How to Determine the Shape of Your Face

Determining the shape of your face can literally help you put your best face forward. This shape should be the guiding factor for selecting a new haircut, choosing new eyeglasses or applying makeup. Using your face shape as a guideline will help you pinpoint flattering styles and might save you from the dreaded bad haircut we have all occasionally selected for ourselves.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Mirror with good lighting
• Hair clip or band
• Dark eyeliner or dry erase marker
• Ruler

1. Pull back any loose hair from your face with a hair band, ponytail holder or hair clip.

2. Position yourself in front of a mirror large enough to view your entire face from just under arm's length. The mirror should be well lit and easy to clean.

3. Draw small x's on the mirror around the edges of the reflection of your face using dark eyeliner or a dry erase marker. The more x's you draw, the easier it will be to determine the shape of your face. At a minimum marks should be made at the top of your forehead, temples (just above eyebrows), cheekbones, jawbone and chin. If the top of your forehead has a peak, place an x at the top of peak as well as the sides of the forehead. Likewise, if your chin is broad and flat at the bottom mark the bottom corners with an x. Stand very still while making the x's as any movement of your head might distort the final results.

4. Step back from the mirror and examine the basic shape of the x's you have drawn. Draw lines connecting the x's to help you visualize the shape, if needed.

5. Determine which shape most closely fits the image you see on the mirror. There are 5 basic face shapes you may fall into: square, round, heart, triangle or oval. For square faces your face is approximately as wide as it is long and you have a broad forehead and wide jaw line. Your face is oval if it is about twice as long as it is wide with softly curving angles. If you have a broad forehead but a narrow chin or jaw line that comes to a point, you most likely have a heart-shaped face, which is sometimes referred to as a base up triangle shape. Individuals with a strong jaw line and narrow forehead are triangles (also called a base down triangle shape). Round faces are those with a length about equal to its width and soft curves.

Tips & Warnings

• To reduce errors in determining the shape of your face it will help to sit comfortably in front of a large mirror, if available.
• If after the exercise you are still unsure of your shape it may help to measure the distance between the x's and return to Step 5. These measurements may help you determine if your face's length is equal to its width (round and square shapes) or longer than its width (oval shape).
• Test any marker or eyeliner and cleaner on an out-of-sight place on your mirror before beginning this task to make sure that the mirror will not be damaged.
• Do not move your head or torso while making the mirror markings.

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[inquire]

on 4/21/2009 great ideas.Thanks! 5*