead. A chin length bob is perfect for this type of face shape as it makes the jaw area appear wider and more balanced with the rest of your face. Longer hairstyles also work well, but avoid styles with height at the crown or slicked back and super short hairstyles. Jennifer Love Hewitt is a great example of this type of face shape.
Step 5

You have a square face shape if: your face is as wide as it is long but with a more angular shape than a round face. A short- to medium-length hairstyle works well with this type of face shape, as do wavy or rounded outline styles. Wispy bangs also help even out a square face. Avoid long, straight hairstyles. A bob hairstyle that sits either above or below the jaw line will look great—just be sure your bob doesn’t sit right at the jaw line. This will make your face look wider. Sandra Bullock is a great example of a square-shaped face.
Step 6

You have a diamond face shape if: your face is widest at the cheekbones and you have a narrow forehead and jaw line of approximately equal widths. A true diamond-shaped face gives you lots of hairstyle options, so experiment! Just be sure to show off your beautiful cheekbones—don’t hide them with too much hair on your face. If you are a dramatic diamond shape and opt for a short hairstyle make sure your stylist leaves some weight in the nape of the neck to balance out your prominent cheekbones.

Comments

candygirl828 said

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on 6/23/2009 does anyone know what they width is???

maryn said

on 12/23/2008 The instruction "just past the outer corner of your eye" will be inaccurate. If the tape measure goes over the nose bridge, this may create a bigger measurement even though it doesn't affect face shape when you look at the person straight on. Shouldn't you measure to the hairline beyond the corner of the eye? I found this part to totally throw off everything else.

jenno32 said

on 12/18/2008 Same complaint. I have 3 measurements that didn't even become factors in the end. The factors were length and width yet we didn't even take the width and now I have forehead, cheekbone and jawline measurements that you didn't even use?

rhuler said

on 8/18/2008 I have to say the same thing that Parasitius said: What do you mean by wide? What do I do with the cheekbones, forehead and jaw line measurement?