Face-shape makeup uses three products: blush adds color and lift, contour (a neutral-to-cool, matte shade a little deeper than your skin) creates shadow where you want an area to recede, and highlighter brings areas forward. For blush, round faces sweep it up toward the temples, square faces blend it outward in soft strokes, heart faces blend it outward toward the ears, long faces blend it horizontally, and oval and diamond faces blend it from the apples up toward the cheekbones.
Pull your hair back and look straight into a mirror, or at a photo taken straight on. Compare four things: the width of your forehead, your cheekbones and your jaw, and the length of your face from hairline to chin.
Many faces sit between two shapes. Pick the description that fits best and treat the placements below as starting points, not rules.
Blend every edge until you cannot see where the product stops. Placement only works when it looks like shadow and light, not stripes.
Blush: on the apples of the cheeks, blended up toward the cheekbones. Contour: optional; a light pass just under the cheekbones. Highlight: the tops of the cheekbones. Oval faces need only light definition.
Blush: start just above the apples and sweep it diagonally up and back toward the temples, rather than in a circle on the center of the cheek. Contour: under the cheekbones, angled toward the corner of the mouth, and lightly along the sides of the jaw. Highlight: down the center of the face (forehead, bridge of the nose, chin) to add length.
Blush: on the apples, blended outward in soft, rounded strokes to soften angles. Contour: on the corners of the jaw and lightly at the temples. Highlight: the center of the forehead and the chin, which draws attention to the middle of the face.
Blush: on the apples, blended outward toward the ears rather than up to the temples. Contour: the temples and the sides of the forehead. Highlight: under the eyes and on the center of the chin, to bring the lower face forward.
Blush: across the apples and outward toward the ears in a horizontal sweep, which adds width. Avoid steep diagonal strokes. Contour: along the top of the forehead at the hairline and lightly under the chin, to balance the length. Highlight: across the tops of the cheekbones, horizontally.
Blush: on the apples, blended slightly up and out toward the highest point of the cheekbone. Contour: lightly on the outer edges of the cheekbones near the hairline, to soften the widest point. Highlight: the center of the forehead and the chin, to add width above and below the cheekbones.
The Lookslate quiz does not ask about face shape. Your result tips cover colors for your eye color, hair color and skin tone; for blush shade families by depth, see the skin tone guide. To get a feel for a look on your own face, preview it on a photo taken straight on with your hair pulled back. The preview is an AI-generated illustration, not an exact match, so use it to judge the overall style.
Round faces sweep blush from just above the apples up toward the temples; square faces blend it outward in soft strokes; heart faces blend it from the apples outward toward the ears; long faces blend it horizontally toward the ears; oval and diamond faces blend it from the apples up toward the cheekbones.
Pull your hair back and look straight into a mirror. Compare the width of your forehead, cheekbones and jaw and the length of your face. Many faces fall between two shapes, so choose the closest description.
No. Blush placement alone changes how a face reads. Contour is optional; if you use it, choose a neutral-to-cool, matte shade one or two shades deeper than your skin and blend it until no edge shows.
No. Bronzer is warm and adds a sun-kissed glow to the high points of the face. Contour is cooler and placed where you want shadow, such as under the cheekbones.
The bronze goddess look gives the face warmth as if from the sun: bronzer on the high points of the face, warm bronze eyeshadow with a deeper outer corner, golden highlight, peach blush and a glossy warm-nude lip.
How to do Bronze Goddess makeupSoft glam is a polished but gentle look: an even, luminous base, warm-brown and rose eyeshadow blended until no edge shows, fluttery lashes, diffused rosy blush and a satin pink-nude lip.
How to do Soft Glam makeupThe business look is polished daytime makeup: light, even coverage, neutral taupe or soft brown eyes, a thin line at the lashes, groomed brows, soft rose blush and a muted rose lip.
How to do Business makeupAll faces shown are AI-generated fictional models, not real people.
