How to Find Your Face Shape

Knowing how to find your face shape is an important step in looking your best. You'll know how to choose the most flattering haircuts, groom your eyebrows, choose eyeglasses, and more. You'll know which areas and angles on your face have the potential to be trouble zones, helping you to disguise your flaws. Creative makeup use will allow you to further diminish your flaws in troublesome areas, so you can highlight and showcase your best features instead. Learn how to find your face shape, and look better from this day forward.

How to Find Your Face Shape - Measure

Determine which parts of your face are the narrowest, or most wide. Using a tape measure, measure your face both vertically and horizontally according to the diagrams at TotalHair. Take a look at their definitions, as well as these other helpful resources to see which shape your face is:

The Chic Fashionista: Determine Your Face Shape

Hairstyles and Face Shapes

How to Find Your Face Shape - Upload a Photo

Consider uploading a photo to help you determine your face shape. Similar to "virtual makeover' software, choose a photo where you're looking directly forward at the camera. It may be beneficial to use a photo where you're not smiling, to help you see the natural shape of your cheeks and other facial planes. Try this tool from eyeglasses retailer LensCrafters to see if your face falls into one of the 4 most common shapes.

How to Find Your Face Shape - Find a Celebrity Look-Alike

Once you think you've found your face shape, search online for photos of celebrities who share that shape. Face shape articles come up frequently in magazines and online celebrity features. Type something like: celebrity "round face" (insert your face shape in the quotation marks; make sure you use the quotation marks to refine your search) into your preferred search engine will return photos of celebrities who reportedly have that face shape.

Seek out similarities between your face shape and theirs. Do they have your narrow forehead, or your square jaw? When you find celebrities that share your facial characteristics, refer to them as style guides. Look for photos of those celebrities wearing glasses or accessories; note the length and shape of their hairstyles. Celebrities have access to the world's best stylists and fashion consultants, who make their living by helping stars look their best. Once you know your face shape, you can apply the same tricks to your own looks for free.

To test whether you've mastered the art of determining face shapes, try out this quiz.

How to Find Your Face Shape - Ask a Beauty Pro

Your hairstylist can help show you how to find your face shape if you're still having trouble. Ask them what shape they think your face is. Don't be afraid to ask for styling tips to enhance your facial features. For a look at the difference a good hairstyle can make on your face's shape, check out these before and afters.

If you don't see a hairstylist regularly, other beauty professionals such as makeup artists and estheticians may also be able to offer you help. If you have your eyebrows groomed or regularly receive other beauty treatments, ask the person who performs your treatments. Facial shape can often be in the eye of the beholder, so it's better to solicit the opinion of someone you trust, and who is familiar with your face (and seeing it from several angles).