Makeup for Different Face Shapes: Complete Styling Guide

Makeup isn’t one-size-fits-all. Just like a tailored outfit fits better than a generic one, makeup for different face shapes can take your beauty game to the next level. Your face shape is the blueprint to creating a balanced, flattering look. Knowing your shape helps you enhance the best parts of your face, and with the right techniques, you can bring out your natural beauty in a way that feels unique to you.

What Is the Best Makeup Technique for Your Face Shape?

The best makeup for different face shapes is all about understanding proportions. Your face is like a canvas, and your makeup tools, contour, highlight, and blush are your brushes. Depending on whether your face is oval, round, square, heart-shaped, oblong, or diamond, you can use makeup to enhance your natural structure and balance out any features that need a little extra definition or softening.

• Contouring: Adds shadows and helps sculpt features. You can slim down certain areas or make them appear more defined.
  
• Highlighting: Draws attention to the high points of your face, creating a sense of dimension.
  
• Blush: Adds color and warmth to your face while helping shape your cheeks.

By identifying your face shape, you can apply these techniques in a way that complements your natural features and brings balance. Whether you're new to makeup or a seasoned pro, contouring guides tailored to your face shape will make your routine that much easier and more effective.

How to Identify Your Face Shape for Makeup Application

To get started, you need to figure out your face shape. Here's a simple way to do it at home:

1. Pull your hair back to get a clear view of your face.
   
2. Stand in front of a mirror with good lighting.
   
3. Use a lip liner or washable marker to trace the outline of your face directly on the mirror.
   
4. Step back and take a look at the shape you've drawn.

Now compare your face outline to these features to determine your face shape:

• Oval: Balanced proportions with a slightly wider forehead than the chin and a gently rounded jawline.
  
• Round: Equal width and length with soft curves and fuller cheeks.
  
• Square: Strong, angular jawline with a forehead and jaw similar in width.
  
• Heart: A wider forehead with a narrow chin and high cheekbones.
  
• Oblong: Longer than wide, with a high forehead and elongated chin.
  
• Diamond: Narrow forehead and chin, with the widest part at the cheekbones.

Alternatively, measure the widest part of your forehead, cheekbones, jawline, and the length of your face to determine which dimension dominates.

Contouring and Highlighting Techniques for All Face Shapes

Before we dive into specific shapes, let’s cover the universal contouring and highlighting techniques that work for every face.

• Contouring: Use a contour product that is 1-2 shades darker than your natural skin tone. Apply it to areas where you want to create shadows or define features (cheeks, jawline, forehead).
  
• Highlighting: A highlighter that is 1-2 shades lighter than your skin tone works best. Apply it to the high points of your face, like the cheekbones, brow bone, and cupid’s bow.
  
• Blending: Don’t skip blending! Use a beauty sponge or a fluffy brush to blend products in circular motions, making sure there are no harsh lines.

These techniques are universal, but makeup for different face shapes allows you to tweak them based on your unique proportions.

How to Do Makeup for an Oval Face Shape

An oval face shape is the most balanced, so you’re in luck! Your features are naturally symmetrical, so the goal here is just to enhance what you already have.

• Contour: Lightly contour under your cheekbones, sweeping from mid-ear toward your mouth. This keeps the symmetry intact while adding subtle dimension.
  
• Highlight: Focus on the high points of your face, like the cheekbones, brow bone, bridge of the nose, and cupid’s bow.
  
• Blush: Apply blush in a C-shape from the apples of your cheeks toward your temples. This keeps the natural flow of your face.
  
• Brows & Lips: A soft arch for your brows will complement your balanced face, and you can experiment with any lip shape and color.

How to Do Makeup for a Round Face Shape

A round face shape has softer curves, and your goal is to elongate and define your features to add structure.

• Contour: Apply contour to the sides of your forehead, under the cheekbones, and along the jawline to create angles.
  
• Highlight: Highlight the center of your forehead, the bridge of your nose, and your chin to elongate your face.
  
• Blush: Sweep blush upward from the apples of your cheeks toward your temples to create lift and definition.
  
• Brows & Lips: Keep your brows arched slightly to lift your face, and go for nude or berry lip shades that won’t add width.

How to Do Makeup for a Square Face Shape

A square face shape has strong, angular jawlines, and the key here is to soften those sharp angles.

• Contour: Contour along the outer edges of your forehead and jawline to round out those angles.
  
• Highlight: Apply highlight to the center of your forehead, under your eyes, and the tip of your chin.
  
• Blush: Place blush on the apples of your cheeks and blend in circular motions to soften the look.
  
