Low Cheekbones vs. High Cheekbones: How to Locate and Modify (2024)

Your cheekbones are the structure of your face underneath your skin, particularly the malar bones. If your malar bones are located in close proximity to your eyes, you’re considered to have high cheekbones. Lower cheekbones refer to malar bones that rest closer to the bottom of your nose.

Having high cheekbones or low cheekbones doesn’t necessarily indicate anything about you. Your ethnic history and genetic background play a strong role in influencing how your face is structured. Some cultures value certain facial features, such as high or low cheekbones, as markers of conventional attractiveness.

You can figure out where your malar bones are fairly simply. All you need is a mirror and good lighting.

Looking at your clean, makeup-free face in the mirror, place your thumbs on the “nub” piece of cartilage over your ear canal (called the tragus). Then, place your index finger at your nostrils. Slowly draw your thumb and index finger together over your face until they meet. If you press down gently, you’ll feel your cheekbone!

Now look back in the mirror. If your cheekbone is at the lower part of your nose, you have low cheekbones. If it’s directly underneath your eyes, close to where the bridge of your nose begins, you have high cheekbones.

If you don’t like the appearance of your cheekbones you can use makeup tricks to make your cheekbones appear higher and more prominent. There are also some clinical treatments available.

Makeup strategies

If you like the look of a higher cheekbone but don’t want to undergo a cosmetic procedure, you can use makeup to give your face a narrower, concave appearance. Using bronzer or blush and a highlighter product, along with a contouring makeup brush or makeup sponge, you can play with where shadows appear on your face to make your cheekbones seem higher. Methods vary and there are plenty of tutorials on YouTube depending on your face shape and what products you have on hand.

The basic concept of using shadow and light to make your cheekbones look higher is this:

  1. Start by using your breath to suck in your cheeks, making your cheekbones visible. Put your makeup brush on your cheekbone and tilt it outward to the end of your eyebrows – that’s where your contour line should end.
  2. Sweep a bronzer that is two shades darker than your natural skin tone over the area just underneath your cheekbone and continue up to your eyebrow line.
  3. Blend the bronzer in with your skin using an upward sweeping motion.
  4. For added effect, use a highlighter to draw attention right underneath your eyes to the cheekbone you have “created.”
  5. Using a foundation brush or beauty blender, blend the bronzer and highlighter, with your primer or foundation until it takes on a natural look.

Cheek implants

Cheek implants, also called “cheek lifts,” are for people who want to permanently change the shape of their face. A plastic surgeon makes small incisions on the sides of your mouth and inserts a cheekbone made of solid silicone. This surgery requires general anesthesia, and recovery can be uncomfortable. Expect a puffy face and a few days of pain and discomfort for up to a week afterward. Cheekbone implants do provide lasting results. However, as with any surgery, there are many potential side effects.

Dermal fillers

Another option for people who want to have more prominent, high cheekbones is the class of injectable material called “dermal fillers.” Fillers are often made of compounds like hyaluronic acid (HA) or collagen, which over time, your body can absorb. Popular brands of these fillers include Juvederm, Restylane, and Zyplast. Fillers can be injected into the tissue underneath your skin and create a temporary effect of a higher cheekbone. Results can last up to three months.

Personal beauty is an individual and highly subjective thing to evaluate. There aren’t “good” or “bad” cheekbones. There are many different kinds of faces, each with their own charm and beauty. If your cheekbones are a source of insecurity, consider visiting a makeup counter to talk about strategies and products that you might use to make them more prominent.

Cosmetic procedures range from temporary and relatively inexpensive to more serious and costly. Remember that having high cheekbones or low cheekbones isn’t a definite symbol of your attractiveness.

Low Cheekbones vs. High Cheekbones: How to Locate and Modify (2024)

FAQs

How do you know if you have high cheekbones or low cheekbones? ›

If your cheekbone is at the lower part of your nose, you have low cheekbones. If it's directly underneath your eyes, close to where the bridge of your nose begins, you have high cheekbones.

How to create the illusion of a higher cheek bone structure? ›

Use a shade that's slightly lighter than your skin tone to highlight your cheekbones while swiping a shade that's slightly darker than your skin tone onto the hollows of your cheeks. Blend and buff for a professionally-defined look. This will create perfectly chiseled cheekbones in hardly any time at all.

Which is more attractive high or low cheekbones? ›

High cheekbones in relation to the lower half of the face are attractive in both women and men. However, high cheeks have a greater effect on facial attractiveness in women (Woo H.K., 2020, Head Face Med).

Does Angelina Jolie have low cheekbones? ›

High cheekbones are one of the things that make Hollywood superstar Angelina Jolie one of the most attractive women in the world. Her bones are prominent right underneath her eyes, which give her a sexy, attractive look that turns heads.

What ethnicity has high cheekbones? ›

Some ethnicities known for having high cheekbones include Asian, African, and Amerindian. It has been established earlier that certain cultures prefer higher cheekbones to low ones.

Where are high cheekbones most common? ›

The presence of accentuated cheekbones is a beauty trait in many cultures as they form a symmetrical and lifted facial shape. But cheek`s shapes do vary: High cheekbones is a trait for people of Central- and Eastern Europe, Asian Women do show wider mandibles.

