Knowing your face shape is the foundation of so many style decisions and most people get it wrong. Hairstyle choices, glasses frames, earring shapes, contouring techniques, collar styles  all of them work best when they’re chosen with your actual face shape in mind, not a general preference or a vague sense of what looks good. The problem is that most people guess based on a glance in the mirror, which rarely gives an accurate picture.

The mirror distorts. You see your face from the same angle every day, at the same distance, with the same lighting  and you’ve trained yourself to see it a certain way. What the mirror doesn’t give you is proportion. You can’t tell from a casual glance whether your forehead is actually wider than your jaw, or whether your face is measurably longer than it is wide. You need measurements, or at least a methodical look at the proportions.

This is the definitive guide to determining your face shape: the six main shapes, how to identify each one, and what it actually means for your hair, makeup, accessories, and clothing. Whether you’ve been incorrectly guessing oval for years or you’ve genuinely never thought about it, by the end of this guide you’ll know exactly what you’re working with  and more importantly, you’ll understand why certain things work and others don’t.