How to Apply Professional Makeup According to Face Shapes

Use professional makeup tips to shape your face.

When it comes to makeup, knowing how to apply it so it works with the shape of your face is the difference between a good look and a great look. Most facial shapes fall into one of four categories: oval, triangular, rectangular or round. Professional makeup artists have tricks and tips to elongate, shorten, hide or define your facial features. By using these techniques, you can apply your makeup in a way that best suits the shape of your face.

Triangle

The triangular face shape has a broad forehead with wide cheekbones and a slightly pointy chin. Achieve a more balanced appearance by accentuating your cheekbones and chin while creating shadows on your forehead. Begin with a foundation and spread it evenly across your face. Brush a small amount of powdered highlighter just above your cheekbones to highlight your eyes, then across your chin to make it appear wider. Brush a light dusting of bronzing powder near your temples to give the illusion of a slimmer forehead, and then apply blush on your cheekbones. Highlight your eyes with light-colored shadows, drawing attention to the middle of your face.

Oval

Oval face shapes typically have flat sides, with foreheads and chins that balance each other. Because of this balance, oval shapes require less contouring than other face shapes. After applying foundation and a translucent powder, apply blush to the apples of your cheeks. Keep eye makeup and lip color similar to maintain the balanced look of your face. For example, choose a darker shade of lip color with heavily made-up eyes, and choose a light gloss with just a touch of color if your eye makeup is minimal.

Rectangle

Rectangular faces typically have strong, square jaws and foreheads. Professionally-applied makeup softens and rounds the face. After applying foundation to your face from the center outward, brush a highlighting powder under your eyes and across the bottom of your chin to reflect light. Brush bronzing powder on your temples and the sides of your jaw, creating shadows to contour your face. Apply blush on your cheekbones, starting just behind the apples of your cheeks and brushing toward your ears. Accentuate either your eyes or your lips with a darker shade. For example, wear a deep shade of lipstick with minimal eye makeup, or pair heavily made-up eyes with a sheer lip gloss.

Round

Because round faces typically lack dominant features, artful shadowing with makeup creates definition in the face. Add contours to a round face by brushing a highlighting powder under your eyes, down the center of your nose and around your mouth after applying foundation. Apply blush below your cheekbones, starting near your ears brushing down toward the corners of your mouth. Brush a bronzing powder on your temples and along the sides of your jaw, creating shadows to elongate your face. Play up your eyes and your lips equally, choosing a light shade of lip color if your eye makeup is minimal, and deeper shades with heavier eye makeup.

References

• Aloette: Blush Application Tips for Different Face Shapes
• Moving Makeup: Online Makeup Lessons
• So Feminine: Makeup for Your Face Shape