There is one age-old beauty question that we still find a little confusing, and have some difficulty answering. That being: what is your face shape? Some days we wake up and swear that it's round, and then realize that’s probably just due to the fact that twelve hours earlier we were drinking like we'd never see another tequila soda again. You may be asking yourself, why the hell does it matter what my face shape is? We hear you, but it becomes very important when dealing with decisions like which hairstyle to try next, how to contour your face *properly*, and what sunglasses to buy. We turned to celebrity makeup artist, Fiona Stiles, and Gillian Okopny, NARS National Lead Stylist, Canada, for some tips so you can get a better idea on what face shape you have.
Some advice from Stiles before getting started: “Most young people have a pretty similar face shape (round-ish). It isn’t until you slowly march into adulthood that your true face shape begins to emerge. As you age it becomes more and more defined and more and more identifiable.
Here’s a trick you can use to accurately figure out what your face shape is: Pull your hair back off your face, take a red lipstick and trace the shape of your face onto the mirror, not including the ears. Have a look at what you see. Is it long or round? Is your jawline sharp or soft? Where is your face widest—at the top, bottom or in the middle? Draw the following shapes on the mirror next to your outline: square, oval, diamond, circle, heart. Which shape most resembles your outline? Use the shapes as a guide to determine which category you fall into."
Oval
How to know if this is your face shape…
“If the cheek bones are wider than the forehead, your face could be oval.”—Gillian Okopny
“You have soft features. A softer jaw line, less prominent cheekbones, and your face is longer that it is wide.”—Fiona Stiles
Square
How to know if this is your face shape…
“Your jawline will help you determine what face shape you have. A strong jawline that doesn't have much curve at the chin will be a square shape. [Also] take a look at the width of the forehead and cheekbones. If they are the same width, this will generally create more of a square shape or heart shape.”—Gillian Okopny
“You have a strong, wide jaw and prominent cheekbones and your face is as wide as it is long.”—Fiona Stiles
Heart
How to know if this is your face shape…
“If your jawline goes into a point it's probably a heart shape.”—Gillian Okopny
“You have a wider forehead and a tapered, delicate chin, creating a shape that is larger at the top and more pointed at the bottom.”—Fiona Stiles
Round
How to know if this is your face shape…
“You have softer, rounder features and generally your face is as wide as it is long.”—Fiona Stiles
Diamond
How to know if this is your face shape…
“You have prominent cheekbones, a smaller, delicate forehead and a delicate chin, creating a slight diamond shape.”—Fiona Stiles