Chapter 5 - Grow Accustomed To Your Face

The shape of your face plays a vital role in the shaping of your most flattering hair style. But it is not the only featured player in this production.

Despite all the pat charts you've seen on what to do if your face is round as the moon or faceted like a diamond, the truth is nothing is that simple.

There is, fortunately, infinite variety in every face. And what may be most becoming to your round face may be completely wrong for your pointed nose. Something has to give. You must, therefore, experiment endlessly and usually compromise somewhere.

Nor does your problem stop at your jawline. You must also carefully consider the length of your neck, the width of your shoulders, the broadness of your hips, and your height in stocking feet. In other words, all of you.

Beauty is largely a matter of balance. The spacing and symmetry of your features, plus the bone structure of your body as well as your face determine the pleasing or unpleasing effect you make on the eyes of your audience.

What you must do is try to see yourself as others see you and consider first the good of the whole and then the integral parts. A sculptor fits the head of his statue to its torso; you must work with what you have to achieve the same perfect balance.

Pin your hair into proportions most flattering to your figure, then make allowances for your special face and feature problems. One good way to do this is to study yourself in a full-length, three-way mirror while your hair is still foamy with shampoo. Push your hair up, down or out until it is in perfect harmony with your body contours. Then make adjustments for a short neck or low forehead while studying your head—honestly—in the mirror.

IF YOU ARE PETITE: NO matter what the shape of your face, you must avoid hair that is too long, too fluffy or too elaborate. Brush hair up to create an illusion of height. Keep fullness above ears. Short hair is more flattering. Avoid pageboys and sleek, severe lines. Concentrate on a softer look.

If You Are Short, But Plump: Diet and wear medium length hair.

If You Are Tall And Slender: You need a bouffant style to avoid a pinheaded look. Hair should be worn medium length and soft to balance angular lines. Practice a great deal with jumbo rollers. You'll use these most often for hairdo flattery.

If You Are Tall And Big Boned: Your hair, too, should be bouffant or feature large diagonal waves reaching below the ears.

Now, consider the shape of your face.

Ever since the first Greek sculptor, the oval face has been the ideal of poet, lover and artist. If you have one, you have no contour problems. If you don't, you can approximate this perfection by optical illusion.

There are, however, faces which by their very nonconformity assume a charm and distinction which they might lose if forced into standardization. You alone can decide whether a round face makes you look wide-eyed and pretty or whether the better part of beauty is to conform and ovalize.

But how do you know the shape of your face?

Stand before a mirror, one eye closed and hair back from your face. Now, trace the reflected contours with a bar of soap.

Another way is to stand before a mirror and measure with a ruler the width of your face across your forehead, under your eyes, under your nose and under your lips. Next measure the length of your face from chin to hairline. The ideal oval measurements, according to one set of statistics, are five inches across forehead, five and a half inches under eyes, four and a half inches under nose, and three and a quarter inches under lips. These were the statistics on a face seven and a half inches from chin to hairline.

In the ideal face, the measurements from the hairline to the bridge of the nose, from the bridge to the tip, and from the tip of the nose to the chin are all even.

The Perfect Oval

Like Sophia Loren and Arlene Dahl your face is a perfect oval? You can experiment with almost any hairdo: classic, sophisticated, gamine. Your only consideration should be not to distort your perfect proportions. Make the most of them.

You alone look well in almost any part, including—if your nose is good—the difficult-to-wear center part. But don't shatter your ideal dimensions with a part worn too low on the side, heavy, concealing bangs or rouge worn too close to the nose.

Don't hide your widow's peak, if you have one. And even you should avoid wearing your hair pulled back severely from your face.

MAKE-UP: Your contours need no corrective coloration. Form brow with heavier strokes of pencil near nose, then make a slimmer line as it approaches hairline. Shadow should be applied in a heavy line just above lashes, then shaded out into nothing on lid itself. Follow the normal curve of your lips exactly with lipstick. Use a shade of foundation one shade darker than the rest on your outer cheeks.

The Round Face

Your face is nearly circular with rounded cheeks, full chin and fairly low forehead? You need more length and less width. You can approximate the perfect oval in many ways.

Do:

• Add height at the crown. Draw attention to the top of your head with high curls, fluffed bangs, whirling activity, a honey bun, a built-up top over flattened sides. Fluffed bangs, however, must end at the hairline or they will lower forehead unbecomingly.
• Keep hair full and soft above the ears so the illusion of height is further increased.
• Wear hair sleek and flattened at sides. This elongates roundness. Sophisticated cheek-curls flipping forward at cheeks and temples also make a round face seem narrower and at the same time emphasize eyes.
• Break symmetry with a daring division like a guichecurl in the center of your forehead, asymmetric wispy bangs, slanted part, fluff worn on one side.
• Wear hair in generous waves rather than tight curls.

Don't:

• Affect a middle part which makes face seem even rounder.
• Adopt fussy little details and circular effects which will only emphasize roundness.
• Wear hair flat on top.
• Attempt wide, flat bangs.
• Wear round necklines or button earrings.
• Shape lips into rosebuds.

MAKE-UP: Use a darker foundation. Lighter shades enlarge the appearance of your face.

Brows should be raised as much as possible for a longer, slimmer look. Pluck hairs from underneath brow and form a new brow line on top to blend with your own. line should end in a definite upsweep.

Shadow should completely fill in space between brow and lashes. Feather off toward hairline. Both upper and lower lids should be lined at lashes. Extend both lines up and out at outer corners.

Apply rouge at outer edge of eye for prominent look at cheekbones. Shade outer cheeks and jaws with deftly blended rouge, or darker foundation.

Lipstick should be used to minimize upper and lower curves. Create a wide shallow bow, extended just the slightest bit beyond corners, if necessary.

HAIR COLORING: Used by an expert color artist, it can give the illusion of symmetry to faces cheated by nature. It can make a too-round face look longer, make a long face seem shorter.

But do not attempt this trompe-roeil trick yourself. The effect must be so subtle as to be practically undetectable. Light areas must blend delicately and gradually into dark areas without sharp lines of demarcation. Shadings must be in only one color, from a pale to a dark ash-blonde but never, say, from blonde to titian. For a round face, elongate the circle by lightening hair at forehead and then shading gradually to a darker crown. Hair at sides is toned to match crown.

You're A Square

Your jaw line is about as wide as your cheeks and your forehead tends toward the square. You must work to add height, soften corners with curves and lengthen your face slightly.

Do:

• Draw the eye of the beholder upward to make face seem longer,
• Wear a diagonal part. Or try a bouffant top swept from a low side part.
• Look for styles with rounded movement.
• Break into forehead corners with fringed bangs or waves. Try swirly or divided bangs.
• Wear soft, full waves but keep them close to the head.
• Affect swirling side wings which move out and up to balance square jaws.
• Try sleek but buoyant crown rising to enough height to lessen width. But keep it head-hugging at sides.

Don't:

• Style hair too severely or pull back at temples. Both accentuate a square chin.
• Wear a flat top style.
• Use small, tight curls.
• Do small things with your hair.
• Part hair in the middle.

MAKE-UP: Brows can lift the heaviness of too many straight lines by sweeping up and out. If necessary, pluck. Pencil with strong, dramatic strokes. But avoid thin brows too highly arched.

Eye shadow should be applied sparingly. Just enough to barely coat the lid will do. Liner should be applied in firm line beginning at outer corner of eyelid and going almost straight out. Draw line up from lower lid to meet it. Fill in resultant triangle with white shadow. If eyes are particularly close together, apply white shadow at inner corners instead. Mascara outer lashes only.

Round your face by subtly deepening foundation shade at temples and sides, while keeping forehead light. To draw eyes up and away from prominent jaws, spread foundation in semicircle on center of each cheek. Blend back to ears and down to jaw. Blend carefully to leave no more than the impression of a shadow.

Draw lower lip as full as possible but draw almost square to detract attention from jaw.

HAIR COLORING: Softly round your face and elongate it by coloring hair lighter at forehead and keeping it darker on temples and each side.

The Rectangular Face

Long, with jaw, cheelcs and forehead all about the same width, the rectangular face can be made up to look one of the prettiest of all.

If your face is oblong, strive for styles which either shorten or widen the long lines nature has given you.

Do:

• Wear smooth, flat crowns.
• Choose  a  style  with  some  fullness  at  the  sides whether it is outswirling wings, a short upturned page boy, or a puffed-under hairdo. Bouffant styles are flattering to the longer face if the fullness is at the sides, not at the top.
• Wear bangs  if forehead is high.  Horizontal lines shorten the face. Divided bangs tend to ovalize your rectangular appearance.
• Adopt hairdos with lines that get wider as they climb; for example, a full crown with a fan-shaped fringe which sweeps down over one side, thus ovalizing your face.
• Try low, side parts with wispy bangs. They shorten brow and tend to round out square corners of your fore head.
• See if a diagonal part flatters you most.
• Direct quiche ends to cheekbones. They cut length in half and draw attention to your eyes.

Don't:

• Pile hair on head.
• Wear a center part.
• Push hair back severely.
• Adopt sleek styles. You need softness.

MAKE-UP: Pencil brows in a straight line with slight uptilt at ends to give width to the face. Round ever so softly if straight line is not flattering.

Shadow should completely cover space between lashes and brows. With liner draw thin line over upper lid parallel to brow line.

Lipstick should follow natural inclination of lips, more full than thin, and turned upward slightly at either end.

To give illusion of higher and more prominent cheekbones and to add slight width to face, apply the smallest amount of rouge in a triangle right over jaw hinge.

HAIR COLORING: A long, rectangular face will not seem as long when hair at forehead is gradually shaded to darker color on top and sides are lightened.

The Perfect Diamond

A diamond-shaped face is not always a girl's best friend. Your face is a perfect diamond if width is concentrated at the middle and both your forehead and jaw are narrower and approximately the same size.

You have three major problems to concentrate on when looking for your ideal hairdo. You must fill out the brow area, de-emphasize the widest points of your face and soften your chin if it happens to be more pointed than round.

Do:

• Keep hair full and wide at top. But not too high. This will tend to broaden your brow and ovalize your wide cheek span.
• Keep hair at sides soft. Wear over ears and sweep forward.
• Experiment with lengths to see which is the most becoming. A little longer than ear-length with upturned ends should be flattering if your chin is not pointed.

Don't:

• Brush  hair  straight back  from  ears  and  temples.
• Some bangs can be flattering but avoid ones whichtend to make brow look narrower.

MAKE-UP: Brows may turn down the most imperceptible bit at tips. Blend mascara and shadow outward. Curve mouth to make chin seem less pointed. Wear lighter foundation at forehead and at chin.

HAIR COLORING: Hair should be darker at the forehead and back, lighter at the temples and lower sides.

The Heart-Shaped Face

The inverted triangle, more popularly known as the heart-shaped face, has long been popular with poets. Your face is heart-shaped if it's wide at the forehead and tapered to a pointed, piquant chin.

To attain the illusion of the desirable oval you must balance your face by filling out the chin and taking away width from the forehead.

Do:

• Wear fluffy, asymmetric bangs which cover part but not all of your wide brow.
• Try fullness and width below the ears to broaden the narrow chin line.
• Break your own heart with angled parts. Try a high part that slants straight toward the center of the crown to break forehead width.
• Wear hair ear-tip length. Longer length covers ears and balances narrow jaw.
• Direct eye-catching guiches toward your cheekbones.
• Concentrate on soft hairlines.

Don't:

• Wear straight bangs.
• Part your hair dead center.
• Skim your hair back.

MAKE-UP: Brows should be widely arched. Shadow should be applied from lash to brow. Emphasize both upper and lower outer lids with eyeliner. Spotlight rouge on cheeks to emphasize eyes. Make a wide generous curve of your lips.

HAIR COLORING: Keep hair lighter at forehead and temples, darker at crown and back.

The Triangle

Your face is a perfect triangle if it tapers from a wide chin and jaw to a narrow forehead. You must concentrate on adding width at the brow and subtracting it at the jaw.

