What Is My Face Shape?

Have you ever noticed how the same haircut would look completely different on different people? Well, this has to do with their different face shapes.
It’s not just haircuts that are affected by face shapes, but also contouring makeup, facial hair, and glasses. So if you’ve ever found yourself wondering what is my face shape, then this is for you.

What Is My Face Shape?

You can find out your face shape by learning the measurements and ratio of some of your facial features. Go get your measuring tape and measure the width of your forehead, cheekbones, jawline, and the length of your face.
Using those measurements you can determine which shape your face most resembles. The most common is oval but there are also round, square, rectangular, heart, and diamond-shaped faces. Let’s see which one is yours.
While you can measure from your face directly, measuring from a photo of you facing forward with your hair tied back could be easier. There are even some apps now that you can upload your photo to and it tells you your face shape.

How To Measure?

We can use the general outline of the face or decide based on the facial features, but measuring will give the most accurate results, and here’s how you can do it:
These are the measurements you need to take:
  • Forehead width: Keep the measuring tape flat (don’t bend it against your forehead) and measure the distance between your opposing hairlines.
  • Cheekbone width: Keep the measuring tape flat and measure the distance between the highest point of one cheekbone and the other. That could be just below
  • Jawline width: Measure from right below your ear to the center of your chin. It’s not necessary to keep the measuring tape flat for this one.
  • Face length: Measure from the uppermost part of your hairline to the bottom of your chin.

Common Face Shapes

Take a look in the mirror and recognize your most prominent features as we learn about what makes each face shape special.

Round

Round-shaped faces are distinguishable through their curvy nature and symmetrical measurements. So the length of the face is similar to the cheekbone width and it’s also common for this face shape to have a rounded hairline and a rounded jawline without sharp edges.
Round shaped face celebrities for style inspiration: Selena Gomez, Jennifer Lawrence, Leonardo DiCaprio
What should you do? Try hairstyles and accessories that help frame your face. How about you go for one of these hairstyles?

Square

Square-shaped faces are also symmetrical in measurements however they’re more defined on the edges. So you’ve got the face length similar to the forehead, cheekbone, and jawline width.
The forehead and jawline are angular and pronounced with no subtle or curved features. It’s also common for the hairline to be straight.
Square shaped face celebrities for style inspiration: Demi Lovato, Cameron Diaz, Brad Pitt
What should you do? Try hairstyles that soften the sharp corners around your face. See if you want to try any of these.

Oval

Oval-shaped faces are the most common, they’re an elongated version of the round face shape. They have curved edges and a more subtle chin and jawline, like round-shaped faces but the face length is longer than the width. The cheekbone width is wider than the forehead.
Oval shaped face celebrities for style inspiration: Beyonce, Jessica Alba, George Clooney
What should you do? Avoid hairstyles that could make your face look even more elongated. These looks could totally work for you.

Diamond

Diamond-shaped faces are similar to oval-shaped faces except sharper. The face length is longer than the width and the cheekbone width is significantly wider than the forehead and the jawline.
However, you’ve got higher and more prominent cheekbones. The chin is pointy and the jawline is more angular and defined as well.
Diamond-shaped face celebrities for style inspiration: Anna Kendrick, Tyra Banks, Johnny Depp
What should you do? Avoid directing attention to your jawline.

Rectangle

Rectangular shaped faces are very defined and angular, like square-shaped faces. The point of difference is the face length to face width ratio. The face length is longer than the face width.
Just like square-shaped faces the forehead, cheekbone, and jawline width seem to be similar.
Rectangular shaped face celebrities for style inspiration: Olivia Wilde, Liv Tyler, Henry Cavill
What should you do? Add volume on the sides to lessen the elongated face effect.

Heart

You can easily tell a heart-shaped face from the forehead and the pointy chin. It's common to exhibit a widow’s peak at the hairline that gives the heart its outline.
The forehead is wider than the cheekbones and the cheekbones are wider than the jawline, thus the shape gets completed with the narrow chin.
Heart-shaped face celebrities for style inspiration: Kourtney Kardashian, Reese Witherspoon, Corbin Bleu
What should you do? Avoid anything that directs attention to your forehead.

Mixed shapes

While some faces you can obviously tell what shape they are, some faces don’t always show a clear shape or they show a combination of several shapes. Their face shapes could also be changing due to changes in their lives.
Mix shaped face celebrities for style inspiration: Jennifer Lopez

Changing Face Shapes

Your face’s shape is not set in stone. It’s not uncommon for face shapes to change.
Think of a drastic weight change. If a person gains a lot of weight, it’s likely to soften their facial features, giving them more curved rather than angular features. A square-shaped face could change to a round one, a rectangular-shaped face to an oval one.
How about when a person ages? Rectangular face shapes are more common in older people. As they grow older their cheek and jowl skin starts settling at a lower part of their face giving the face the rectangular outline.

Conclusion

Should you cut your bangs? Or maybe get a pixie cut? Should you buy those aviator or wayfarer sunglasses? Now that you know what your face shape is, you can finally make an informed decision.
Check out people with a similar face shape to manage your expectations and make up your mind.
Regardless, these are mere guidelines. So have your hair the way you want and wear whatever you like, because you can make anything work if you wear it with confidence.