Your face shape seems like something you were born with and are meant to have for life. Sure, there is a genetic component to the shape and features of your visage, but if you’re not pleased with the way it looks, there are a few things you can do to improve your appearance.
Beauty standards have evolved significantly throughout our history. These days, one of the many features considered desirable by some is a V-shaped face, characterized by wide cheekbones and a narrow chin.
This look makes your features stand out, signifying youth and health. Unfortunately, very few people are born with a perfectly V-shaped face.
Even if you are healthy and young, you might have a different facial structure, such as a wide jaw or a round face, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it may not be your personal preference.
This brings us back to the point about changing your face shape. Yes, it’s possible. You can take certain steps to slim the lower part of your face, reduce puffiness, and tone the muscles, which can result in a narrower chin.
Much like you can change the shape of your body through diet, exercise, and modifications, you can do the same to your face!
So, how do you get a V-shape face?
A combination of facial massage, makeup, skincare, and self-care can help you get there. If those steps are not sufficient, you can consider more permanent measures, such as plastic surgery or fillers.
In this post, we’ll go over all of the different ways you can achieve that coveted V-shaped face, from the simplest measures you can do at home to more complex solutions you can work towards in the long term.
Facial Massage
One of the most effective and inexpensive things you can do to shape your face is facial massage.
Facial massage works instantly — you’ll notice a difference in your face shape immediately after your first massage.
It also works in the long term. If you perform your facial massage consistently over time, your results will be more pronounced and more permanent.
The reason facial massage works so well is that it moves the lymphatic fluid that is stored in your face. This fluid can accumulate under your skin, causing puffiness and sagging of the skin.
Moving and draining the liquid can give you an immediate slimmer and more lifted shape. It’s also really important for your health and immune function to stimulate the movement of the lymphatic fluid.
As an added bonus, facial massage improves circulation, helps even out your skin tone, prevents TMJ and migraines, and even helps smooth out fine lines. There are so many reasons to do it!
Here’s a great lymphatic drainage face massage tutorial from The Moments on YouTube.
You can opt to have a professional perform the facial massage for you, or you can do it yourself at home.
There are several different ways to perform facial massages, but we will focus on the most impactful types that promote lymphatic drainage and help slim the jawline.
Gua Sha
Gua sha is an ancient Chinese healing technique that involves using a stone massage tool to scrape the skin in short, rapid strokes.
You can purchase a gua sha massager online; they are usually made of natural stone, such as jade, or a durable metal like stainless steel.
In Chinese medicine, the purpose of gua sha massage is to move stagnant chi energy throughout the body, promoting healing.
Whether you believe in chi energy or not, it’s now been scientifically proven that gua sha can help with lymphatic drainage and increased circulation.
Using gua sha on your face can instantly de-puff and slim down the areas around your eyes, cheeks, and chin. It can also relax tight facial muscles, giving your face a more youthful and glowing appearance.
Using a gua sha to achieve a V-shape face requires some know-how. You’ll need to apply a small amount of oil to your face to help the massager glide smoothly over your skin. Argan or jojoba oil works well for this.
Next, you’ll gently move the massager from your collarbone up your neck to the bottom of your jaw. You’ll want to repeat each movement at least 5 times before moving on to the next area.
Once you’ve massaged the neck, you’ll move the massager along your jawline from the tip of your chin towards the area right under your ear. Again, repeat this movement at least 5 times on each side.
Next, you’ll perform a similar movement under your cheekbones, working from the nose to the edge of your face.
You’ll do the same thing for your eyebrows and the areas under your eyes. When you get to the forehead, you’ll move the massager up from the bridge of your nose towards your hairline.
If you’re feeling lost, we recommend watching this video of the gua sha process from Tina Engeo on YouTube — it’s a lot easier to follow!
The general strategy is to move the gua sha from the center of your face out towards the edges in gentle, repetitive motions, which helps define your facial features and drains any excess fluids.
The result is a lifted, toned, and slimmed-out face. We recommend doing this every morning for lasting results.
Face Yoga
You’ve heard of yoga, but have you heard of face yoga?
It’s a technique that involves stimulating the muscles of your face, along with a gentle manual facial massage, which helps naturally lift and tone your face.
Face yoga is especially effective for the lower parts of your face, which is exactly what you need if you’re looking to achieve a V-shape.
You can do face yoga in conjunction with gua sha or on its own. There are many great tutorials online, like the one below from Face Yoga Expert on YouTube, that can help you navigate the different “face asanas.”
One of the reasons face yoga works so well is that it helps strengthen and tone the muscles underneath the skin, which can give your face a different shape.
Much like regular yoga can change the shape of your body, face yoga can change the shape of your face if done consistently over a long period of time.
For example, you can achieve wider and more defined cheekbones by strengthening the muscles in that area. You can also lift a sagging chin area by stimulating the muscles in the area around the jawline.
Of course, these exercises can’t change your bone anatomy, but they can help lift, tone, and reduce fat in your face. Over time, this can result in a different face shape that is closer to the V shape as much as your anatomy allows.
Devices
If you’re looking for an easier solution than gua sha or face yoga, you can look into electronic devices that can massage your face for you.
Electronic face massagers can do a lot of the same things that manual massages can do — they can stimulate your muscles using an electric current, and help move around the lymphatic fluid in your face.
Some of them come with special features that also help clarify your skin, so if you’re looking for an all-in-one tool, you could consider one of these:
These tools can yield impressive results when it comes to lifting your face and reducing signs of aging.
That being said, many of them have a high price point, and we’re not sure that the results are worth it, considering you can achieve most of the same results for free using gua sha or face yoga.
Makeup
Another near-instant way to give your face a V-shape is with makeup. Makeup can do wonders and absolutely transform the way you look.
