How To Determine Facial Shape

The choice of a good hairstyle largely depends upon the shape of your face. Rest of the criteria, including the texture, color and type of the hair, are just secondary. It is hard to be objective about your own facial shape, because many of the facial shapes tend to look similar to each other. Nonetheless, there are many differences, which can be clearly figured out by taking the measurement of your face and then matching them with the characteristics of each face shape. Read the article and find out how to determine your facial shape, so that you land with the perfect hairstyle, which accentuates your looks.

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Determining Your Face Shape

First of all, you need to stand in front of your mirror. Do make sure that you have put on all the lights, so that there is no mistake in reading measurements.
Comb your hair backwards and tie a ponytail. Now, get a piece of paper, pen and an inch-tape.
Measure your face from the top of your cheekbones, across. Note down the measurement on paper.
The second step would be to measure your forehead across, at its widest point. The widest portion of your forehead would be positioned exactly halfway between your eyebrows and your hairline. Take down the measurement on paper.
Now, measure your face vertically, from the tip of your hairline to the bottom of your chin.
Write down all the measurements and find out the category in which your facial shape falls.

Facial Shape Categories

After you noted down the measurements of your face, compare themwith the characteristics of different facial shapes, as given below:

Round: If the shape of your face is round, then your face will be as wide as it is long. Your face won't have sharp angles. Further, this facial shape is characterized by soft 'corners' along the jaw-line and forehead.
Oval: If your cheekbones are slightly wider than your forehead or jaw-line, then you have an oval face. The oval face is characterized by wide cheek-line. In this case, the length of your face would be one and a half times more than its width.
Square: Your face would be as long as its width, in case the shape of your face is square. This facial shape is characterized by a wide forehead and a strong, wide jaw-line.
Triangle: A triangle face would have wide forehead that narrows down gradually, to form a pointed chin. This facial shape is also characterized by a prominent jaw-line.
Diamond: In case your facial shape is diamond, your cheekbones would be the widest and the most prominent feature. With a narrow forehead, the jaw-line would be wide.
Heart: A heart-shaped face is narrow at jaw line, wide at forehead. It is further characterized by wide cheekbones.
Oblong/Rectangle: An oblong or rectangle face is longer than its width, just like a rectangle and has sharp edges.

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