Understanding Your Face Shape for Better Makeup
At The Art of Makeup Society, we believe knowledge is power — especially when it comes to your face shape. Whether you’re contouring like a queen or picking the perfect pair of sunnies, knowing your face shape can be a total game changer. And babe, it’s not just about looking good, it’s about understanding your natural beauty and how to bring out the best in you.
In this blog, we’re diving into the six main face shapes and how each one has its own unique charm. So grab a mirror, pull your hair back, and let’s find out: what’s your face shape?
Oval Face Shape – The Balanced Beauty
If your face is slightly longer than it is wide, with a forehead that’s just a bit wider than your chin and softly rounded edges, you might be rocking an oval face shape. Oval faces are considered the most “balanced” of all, making them super versatile when it comes to makeup and hairstyles.
Celebs like Zendaya and Bella Hadid flaunt this shape effortlessly. And the best part? Most makeup styles suit you. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t learn how to enhance what you’ve got.
Tips & Tricks for Oval Faces: Stick to soft, blended contouring to keep your natural balance intact. Highlight your cheekbones and the centre of your forehead and chin to emphasise your natural symmetry. When it comes to brows, go for a gentle arch to frame your face without overpowering it. And for hairstyles? Almost anything goes, but a centre part can really show off that beautiful balance.
Round Face Shape – The Youthful Glow-Up
Round faces are all about softness. If your face has nearly equal width and length with full cheeks and a rounded jawline, you’re likely rocking a round shape. Think Selena Gomez or Emma Stone. This face shape often gives off a youthful, glowing vibe, which is such a win.
That said, round faces can sometimes crave a bit of definition — and that’s where the magic of makeup comes in.
Tips & Tricks for Round Faces: Contouring is your BFF here. Focus on the sides of your forehead, under your cheekbones, and along your jawline to add more dimension. Highlight down the nose and the centre of the face to draw the eye inward. Brow-wise, opt for a higher arch to add a touch of elongation. Hairstyles with volume on top and a little length can also help stretch the face visually.
Square Face Shape – The Bold Beauty
Got a strong jawline and a forehead that’s about the same width as your jaw? You might have a square face shape. This structure gives off serious boss energy, and celebs like Olivia Wilde and Margot Robbie are living proof that square faces are stunning.
What makes square faces stand out is their striking presence and definition. Your goal with makeup is to soften where you want and enhance where it counts.
Tips & Tricks for Square Faces: Go for contouring that slightly softens the corners of your face — think temples and jawline. Round out the cheekbones with blush to add curve. Keep brows more curved than angular to balance the boldness of the jaw. Long, layered hairstyles or side parts can break up the strong lines and add movement.
Heart Face Shape – The Sweetheart Statement
A wider forehead that tapers down to a narrower, sometimes pointy chin? Sounds like a classic heart shape. This face shape oozes character and cuteness, and stars like Reese Witherspoon and Lily Collins wear it so well.
With heart-shaped faces, it’s all about balancing that upper half and softening the chin area.
Tips & Tricks for Heart Faces: Add bronzer or contour just above the temples to slim the forehead, and keep highlighter on the cheeks and nose to bring attention to the centre. A bit of blush on the apples of the cheeks helps soften the lower half. Avoid super high arched brows — instead, aim for a gentle curve to match your sweet shape. Side-swept bangs or chin-length cuts can help even things out beautifully.
Diamond Face Shape – The Defined Dream
Diamond faces are less common and totally captivating. If you’ve got a narrow forehead and chin with wider cheekbones, you’re shining bright like a diamond — literally. Think Rihanna or Vanessa Hudgens.
This shape gives you natural contour, but your job is to soften and highlight in all the right places.
Tips & Tricks for Diamond Faces: Focus your contour under the cheekbones to avoid exaggerating the width. Highlight your forehead and jawline to broaden them slightly and bring harmony. When doing brows, a curved or soft arch helps widen the upper face. Hairstyles with volume at the crown and soft waves can help balance everything out.
Oblong (or Rectangular) Face Shape – The Sculpted Star
If your face is noticeably longer than it is wide, with a straight cheek line and often a longer chin, you might fall into the oblong category. Sarah Jessica Parker is a fab example. Oblong faces often have a naturally elegant, model-esque look.
The goal here is usually to add width and play with proportion.
Tips & Tricks for Oblong Faces: Blend your contour along the top of the forehead and bottom of the chin to visually shorten the length. Blush should be applied horizontally across the cheeks to create the illusion of width. Highlighting the tops of the cheeks and under the eyes will draw attention to the centre of the face. Bangs or shoulder-length styles with layers can help reduce the appearance of length too.
Ready to Master the Art of Faces?
At The Art of Makeup Society, we don’t just teach you how to paint a pretty picture — we teach you how to understand the canvas. Our makeup education is designed to give you real skills you can use, whether you’re looking to break into the beauty industry or just slay your own glam every day.
Our nationally recognised Certificate III in Makeup (SHB30221) covers everything from face shapes and contouring to creative and SPFX makeup. With our VIP training experience, small class sizes, and industry-level education, you’ll feel confident, supported, and totally inspired.
So babe, face it — it’s time to level up your makeup game.
Enrol now and let your artistry shine!