Contouring is a makeup technique that helps you add dimension and shape using light and dark colors. Most contouring is achieved with products such as concealer, foundation, bronzer, and highlighter.
You can purchase a contouring kit that includes everything you need in one convenient package.
The basics of contouring are that you want to use a darker shade (or bronzer) in areas where you want to appear slimmer, and lighter colors (or concealer/highlight) on areas where you want to appear bigger and more prominent.
If your goal is to achieve a more V-shaped face, you would want to apply a darker color along your jawline to create a triangular effect. You will want to blend that darker color up towards the underside of your cheekbones.
Since your cheekbones are supposed to be wider and more prominent in an ideal V-shaped face, you’ll want to use the highlight or concealer to make the cheekbones pop. You can also apply a shimmery rosy blush to the bridge of your cheekbones to really give them a healthy glow.
We also recommend putting a little bit of highlighter at the central areas of your face that normally catch light: forehead, nose, cupid’s bow, and the center of the chin. This will add to the illusion of a V shape by bringing these areas forward and making the rest of your lower face area appear slimmer.
Contouring can also be used to manipulate the appearance of other areas of your face. For example, if you want your nose to appear straighter and slimmer, you can use your dark contouring color on the sides of your nose and blend a thin straight line of highlight or concealer along the bridge of your nose.
To learn more about contouring, we recommend checking out some great video tutorials online, like the one below from Vivienne Fung on YouTube. You don’t have to be a pro to be good at contouring, you just have to practice!
Hairstyle
Not unlike makeup, your hairstyle or haircut can drastically change the way your face shape appears.
If you have a long and narrow face, and you wish your cheekbones were more prominent for that V shape, you can look into getting curtain bangs.
Curtain bangs are long bangs that reach the tip of your nose. When styled to each side (like curtains) they hit right above your cheekbones and create the illusion of prominent cheekbones.
That can be enough to give you that desirable V shape, especially if you already have a pretty narrow chin.
If you have a wide chin and a square or round face, you’ll have better luck with face-framing layers. These layers typically begin around the length of your chin, wrapping your face as they descend and concealing some of your width.
Whenever you wear your hair up, try leaving those face-framing pieces out so that they can contour your lower face, creating the illusion of a narrow chin.
Skincare
Skincare alone can’t change the shape of your face, but when used in combination with other measures, it can help keep the lower area of your visage slim and lifted.
Here are a few great skincare tips for achieving (and maintaining) a tight V-shaped face.
V-Line Masks
V-line lifting masks are specialized face masks worn on the jawline and chin area. They contain ingredients such as collagen, caffeine, and hyaluronic acid, which help tighten the skin and reduce puffiness.
They are similar to eye masks that help reduce undereye puffiness before a night out. Similarly, these V-line masks have a temporary effect, but the results last for several hours.
These masks can help minimize a double chin, smooth out wrinkles, and tighten up the whole area.
These sheet masks conveniently hook behind your ears, allowing you to go about your day while the mask works its magic. Most of them can be left on for 30–45 minutes for incredible results.
Tightening Creams
To prevent your chin from sagging or developing jowls, it’s essential to keep your face moisturized and use tightening creams as needed.
Although creams can’t change the structure of your face, they can certainly reduce the appearance of saggy skin, which is the enemy of the V shape.
Daily moisturizing is essential for prevention. If you’re starting to notice sagging, consider investing in anti-aging and tightening creams that contain ingredients such as retinol, caffeine, collagen, glycolic acid, and vitamin C.
These ingredients have been shown to promote skin tightening and the production of elastin, which helps prevent sagging in the skin.
Including these types of skincare ingredients in your routine can go a long way in helping you naturally maintain a V shape.
Lifestyle
Aside from plastic surgery, lifestyle changes are among the most effective ways to achieve a naturally V-shaped face.
Many of us have a beautiful V-shaped facial anatomy hidden beneath our skin; the trick is to reveal it. Here are some impactful lifestyle changes that can help you do just that:
Weight Loss
Weight loss is one of the best ways to reveal a natural V-shaped jawline. Unfortunately, many people gain weight in their faces even when the rest of their bodies are a normal size.
Dropping a few pounds can be all it takes to reveal a gorgeous, sharp jawline.
There is no way to spot-reduce fat. So, if you want to reduce fat in your face, you’ll have to reduce fat everywhere.
Simply paying attention to your diet and opting for less calorie-dense options can be really helpful. There is no one-size-fits-all diet, so do whatever works for you.
Generally, it is best to opt for unprocessed, home-cooked foods and only eat when you are truly hungry.
Reduced Sodium Intake
Another important factor that could be “hiding” your beautiful V-shape jawline is excessive sodium intake.
Consuming too much salt can cause your body to retain water. This causes all the tissues in your body to expand, including those in your face. This can make your jawline appear wider and softer.
Try a low-sodium diet or simply drink more water to wash some of the salt content out. You’ll be surprised at how much slimmer and more defined your face becomes after a few weeks of this lifestyle change.
Alcohol
Much like sodium intake, regular alcohol intake can cause a subtle swelling of your body, and it’s especially noticeable in the face.
Some people are more sensitive to alcohol than others, so if you’re noticing that your face feels round and swollen, especially around the eyes and jaw area, consider going alcohol-free for a few months.
You might be surprised to find out that the shape of your face changes significantly, causing people to stop recognizing you on the street.
Alcohol can also be damaging to your health, so this is a win-win situation!
Final Thoughts
There are several ways to naturally enhance the V-shape appearance of your face. Some of our favorite tools in the toolbox are facial massages because they work SO well.
You can also leverage the power of makeup and hair to create the illusion of a more V-shape face.
Ultimately, the best way to achieve long-term results is to do all of the above and take good care of your health.
Related Articles
Can I Wash My Face Three Times A Day?