• Brows & Lips: Rounded, soft brows complement your jawline. Opt for full, rounded lips to balance your angular features.

How to Do Makeup for a Heart Face Shape

A heart-shaped face typically has a broader forehead and a narrower chin. The goal is to balance these proportions.

• Contour: Apply contour along the sides of your forehead and lightly under your cheekbones to reduce the width at the top of your face.
  
• Highlight: Highlight your cheekbones, the center of your forehead, and your cupid’s bow to balance proportions.
  
• Blush: Apply blush to the apples of your cheeks and blend it upward toward your temples.
  
• Brows & Lips: Fuller lips, achieved with lip liner slightly outside your natural lip line, can balance a narrow chin. Keep forehead highlighting subtle to avoid accentuating the width.

How to Do Makeup for an Oblong Face Shape

An oblong face shape is longer than it is wide, and the aim is to visually shorten the face.

• Contour: Apply contour along the hairline and underneath your chin to shorten the length of your face.
  
• Highlight: Focus on highlighting the center of your face, including your cheekbones and under your eyes, to create width.
  
• Blush: Apply blush on the apples of your cheeks to add fullness and roundness to your face.
  
• Brows & Lips: Fuller, straighter brows work best, and a horizontal eye makeup look with winged liner will add width.

How to Do Makeup for a Diamond Face Shape

A diamond face shape has narrow foreheads and chins, with wider cheekbones. The key is to balance the width at the cheekbones.

• Contour: Contour the outer edges of your cheekbones to reduce emphasis on width.
  
• Highlight: Apply highlight to the center of your forehead, under your eyes, and the chin to balance the shape.
  
• Blush: Apply blush to the apples of your cheeks, but keep it closer to the center for balance.
  
• Brows & Lips: Soft, rounded brows and defined lips will help bring harmony to your face.

Eye Makeup Tips for Different Face Shapes

Different eye makeup techniques can subtly alter the perception of your face:

• Round Faces: Winged eyeliner can elongate your eyes and balance out the soft curves.
  
• Square Faces: Rounded, smudged eyeliner helps soften the harsh angles.
  
• Oblong Faces: Apply eyeshadow horizontally across your lid to add width and shorten the face.

Mascara should focus on the outer lashes to create lift and openness.

Lip Makeup Tips to Balance Your Face Shape

Lips can visually shift the balance of your face:

• Heart Faces: Bold, full lips can balance a narrow chin.
  
• Square Faces: Rounded, glossy lips work best to soften angular features.
  
• Round Faces: Any lip shape works, but avoid overly glossy formulas that add dimension.

Brow Shapes That Flatter Each Face Shape

Your brows can enhance your face shape:

• Oval Faces: Soft arches complement the balanced face.
  
• Round Faces: Slightly higher arches add vertical lift.
  
• Square Faces: Rounded brows soften strong angles.
  
• Heart Faces: Soft, rounded arches help balance the wider forehead.
  
• Oblong Faces: Full, straighter brows shorten the face.
  
• Diamond Faces: Curved arches balance prominent cheekbones.

Final Makeup Tips for Every Face Shape

The key to great makeup is knowing your unique face shape and enhancing what you already have. Experiment with techniques that work for you and adjust based on your preferences. The goal isn’t to change your face, it’s to highlight your features in the most flattering way.

At Typsy Beauty, we believe makeup should amplify, not hide. The key to great makeup is not about following trends but about embracing your own features. In this complete styling guide, we’ll walk you through identifying your face shape and applying techniques tailored for your unique structure.

FAQs 

How do I determine my face shape for makeup?

To determine your face shape, pull your hair back and trace the outline of your face on a mirror using a lip pencil or washable marker. Measure the width of your forehead, cheekbones, and jawline to identify your face shape. For example, a round face will have equal width and length with fuller cheeks.

Which face shape is best for contouring?

Round and square faces benefit most from contouring, as it helps create definition and angles. Contouring on a round face can elongate it, while on a square face, it softens sharp angles, making the face look more balanced.

How should I place blush on a round face?

For a round face, apply blush upwards from the apples of your cheeks toward your temples. This lifts and elongates the face, avoiding horizontal placement, which can emphasize roundness.

Can makeup change my face shape?

Makeup can create optical illusions that enhance or balance features, but it doesn’t physically alter bone structure. For example, contouring a round face can make it appear longer without changing the actual shape.

Which eyebrow shape works best for a square face?

Soft, rounded brows work best for square faces as they help soften the sharp angles of the jawline and forehead. A round arch balances out the strong features, creating a more harmonious look.