beauty

How to find the right eyebrow shape for your face.

Images: Getty

Well-groomed eyebrows have the ability to frame the face, define the eyes and make you look younger and well rested. BUT, it can all go horribly wrong – as anyone who lived through the 90s will testify.

Eyebrows are not a ‘one size fits all’ situation – what suits your best friend is not necessarily going to do your face any favours.

Why everyone is angry about “Instagram eyebrows.”

Luckily the natural look is in these days, and finding the right eyebrows shape isn’t actually as scary as it sounds; it’s all about knowing your face shape. Once you have that sorted you can work out the best eyebrow shape to compliment your features.

A good way to determine which face shape you are is to stand in front of the mirror with your hair tied back. Now trace the shape of your face on the mirror using an eyeliner or lipstick (something that will come off easily). When you step back you should be able to see the outline of your face which will give you a good guide to compare.

Here are the most common face shapes and the ideal eyebrow shapes that work with them.

The biggest eyebrow mistakes women make.

Square

Square face shapes are characterised by angular features and a wide forehead and prominent jaw. Celebrity squares include Cara Delevingne, Mandy Moore and Sandra Bullock.

Olivia Wilde is a classic square face shape Image: Getty
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If you have a square face, you'll want to make sure your brows are softly arched about 1/3 of the way along. Be sure not to put the arch too close to the middle - the upside down "U" shape is not really the look you want. Gently arched brows will soften your angular features and frame the eyes perfectly.

Round 

If your face is generally the same width between your forehead and your jawline, then you, my friend, have a round face. Round faces are pretty recognisable - there will be a circle shape on the mirror when you step back. The widest part of your face is usually the cheekbones. Celebrities with round face shapes include Mila Kunis, Kate Bosworth and Kelly Clarkson, so you're in good company.

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Isla Fisher has high arched brows perfect for round faces Image: Getty

 

The ideal eyebrow shape for girls with a round face shape is a high arch. This elongates the face and makes you look less wide. Generally, the eyebrows should begin with a fairly straight line to the arch where they peak and then curve down at the tail.

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Long

The following characteristics are typical of oblong face shapes: flat cheekbones, long chin or forehead. They have similar  characterises to an oval shape, but with more length and less width. Liv Tyler, Terry Hatcher, Jessica Alba and Sarah Jessica Parker are all classic examples of long face shapes.

Sarah Jessica Parker's flat eyebrows help even out her long face shape Image: Getty
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The goal with long face shapes (and I know because I am one) is to use the eyebrows to make the face appear shorter. This is done by creating horizontal, flat brows, which take the attention away from the length of the face and make you look more balanced.

Heart 

When I was growing up I always wanted to be a heart shape because it sounded the cutest. Alas, it wasn't meant to be. Nevertheless, some of you are lucky enough to be adorable little hearts - that's you if you have cheekbones slightly wider than the hairline with a pointed chin.

The most obvious heart-shaped faces are those like Kourtney Kardashian's with a widow's peak, but celebrities like Taylor Swift, Sarah Hyland and Lea Michele have shown that a widows peak is not essential to create this shape.

Taylor's high arched rounded brows create a dramatic look on her heart shaped face. Image: Getty
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Rounded brows are the answer to softening some of the angular features of a heart shaped face, and you've got a choice of arch depending on the look you're after. Soft arches on heart-shaped faces create a nice, natural look, whereas a high rounded arch is dramatic and can be helpful when dealing with a short heart face because they create the illusion of length.

Oval 

Well la-dee-dah, would you check you out! Oval-shaped ladies, it's been said that you have the most desirable face shape - maybe that's what attracted Ryan Gosling to Eva Mendes. Desirability, however, actually refers to the versatility of your face shape. Woman with oval faces can basically get away with most haircuts and styles, whereas the rest of up have to work with what we have. Other celebrities rocking the oval include Emma Watson, Anne Hathaway and Katy Perry.

Katy Perry, you genetically blessed individual, you. Image: Getty
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Soft angles brows are ideal for an oval face because you don't need to work at balancing out the face as is the case with the rest of us - you're pretty even already. A soft angle basically goes straight up, and then gently curves back down, and is very easy to fill in and maintain. Lucky bastards.

Diamond 

Diamond-shaped faces share some characterises with heart shapes, but with a slightly more narrow chin. The cheekbones on a diamond face shape also tend to be slightly wider, while your forehead is about the same width as the jawline and chin. Famous diamonds include Liz Hurley and Jennifer Love Hewitt.

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Elizabeth Hurley's brows are rounded with a slight angle near the tail. Image: Getty

 

The ideal eyebrow shape for ladies with a diamond shaped face is something with a significant curve and a slight angle. This will help soften the face and make the wider parts more balanced and narrow.