Makeup Techniques for Different Face Shapes

In reality, each person has her own individual needs in the way of makeup. Not only do we differ in skin tones making proper color choices a concern, but faces vary in shape as well, from oval, to square, to round. This article provides tips on applying makeup to enhance each shape. Keep in mind that light and bright colors tend to make things more pronounced, while darker and subdued colors minimize.

Techniques for applying make-up vary for different shapes of faces, such as oval, round, or square. The oval is considered the most desirable shape, and make-up should be applied in such a way as to make one's face appear more oval. Listed below are face shapes and hints for applying make-up to help achieve this.

The ideal oval face is approximately three-fourths as wide as it's length.

For the oval face, apply blush to the center of the cheeks then blend it up over the cheekbone toward the temple. Apply eye shadow to the eyelid from inner to outer corner. Follow the natural line of the eyebrows while applying eyebrow pencil, and the natural contour of the lips with lipstick.

The round face is usually wider in proportion to it's length than the oval face, and has a rounded chin and hairline.

The roundness of the jaw may be shaded out with a slightly darker foundation makeup than what is applied to the rest of the face. The brow should be arched in an angular fashion, similar to an inverted V. This will add angularity to the face, and because the round face doesn't need added width, keep the brows fairly short. Angle the eye shadow toward the end of the brow for the same reason. Apply blush toward the center of the cheek, and with lipstick, shape your mouth widely and fully, using straight lines.

The square face has relatively straight lines with a straight forehead, hairline, and angular jaw.

Minimize the jaw line with slightly darker foundation makeup than is applied to the rest of the face. As to eyebrows, length adds width to the face and curved brows will minimize the straight lines. Eye shadow may be applied to give the eye an upward slant. Apply shadow close to the eye just above the lashes on the inner eye, then bringing it up toward the temples. Don't overdo it, though. The mouth should be full and round, the corners coming to a point just below the pupil of the eye.

The long face has relatively straight lines and has greater length in proportion to the width. It is long and narrow.

To minimize a the length of the long face, the eye area should be made as broad as possible. A curved eyebrow ending beyond the outer corner of the eye will help achieve this. Blush should be applied not to the center of the cheek, but farther away from the center of the face on the cheekbone and blended out and up to the temple. The emphasis of eye shadow should also be as far from the nose as possible, being applied more heavily at the outer corner of the lid. Lips should be nicely rounded with lipstick, coming to the natural corners.

The heart-shaped face has a wide forehead and a pointed, narrow chin.

The appearance of the width of the forehead may be reduced by applying a darker shade of foundation to the temple area from the hairline, to one half inch in on the front of the brow. If the forehead protrudes, the darker foundation may be applied to the entire forehead. Darker foundation may also be applied horizontally across the tip of the chin if the chin is long and well pointed. Eyebrows should be roundly arched instead of pointed. To make the angle of the brow pointed, would repeat the pointed chin, bringing emphasis to it. Eye shadow should emphasize the whole eye. Blush should be applied under the middle of the eye and blended out onto the cheekbone. The lower lip should be straight across the bottom between the two spots directly below the nostrils. Round the upper lip softly.

The triangular face has a jaw that is wider than the forehead.

Shade out the wide jaw with darker foundation than what is applied to the rest of the face. An eyebrow that is arched with it's highest point slightly outside the iris of the eye will add width to the narrow forehead, as will extending the outer ends of the brows slightly past the imaginary line drawn from the nostril to the corner of the eye. If blush is applied about one half inch from under the hairline it will add brow width where it is needed to offset the wide jaw. Eye makeup is great for triangular faces as it draws attention to the eyes and away from the lower face. Eye shadow should be applied toward the outer third of the eye. Rounding the lower lip will minimize the wide jaw and making the upper lip slightly full will also help.

The diamond shaped face has a narrow forehead and a narrow chin. It has the effect of making the cheekbones appear too wide.

A straight eyebrow will lend more width to the forehead. Blush should be applied very high beneath the eye and smoothed out nearly to the hairline at the temple. It may also be applied to the forehead, for the effect of added width. Eye shadow should cover the outer third of the eyelid. Lips should be delicately rounded.

A look in the mirror may help you determine the shape of your face, and if in doubt, ask a family member or a good friend. That done, you may enjoy trying your hand at applying makeup according to the brief tips in this article.