Face shapes play a significant role in achieving your desired makeup look.
To determine the best makeup for yourself, start by identifying your face shape.
Consider factors such as the width of your cheekbones, forehead, and jawline.
The six main face shapes are heart, round, square, oval, oblong (rectangle), and diamond.
Heart-Shaped Face: Accentuate Your Cheeks With Makeup
If you have a heart-shaped face, your cheekbone width is about the same as your forehead width, and both are wider than your jawline. Your face will also be slightly longer than it is wide. Common facial features of heart-shaped faces are high, prominent cheekbones and a widow’s peak. To accentuate your cheeks, smile and apply a matte blush on the apples of the cheek, blending towards your ear/hairline. This will help accentuate your cheeks. To emphasize your cheekbones more, use a bronzer beneath your cheekbone and under your chin to contour. Apply a sparkly highlighter on the high points of your cheekbones, where the light would naturally hit.
Rounded brows can help soften your face. Stick with soft lines and subtle liner. Add a pop of colour to the lips to draw some attention from your strong cheekbones towards the lips. Soft/sheer pinks or reds are recommended.
Round-Shaped Face: Use Makeup To Add Definition and Edginess
If you have a round-shaped face, your forehead and jawline are both rounded and about the same width. Your jawline has subtle angles. The width of your face will be similar to the length. To add some definition and edginess, apply a bronzer around the entire outer perimeter of your face and beneath your cheekbones. Highlighter on the high points of your cheeks will help to accentuate your cheekbones. Smile and apply a blush on the apples of your cheeks, blending towards your ear and hairline. High, arched brows shapes can help lengthen your face. You can go dramatic when it comes to the eyes. Smoky eyes are great for adding a focal point and definition to the face.
Square-Shaped Face: Soften the Edges
Square faces typically have an angular jaw and prominent chin. Your cheekbones will be about the same width as your forehead and jaw. Your hairline typically follows a straight line across your forehead. To soften the edges of your face, apply bronzer on your jawline and your temples, gently blending towards the center of your forehead. Use a fluffy brush to sweep a light layer of bronzer upwards over the hollows of your cheekbones. This can help soften the edges of your face. Apply highlighter on the high points of your cheeks and blend up to the temples. Rosy cream blushes can add the perfect flush to your cheeks.
Oval-Shaped Face: Balance Your Features
The width of your forehead is smaller than the width of your cheekbones. Those with oval-shaped faces will typically have a tall forehead, and the cheekbones are the widest part of the face. To balance your features, apply a bronzer working from the temples down to the center of your face, and lightly brush over your cheekbones. Use a light touch of blush, blending from the temples down to the apples of the cheeks, focusing on the cheekbones.
Oblong/Rectangle-Shaped Face: Emphasize Your Cheeks
Oblong faces are longer than they are wide. The forehead, cheeks, and jaw are all about the same width. The chin will have a slight curve, and the jawline is strong and squared. To emphasize your cheeks, place a bronzer in the hollows of your cheekbones and add blush to the apple of the cheeks. Blend back and out to add width. Apply highlighter to the tops of the cheekbones, blending back towards the temples and under the brow bone.
Diamond-Shaped Face: Contour for Balance
Your cheeks are wider than your forehead and chin. The difference between these widths can be subtle or dramatic. Those with diamond-shaped faces typically have a more pointed chin. To contour for balance, individuals with diamond-shaped faces may want to contour with two shades of foundation for more balance. Use the darker shade (no more than two shades darker than your skin color) on the tip of your chin to soften and give the illusion of a wider jaw. Also use the darker shade near the temples and blend upwards towards your hairline.
The Best Makeup Shades for Your Skin Tone
Experimenting with makeup can be an exciting way to shake up a beauty routine. It’s fun to try a new lipstick or play around with foundation. But sometimes what looks good on your best friend is not as flattering on you. Finding the best makeup for your skin tone is all about selecting colors that complement your skin. Enter Michele Harper, a beauty stylist at our Nordstrom Topanga store, with expert tips and product recommendations to help you find the right shades for you.
Types of skin tones fall into five categories: fair, light, medium, tan, and dark. When you think of skin tone, you’re probably thinking of your surface tone, or how you would describe your skin color to someone. Surface tone can change as a result of such things as tanning, rosacea, or scarring.
Fair Skin Tone: Cool Undertones Makeup Shades
Fair skin has a light, almost translucent quality with cool pink or rosy undertones. If you have fair skin, it’s important to use caution when you’re very pale, as many colors are too pigmented for your skin. Stick to light pinks and beiges that have blue undertones, as any hint of yellow or orange will make you look sallow.
Light Skin Tone: Neutral Makeup
Light skin has a slightly deeper base than fair skin. You might have cool, neutral, or warm undertones. Neutral makeup is often the way to go. You’re quite lucky, though, because you can experiment with colors that are blue-based and yellow-based. Peach and pink lipsticks are a lovely contrast against your skin.
Medium Skin Tone: Experiment Makeup With Colours
When it comes to medium-tone skin, neutral makeup is often the way to go. You’re quite lucky, though, because you can experiment with colors that are blue-based and yellow-based. Neutral foundations and bronzers with a hint of pinky-peach can even out imperfections while adding a bit of a glow.
Tan Skin Tone: Embrace Your Golden Glow
Those with tan skin should embrace their golden glow. Warm makeup with yellow undertones showcases your radiance. Bronzer is a great option for brightening skin and adding dimension. When it comes to lipsticks, peachy shades provide those with tan skin a fresh-faced, just-came-from-the-beach look.
Dark Skin Tone: Experiment with Dramatic Colors
In recent years, those with dark skin tones have found a wider selection of makeup on the market. There are a multitude of shades within the dark skin tone spectrum, and it’s great to experiment. Dark skin can fall into any of the undertone categories, so before you choose a foundation, try one of the skin tone tests above. Bronzer is a great option for brightening skin and adding dimension. When it comes to eye makeup, go as bold and bright as you desire.
Remember, no matter your face shape or skin tone, the most important thing is to have fun with your makeup look and find what makes you feel confident and gorgeous!
Related to Makeup:
