How to Make Your Face Look Thinner

Last Updated: November 16, 2022 References

Making your face appear thinner can be as simple as choosing the right haircut or accessories. You can even use makeup to give the illusion of a slimmer face. This article will give you a few tips and tricks on how to make your face appear longer and more narrow than it actually is.

Things You Should Know

Apply bronzer right below your cheekbones and under your jawline to make your face look slimmer and more defined.
Get highlights or ombre your hair to make your face appear longer and thinner.
Try a wingtip or cat-eye look to draw attention to your eyes.
Wear long, dangly earrings and necklaces and shirts with a v-neck or scoop-neck.

Method 1

Method 1 of 5:

Contouring Your Face

1
Choose a foundation that matches your skin tone and apply it using a brush or sponge. Be sure to blend it well, especially around the edges of your face, into your hairline, and along the jaw.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Christin Birckhead
Makeup Artist
Expert Interview. 14 April 2020.} You will be applying bronzer and highlight over the foundation; the foundation will help them stick better to your face.
- If you are going to use concealer to hide any blemishes, do this now. Once you start applying the highlight and bronzer, it will be too late.
- For best results, use a cream or liquid foundation.
2
Swipe some highlight onto your cheekbones using a large, fluffy brush. Blend it up towards your eyes using a smaller brush. You'll end up with something that looks like upside-down triangles. This will help make your cheekbones look more angled.
- Choose a color that is two shades lighter than your skin tone. You can also use a light-colored eyeshadow instead, in cream, white, or ivory. Some slight shimmer will help catch the light.^{[2]
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3
Brush on some highlight onto the bridge of your nose. Use a thin brush to make a long, thin line down the middle of your nose. Do not make the line too thick, or your nose will appear too wide.
4
Highlight the area between your eyebrows, creating something that looks like another upside-down triangle. Be sure to blend upward towards your hairline.
5
Dust on some highlighting powder right onto your chin. Use a large, fluffy brush. This will bring more attention to your lips, and it will make your face appear longer. If you already have a very prominent chin, you may want to consider skipping this, or making just a thin line no wider than your finger.
6
Apply some bronzer right beneath the cheekbone. This is essential to creating a slender face. If you are worried about making things even, suck in your cheeks and pout like a fish. Use the indentations as a guide.^{[4]
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Expert Source

Christin Birckhead
Makeup Artist
Expert Interview. 14 April 2020.}
- Use a color that is one to two shades darker than your skin tone. Try not to use anything shimmery. If you don't have bronzer, you can use a matte, brown eyeshadow instead. Use a warm brown if you have a warm undertone and a cool brown if you have a cool undertone.^{[5]
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7
Contour the sides of your nose with bronzer. Take a small, fluffy brush and apply some bronzer along the sides of your nose. Blend down and outwards towards the sides of your face. This will make your nose appear thinner.
8
Tap some bronzer to either side of your forehead where your temples are. Use a small, fluffy brush and blend downward.^{[7]
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Expert Source

Christin Birckhead
Makeup Artist
Expert Interview. 14 April 2020.} You might even have little impressions or dents there already.
9
Apply bronzer along and under the jaw line. Focus more on the middle of your jaw and less on the chin. Be sure to blend downward under your chin and towards your neck. This will give your jaw a more angled look.
10
Blend everything using a fluffy brush. If you used cream-based makeup for the shadows and highlights, then try using a blending sponge instead. Sweep the brush over the edges of your highlights and shadows, blending them into your foundation and into each other. You want your face to look smooth; any lines will give away the fact that you contoured your face using makeup.

Method 2

Method 2 of 5:

Makeup & Accessory Tricks

1
Draw attention to your eyes with bold eyeliner and mascara. By making your eye makeup more elaborate, people will pay more attention to them and to the width of your face. When putting on your eyeliner, try the wingtip or cat eye style.^{[8]
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Research source} Try to focus the makeup on the outer corners of the eyes; it will make your eyes appear larger, which in turn will make your face appear more narrow.
- Consider plucking or waxing your eyebrows to give them a natural-looking arch. This will give your face a more angled look.
2
Contour your lips with highlighting powder and bronzer to make them appear fuller. This will draw attention away from your cheeks and pull it towards yours lips instead. To contour your lips, apply some highlighting powder along the top of your cupid's bow and a dab of bronzer just below your bottom lip. Blend well and apply some bright lipstick.^{[9]
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3
Try on some long, dangly earrings and avoid studs, posts, and chunky pieces. When choosing earrings, go for ones that go past your jaw; this will draw attention away from the sides of your face. The more angular the earring is, the more will contrast with your face shape, making it appear thinner.
- If you are wearing your hair in an up-do, you can frame your face by wearing some long earrings.
4
Choose longer necklaces and skip shorter ones. This will draw the eye downward, pulling attention away from the width of your face. Long necklaces will also give the illusion that your neck and face are longer. Necklaces that are too short will pull the eye upward and draw too much attention to the width of your face.
- If you do wear short necklaces and chokers, remember to frame your face by wearing your hair down or lettings your long bangs hang by your cheeks.
5
Put on a hat with a high crown or a small brim. These will make your head appear longer than it is wide, giving the illusion of a thinner face. Even a baseball cap that is higher than normal can help make your face look longer.
6
Go for wider frames when choosing sunglasses and glasses. Try to find something with a rectangular shape, but that still has rounded corners. Glasses that are wider than your face will make your face appear more narrow.
7
Wear V-necks and scoop-necks and avoid high-collars. Shirts with a longer neckline will make your neck (and thus your face) appear longer. High-collared shirts, on the other hand, will make your neck appear shorter and pull attention upwards towards your jaw and the width of your face.

Method 3

Method 3 of 5:

Getting the Right Haircut

1
Consider adding some layers to your hair. Some soft fringes and lines around the face can frame your face and make it look thinner.
2
Try to go for a longer hair cut than a short one. The length will make your face appear longer; it will also add natural movement to your hair.
3
Go asymmetrical when cutting hair short. When getting a short haircut, such as a bob, avoid cutting your hair the same length all around. Instead, consider cutting your hair shorter in the back and leaving it longer in the front. You will still feel as though you have short hair, but the longer strands will frame your face and make it appear thinner.^{[10]
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4
Go easy on the curls. While curly hair can make your face appear thinner, bushy hair can actually make your head (an thus your face) appear wider than it actually is.
5
Avoid straight-cut bangs and go for wispier ones instead. Having bangs that are cut straight across will make your face appear shorter and rounder.^{[11]
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Research source} Instead, consider making your bangs slightly wispy, and longer on the sides. They will frame your face more and make it appear slimmer.^{[12]
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6
If you have very short hair, consider getting the flat-top cut. Have a stylist trim your hair short on the sides and leave the hair on the top of your head longer. This will make your face appear longer and not as wide.

Method 4

Method 4 of 5:

Styling Your Hair Without Cutting

1
Try parting your hair to one side. A side-part will help make your face look less round and symmetrical.
- If you have very thin hair, consider teasing part of your hair at the roots to give it a lift. This will make your head appear longer than it is wide.^{[13]
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2
Style ponytails with care. Avoid pulling your hair straight back and leaving the top smooth and flat; this will make your face appear fuller and not as thin.^{[14]
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Research source} Instead, consider letting some strands hang by your face; the hair will frame your face and conceal part of your cheeks and chin, making your face appear slimmer.
- You can pile your hair up on top of your hair in a high ponytail or ballerina bun; this will make your face appear longer.
- You can also try a half-up ponytail, where only the hair above your eye level is in a ponytail and the rest of your hair is down.
3
Make your face appear longer with a low ponytail or braids. This will give your face a longer and thinner look.
4
Consider adding some highlights to your hair. They will take attention away from the width of your face by adding texture and movement.^{[15]
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- You can also ombre dye your hair. Light colors draw more attention than dark, so by having the ends of your hair lighter than your roots will draw the attention downward, making your face appear longer and slimmer.^{[16]
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5
If you're a guy, use your facial hair to your advantage. Beards can make your face appear thinner by adding contrast. A goatee or a pointed beard can also stretch out your face.

Method 5

Method 5 of 5:

Slimming Your Face in Other Ways

1
Try performing some facial exercises. While there is no scientific evidence that they make a face thinner, they could still help you tone your face. Here are some exercises to try:
- Make a fish face by sucking in your cheeks and pursing your lips. Hold this for a few seconds.
- Tilt your head back so your chin points toward the ceiling. Drop your lower jaw and then raise it up. Hold this position for a few seconds while you stretch your neck.
- Shift your gaze to the left for a few seconds, then to the right.
- Shut your eyes tightly and scrunch up your face for a few seconds, then open it as wide as you are able to.
2
Think about improving your diet. If your face is round due to weight gain and not bone structure, try to cut back on overly sweet or fatty foods, such as fried foods, sodas, candy, and fries. Instead, try to eat more vegetables, fruits, grains, and lean meats.
3
Avoid drinking too much alcohol. Drinking too much alcohol can make your face look more bloated and less thin the next day.
4
Consider reducing weight on the rest of your body. If your face is round because you have gained weight, you can make it slimmer by getting into shape. Try going swimming, jogging, running, or walking a few times a week. Working out for just thirty minutes a day can have a dramatic impact on the way your body looks.
5
Carefully consider getting a face-lift or plastic surgery. The most expensive and permanent of face slimming techniques, face-lifts and plastic surgery are not without risks and may result in scarring and bloating.^{[17]
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Trustworthy Source
Mayo Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source} An untrained technician may also give you less-than-pleasing results. If this is something that you are considering, speak with an experienced plastic surgeon to review your medical history and see if this is an option for you.^{[18]
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Trustworthy Source
Mayo Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source}

Expert Q&A

Question

How can I make my forehead look small with contouring?

Christin Birckhead
Makeup Artist
Christin Birckhead is a Makeup Artist and the Founder of Conceptual Beauty, a beauty service based in Washington, DC specializing in wedding services such as engagements and bridal parties along with fashion shows and executive headshots. She has over 20 years of makeup and beauty consulting experience. She is also the lead makeup artist for Ascender Communications and freelances with the local NBC news team in the DC metro area. Her clients include Nancy Pelosi, Nancy Cartwright, Armin Van Buuren, Hugh Jackman, Vashawn Mitchell, Richard Smallwood, Benjamin T. Jealous, Colin Powell, Wanda Durant, and Former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

Christin Birckhead

Makeup Artist

Expert Answer

You can use a mid-tone or something that has a cooler undertone to shade your forehead. Start at the hairline and go along the sides of your temple. Do not go down too far. Stay within the perimeter of the forehead. It should look natural as if you have had a suntan on your forehead.
Question

How can I choose a blush?

Christin Birckhead
Makeup Artist
Christin Birckhead is a Makeup Artist and the Founder of Conceptual Beauty, a beauty service based in Washington, DC specializing in wedding services such as engagements and bridal parties along with fashion shows and executive headshots. She has over 20 years of makeup and beauty consulting experience. She is also the lead makeup artist for Ascender Communications and freelances with the local NBC news team in the DC metro area. Her clients include Nancy Pelosi, Nancy Cartwright, Armin Van Buuren, Hugh Jackman, Vashawn Mitchell, Richard Smallwood, Benjamin T. Jealous, Colin Powell, Wanda Durant, and Former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

Christin Birckhead

Makeup Artist

Expert Answer

Choose your blush based on your skin tone. So if you have yellow undertones, you can use a shade of bronze, orange, or peach. If your skin has pink undertones, go for shades of pink or lavender.
Question

Should I use a cream blush or a powder blush?

Christin Birckhead
Makeup Artist
Christin Birckhead is a Makeup Artist and the Founder of Conceptual Beauty, a beauty service based in Washington, DC specializing in wedding services such as engagements and bridal parties along with fashion shows and executive headshots. She has over 20 years of makeup and beauty consulting experience. She is also the lead makeup artist for Ascender Communications and freelances with the local NBC news team in the DC metro area. Her clients include Nancy Pelosi, Nancy Cartwright, Armin Van Buuren, Hugh Jackman, Vashawn Mitchell, Richard Smallwood, Benjamin T. Jealous, Colin Powell, Wanda Durant, and Former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

Christin Birckhead

Makeup Artist

Expert Answer

It is easy to apply cream blush. It is not intense, and you can blend it down. If you feel that you have put too much of it, you can rub it away. If you have more texture and a little more aged skin, then cream blush is more suitable. Powder blush is good for a little younger and less textured skin.

Questions & Answers

How can I change my actual face shape?
Sometimes, this is not possible because of your face's bone structure. However, trying to maintain a healthy diet and limiting the sugar intake can make your face and body leaner.

What brand or type makeup should I use?
You can use any brand makeup. Powder-based makeup will be the easiest to apply and blend. You'll have less of a risk of applying too much shadow and highlight with powder.

I have curly hair. Is there anything I can do to make my face look thinner without changing my hair?
Try using some contouring makeup. You can also straighten just the bangs or front of your hair. You can also pull your hair back into a half-up, half-down ponytail.

I have very short hair, and I'm a guy. What can I do?
Try growing out your beard; this can hide the fullness. You can also try wearing a V-neck shirt. This will make your neck appear longer and your face thinner.

I have short hair, but I don't want to cut it shorter or grow it out longer. What else can I do?
Try wearing some long, dangly earrings or a V-neck blouse. You can also try some contouring makeup.