Unique Face shapes

 By Sarah-Jade Thorne

Knowing what face shape you have will help you choose the most flattering makeup look, a hairstyle that will look best on you and even what sunglasses will suit you.  Although you may not fit perfectly into one of these six face shapes (you may even have a combination of face shapes), there is likely to be one that you will tend more towards, so just look at what is more prominent on your face. Contact me via makeup@esjaytee.com if you need help deciding which face shape you have.

1. Heart

• Definition

A heart shaped face is almost like an upside down triangle. It is wider at the top (forehead and cheekbones) and tapers down to a delicate chin.

• Contouring and Highlighting Tips

When you look at your face in the mirror, you will notice wideness at your temples and cheeks. In order to make your face appear more oval, you will need to soften these wider areas. To enhance this shape of face, it is important to broaden the chin by highlighting it and bringing attention to the middle of the face and away from the forehead and chin. You can also highlight the forehead and down the center of the nose. Contour the cheeks and temples to make it look narrower.

• Famous Hearts

Scarlett Johansson, Reese Witherspoon, Halle Berry, Lisa Kudrow, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Beyoncé Knowles

• Accessories for Hearts

Earrings –   Wear loops and straight dangly earrings. Avoid any shapes that draw attention to your chin by pointing to it.
Sunglasses –  Wear thin rimmed sunglasses with soft rounded lenses that will not add more width to your face.

 

2. Long

• Definition

Long faces are very slim and elongated and their foreheads are quite high.

•  Contouring and Highlighting Tips

When you look at your face in the mirror you will notice that you have a high forehead and a chiseled jaw line. When enhancing a long shaped face never highlight as this will make your face look longer, instead, just apply a contouring shade on your chin and on the top of your forehead will make your face look shorter. Another way to make your face look shorter is to make it look wider and you can do this by applying some blusher on your cheeks. The proper way of putting blusher on a long shape face is to start at the cheeks’ center and sweep it outwards across the face.

• Famous Long Faces

Sarah Jessica Parker, Liv Tyler, Kirstie Alley, Uma Thurman and Nicole Kidman

• Accessories for Long Faces

Earrings –  Wear short dangly earrings, chunky loops and studs. Avoid long thin dangly earrings.
Sunglasses –  Wear sunglasses with horizontal lines and detailing on the edges as this will help add width to your face.

3. Oval

• Definition

An oval shaped face has broader cheeks, narrowing slightly at the forehead and chin so the whole face is pretty much symmetrical.

• Contouring and Highlighting Tips

There is no need to highlight or contour an oval shaped face. You have the freedom to try on different makeup styles and have fun. A stunning look you can try is to highlight down the center of your nose and apply some bronzer on your temples, under your cheek bones (in the hollow of your cheeks) and on your chin.

• Famous Ovals

Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Alba, Cate Blanchett, Angelina Jolie, Julia Roberts and Cynthia Nixon

• Accessories for Ovals

Earrings –  Most earring styles suit ovals especially long dangly ones.
Sunglasses –  Wear sunglasses with frames that are wider than or as wide as the widest part of your face.

4. Round

• Definition

A round face shape has a rounded chin and full cheeks. It is shorter, slightly wider and fuller and makes you look younger than other shapes.

• Contouring and Highlighting Tips

When enhancing a round face shape, focus the attention on the center of your face, so highlight your forehead, down the center of your nose and on the middle of your chin. Also contour your jaw line, cheeks and temples and the side of your forehead with a foundation or powder that is a shade or two darker than your skin tone. This will make your face look slimmer.

• Famous Round Faces

Christina Ricci, Kate Moss, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Cameron Diaz and Drew Barrymore

• Accessories for Round Faces

Earrings –  Wear long dangly and angle shaped earrings. Avoid round loop earrings and chunky studs.
Sunglasses –  Wear sunglasses with angled frames as they will detract attention from the fullness of your face.

5. Square

• Definition

Square shaped faces have a parallel width at the jaw, cheeks and forehead.

• Contouring and Highlighting Tips

The best way to enhance a square shaped face is to highlight the center of your forehead, just above your cheekbones (directly underneath your eyes), down the center of your nose and on the center of your chin. This will bring the focus onto the center of your face. Then contour both corners of your jaw. Do the same at your hairline at the corners of your temples. To divert the attention from your face’s corners, highlight the apples of your cheeks with a blusher that has a glowing finish to it. This will make your square face look more oval.

• Famous Squares

Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kristin Davis, Jessica Simpson and Sandra Bullock

• Accessories for Squares

Earrings –   Wear small rounded style loops as these will help soften your strong angled face. Avoid big chunky styles.
Sunglasses –  Wear sunglasses with curved, rounded frames as this will detract attention to your angular jaw and hairline.

6. Triangle/Pear

• Definition

A triangle or pear shaped face is tapered at the forehead and temples and is wider at the cheeks and chin.

• Contouring and Highlighting Tips

If you have a pear shaped face, contour your jaw line and the hollow of your cheeks (on the side) to make it look narrower. Then highlight your forehead to make it look wider, down the center of your nose, on the tip of your chin and underneath your eyes (just on top of your cheekbones).

• Famous Triangles

Minnie Driver, Jodie Foster, Lucy Lui and Jennifer Aniston

• Accessories for Triangles

Earrings –   Wear short delicate drop earrings and studs. Avoid angular styles as this will accentuate your angled jaw line.
Sunglasses –  Wear sunglasses with colourful frames with detail on top, this will add width to the upper part of your face and therefore balance out your face.