What Is My Face Shape?

Your face shape informs a lot about your look. By knowing your face shape, you’ll have an easier time shopping for eyewear or choosing a new hairstyle. 

Your face shape can tell you about the best glasses and hairstyles for you, as well as the best eye makeup and lash looks. Does your face shape affect the way your lashes look? You bet! Think of your face as one cohesive masterpiece — the canvas makes all the difference. 

But what if you’re not sure what your face shape is? Perhaps your mother always told you it was one thing, but your hairdresser has suggested it’s something different. 

Did you know that your face can change shape as you age? And most people’s faces don’t fall neatly into just one category? Your face shape may have changed with time, or perhaps you were always a little mix of two shapes. Isn’t it wonderful how unique everyone’s face is?

If you want to find out your face shape, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s talk about what features define each common face shape and how to examine your face to find an answer. Remember, your face might fit into more than one shape category, and that’s perfectly natural! You just get to take advantage of the style advice for both shapes. 

What Are Different Face Shapes?

All face shapes are defined by different ratios of the same measurements. One can functionally break a face down by three measurements: width, length, and curve. 

The width refers to the width of the forehead, cheekbones, and jawline. The length refers to the length of your face from chin to hairline. And the curve refers to the shape of the jawline. 

Round Face

A round face shape is defined by equal measurements of face length (from hairline to chin) and width (across the cheekbones). Typical features of a round face are a rounded hairline and jawline; these curves will look nearly the same. 

Square Face

Similar to a round face, a square face shape will have equal length and width at the cheekbones. Additionally, this measurement will be equal to the width across the forehead and jawline. Square-shaped faces will have more pronounced jawlines and foreheads. The jawline is more angular. 

Rectangle Face

By definition, rectangular faces are longer than they are wide. The longest measurement on the face is the length from the hairline to the chin. The width of the forehead, cheekbones, and jaw are about equal. The hairlines on rectangular faces are often straight lines. 

Rectangular face shapes are interesting because it’s a face shape one typically grows into. While young people with prominent buccal fat around their cheeks can also have a rectangular face, rectangular face shapes are most common in older people 

But why? As we age, all across our bodies, the skin, muscle, and fat shift in response to changes in hormones and loss of collagen and elastin. In the face, this can mean that everything shifts downward with gravity. 

The fat in your face that once provided volume in your cheeks slowly shifts to the jawline. Unfortunately, this can mean the formation of jowls and loose skin that build into a rectangular shape. 

Oval Face

Oval-shaped faces combine features of round and rectangular. The longest measurement will be the length from the hairline to the chin, but the jawline and hairline will be rounded. Typically, the width of the forehead is actually shorter than the width of the cheekbones for an oval face shape. 

Oblong Face

An oblong face shape is similar to an oval face, but it’s longer and narrower. This face shape is more angular at all points but still utilizes the basic structure of the oval. Oblong is an elongated oval and the narrowest of the face shapes. 

Diamond-Shaped Face

The diamond face shape is similar to the oval face, but it’s more angular. Diamond faces are really defined by their cheekbones. Diamond-shaped faces typically have high cheekbones, and the width of your face at the cheekbones is the widest part of your face. This face shape typically includes a narrow chin and a more angular hairline. 

Heart-Shaped Face

At first glance, heart-shaped faces seem similar to round faces, but there are a few key differences. First, the iconic key to the heart shape is the widow’s peak in the hairline. 

A widow’s peak is when the hair comes to a point near the middle of the forehead. This peak is critical to forming the heart shape. 

Measurements indicative of a heart shape include the width of the cheekbones as the widest point on the face and a forehead wider than the jaw. A heart-shaped face also includes a narrow chin with a defined point. 

Triangle Face

By definition, triangular faces have high cheekbones and narrow, angular jawlines. Measurements of a triangle-shaped face will show that the forehead is the widest part of your face, followed by the high cheekbones, followed by the jawline. The chin of a triangle face shape will come to a defined point, though the amount of buccal fat will determine if this point is rounder or sharper. 

What Is My Face Shape?

When you want to assess your face shape…

Check Manually

Start by getting the right tools together. Stand in front of a mirror. A hand mirror won’t work very well since you’ll need both hands to do the measuring, so opt for a mirror hung on the wall or stationary on your vanity. 

You’ll need a flexible tape measure, like a fabric measuring tape or ruler. If you haven’t got one, you could use the ruler app on your iPhone, but it’s not as accurate as a physical ruler. 

Measure the following and jot down the measurements as precisely as possible: 

• Face Length: Place one end of the measuring tape at the center of your hairline and measure the distance to the lowest point of your chin. If you have a particularly prominent nose, you may want to hold the tape slightly away from your face, at the tip of your nose, and line the tape up with the top and bottom points using the mirror. 

• Forehead Width: Measure the width of your forehead across the center from hairline to hairline. The measure should be placed halfway between your hairline and eyebrows. Keep the tape straight, don’t lay it against the curve of your head. This is what makes the mirror so important.

• Cheekbone Width: Before you measure, use your (clean) hands to feel your cheeks for the highest point of your cheekbones. This will be easiest when looking in the mirror. Once you find the highest point, measure along the line between those points. Hold the tape measure in front of your face enough to be flat. Don’t press it to the skin. Measure from one edge of the face to the other. 

• Jawline Width: Measure from the hinge of your jaw (around your earlobe) to the center, the lowermost tip of your chin. In this instance, since the curve is important, DO hold the measuring tape against your skin. Multiply this measurement by two. 

After you’ve taken the quantitative measurements, look in the mirror to visually and qualitatively assess your facial features. The distribution of fat on your face, like buccal fat, will inform the shape of your face in addition to the measurements. 

Fat is not a bad word. It’s a natural and necessary part of your facial structure. It is definitely not something you need to change about yourself. 

Do you have a round jawline or a strong jawline? Are your cheekbones high near your eyes or low, parallel to your earlobes? Are your cheeks full or angular? 

Try to assess if your face is rounded or angular since, for some of the above-listed face shapes, the distribution, presence, or absence of fat can change the shape of your face. 

Check With AI

We can tell you the shape of your face AND your eye shape using just a couple of questions and the front camera of your phone. All you need is a smartphone with a front-facing camera and some decent lighting. 

If you’re accessing this through your laptop or desktop computer, you’ll be prompted to scan a QR code to open the scanner on your phone. 

Lashify Labs developed this face-shape finding AI to help people have an easier time choosing the best lash looks and hairstyles to flatter their face shapes and eye shapes. Our team worked hard to create this tool of the future that can recommend the correct lash size and style to flatter your face. 

Gossamer Lashes are an investment, so we want to help you pick the right lashes for you right off the bat. Gossamers come in a wide variety of styles, and those styles all come in different lengths. Some faces may benefit from extra length, and some faces may benefit from a shorter, different lash. The same lash can look wildly different on different face shapes, so our AI can help give you an idea of what lash looks will look best on you. 

Our AI is practical, so much faster than measuring your face manually, and fun too! Check it out for yourself! 

Sources:

How to Find Your Face Shape | Real Simple

What is my face shape? How to determine your face shape once and for all | Today

30 Chic Hairstyles for Oblong Face Shapes, According to Stylists | Byrdie

What Is Buccal Fat? And Why Is Everyone Obsessed With Removing It? | The New York Times