Do:

• Look for upthrusting lines to carry attention away from chin.
• Wear width across forehead to balance jaw. Wide full bangs, dips and rolls at the temple are particularly at tractive.
• Try a style which lifts hair at temples, curves  it around the brow in soft arcs and thus makes the brow seem wider.
• Experiment with low side and angular parts.
• Dress hair full at temples and flat over the ears.
• Swirl a full, wide wave across forehead, thus concealing it and hinting at non-existent width.

Dont:

• Wear a long bob, especially if hair is flat at temples.
• Wear out-swinging lower sides that exaggerate jaw width.
• Adopt too severe or straight a style. You need softness.

MAKE-UP: Create illusory brows which extend beyond the natural line and sweep up with no downward tilt. Avoid straight brows. Pluck out extra space between brows.

Highlight upper part of face with lighter foundation. Subdue jaw with darker shade. Blend dark tone under chin and over jaw.

Shadow should begin above center of eye, filling entire space between eye and brow, then feather off just before hairline.

Draw liner out from center on both upper and lower lids. Extend to meet under end of drawn brow.

Follow natural curve of mouth, soft but not too full.

Apply rouge at center of cheek, blending back up to the temples and fading down over the jaw.

HAIR COLORING: Lighter hair at the temples and forehead will help make the brow seem wider. A deeper shade at the lower sides will help de-emphasize wide jaws.

Fortunately, you have a profile as well as a full face. Take these into consideration as you plan your hairdo.

Feature Events

Too PROMINENT NOSE: Seemingly shorten by pulling hair up and away from face. Balance with curls or chignon at back of head. Wide waves are the most flattering. Tiny curls make nose seem even bigger. Keep bangs or fluff above hairline. Try some sort of lift. Concentrate on hairdos set on large rollers.

Avoid middle parts. Highlight cheeks with base lighter than that used on rest of face. Keep rouge away from nose and blend out to hairline. Pluck width between brow. Brows should start above inner corner of each eye.

Apply foundation one shade darker directly under outer tip of nose. Use at sides of nose, too, if it is wide as well as outstanding. Color only outer tips of lashes. Draw a wide mouth.

Too SHORT NOSE: Avoid exaggerated upswept hairdos, bangs below the hairline. Fluffy bangs are fine but they should not be worn too long. Set in small curls and waves.

Short, Plump Neck: Back hair should be no longer than hairline and not fussy. Keep well-groomed. Long hair makes neck look shorter.

Thick, Long Neck: Wear back hair longer than medium length and fullish. Avoid short hairdos or chignons. Avoid upsweeps.

Scrawny Necks: Wear hair soft and full and longer than natural hairline.

Receding Chin: Bring front and side hair forward. Keep hair full at back. Use over-all foundation one shade darker than skin tone. Use lighter shade on chin carrying it beneath jaw.

Jutting Chin: Don't let side and top hair extend beyond hairline. Use light base. Apply darker shade to chin and under jaw. Powder this part of face last. A low-lying part also draws attention away from an overly prominent jaw.

Thin Chin: Concentrate on fluffiness below ears. Avoid long, straight hairdo or any upswept style.

Plump Cheeks: Pull hair slightly forward at sides and forehead beyond hairline so fringe covers sides of cheeks. Avoid center part.

Thin Cheeks: Pull side hair back. Don't let it extend beyond hairline. Hair can be worn fluffed out. Back interest at cheek level is also flattering.

Too Low Forehead: Camouflage with high-standing bangs which do not come down over hairline.

Too High Forehead: Camouflage with bangs or massing of forward curls.

Too Narrow Forehead: Fashion a deep wave winging over one eyebrow.

Too Broad Forehead: Temple curls and divided bangs cut width.

Prominent Ears: Cover with waves winging up from back. Many models undergo plastic surgery for tacking back outstanding ears. Cost is about $250. Try holding them back temporarily with gum arabic available at your local drugstore. Cheek curls brushed up cover ears and concentrate attention on your eyes. Avoid low-hanging bangs.

EYES SET TOO CLOSE TOGETHER: Try divided bangs with wings of hair over temples on each side. Pluck all strays between brows. Concentrate mascara only on outer top lashes.

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