What face shapes have high cheekbones? ›

High cheekbones (oval face)

People with oval shaped faces will stay youthful due to “typically high cheekbones, balanced proportions of forehead and cheeks and sharp contours”, Dr Raj said.

What could make your cheekbone appear more defined? ›

Cradle the head with one hand and place your fingertips underneath the cheekbone (Zygomatic muscles) Using medium pressure individually walk your fingertips repeatedly under your cheek muscles with a lifting action from your jaw towards your cheeks. Do this for 30 seconds and repeat on the other side.

How do models get defined cheekbones? ›

Cheek Enhancement with dermal filler has become a standard procedure in many beauty clinics across the world. When performed by experienced cosmetic doctors, cheek enhancement can achieve amazing results, creating supermodel sharp cheeks. Cheek enhancement with dermal fillers is a quick and easy procedure.

Why do guys like girls with high cheekbones? ›

First, they make her face look more narrow. Second, they make her smile more attractive. Taken together, these facts make a woman with high cheekbones more attractive than one with low cheekbones. This is probably the main reason men are attracted to women with high cheekbones.

Which face shape has low cheekbones? ›

According to Nakra, low, flat cheekbones and a small, curved jawbone are common in round face shapes. Ourian agrees, and also says that for round faces, cheeks will be the widest part of the face.

Do guys find high cheekbones attractive? ›

Men and women love pronounced cheekbones, although for different reasons. According to a study in The Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, high cheekbones are seen as an indicator of high oestrogen levels in women, as well as a sign of youthfulness.

What face shapes age the best? ›

Round faces tend to age very well compared to other face shapes due to the fact they store a lot of fat in the cheek area. This can keep you looking younger for longer than those who lose fat quicker. This means that a gaunt and dull complexion takes longer to develop.

What is the most youthful face shape? ›

According to West Palm Beach dermatologist Dr. Kenneth Beer, the heart-shaped face is considered to be the ideal face shape because it is seen as more youthful.

What hairstyle is best for high cheekbones? ›

Women with a high forehead and high cheekbones have rather soft jawline. That's why short, cropped pixies; mid-cut bobs; or long, flowy layers are perfect for heart-shaped faces. Some side bangs will help soften the forehead. Layered ends around your collarbone create the illusion of a smaller jaw and smoother chin.

How rare are high cheekbones? ›

But are high cheekbones rare outside of the modeling industry? Not particularly. People all over the world have high cheekbones. Cosmetic surgeons are often asked how to get high cheekbones, and there's many options besides surgery.

Who has the biggest cheek cheekbones in the world? ›

Anastasia Pokreshchuk from Ukraine, boasts of having the “biggest cheeks in the world, having had numerous filler injections to achieve her extreme protrusion look.

Can you tell your ethnicity by facial features? ›

Ancestry and Genetic Admixture

Ancestry and physical appearance are highly related; it is often possible to infer an individual's recent ancestry based on physically observable features such as facial structure and skin color.

At what body fat percentage do cheekbones show? ›

It is dependent on the individual. Between 11% and 8% of people will have a very similar face. Every percentage step above 7% makes a noticeable difference in my face.

Does Cameron Diaz have high or low cheekbones? ›

In the case your zygomatic bone starts right under your eye, you have high cheekbones! Just like Timothy Chalamet and Cameron Diaz!

Do cheekbones get more defined with age? ›

As you age, your skin becomes thinner and more transparent. Also, your skin can lose some if its natural underlying fat, called cutaneous fat. The fat pads in the cheeks (the malar pads) slide down and forward. This descent and loss of fat in the face can make your facial bones more visible.

What is the rarest face shape? ›

The diamond shaped face is the rarest of face shapes, and is defined by a narrow forehead, wide cheekbones and a narrow chin. Diamond shaped faces are usually narrower at the eye line and jaw line, with high and often dramatic cheekbones.

What sunglass shape is best for high cheekbones? ›

Oval and rimless frames will help compliment wide or high cheekbones. Diamond faces should use frames that feature gentle curves and should not be wider than the wearer's cheekbones.

Are high cheekbones more feminine? ›

Males usually have flatter cheekbones, whereas females possess more prominent cheekbones. Females have more fat in their face, giving the cheeks a rounder, fuller look.

How do I analyze my face shape? ›

To determine which, look at how your forehead, cheekbones, and jawline measure up. If your measurements get gradually narrower from forehead to jawline, your face is heart-shaped or oval. If they're similar all the way down, your face may be oblong, square, or rectangular.

Is there an app to determine face shape? ›

Discover your perfect look with Hiface, a unique app that uses advanced AI technology to determine your face shape and provide personalized recommendations for hairstyles, makeup, glasses, and fashion. Hiface is your go-to style assistant that helps you elevate your look and feel more confident in your appearance.

What does high cheekbones look like? ›

Typically, having high cheekbones means that the widest part of the face is just beneath the eyes, causing the cheek to dip in slightly beneath the bone. Often, this dip causes a slight shadow, which further accentuates this facial feature.

How do you highlight cheekbones with hair? ›

High Cheekbones

Ladies with long hair can get layers that hit right by the cheekbones. Short hair is an option too — opt for a chin-length bob with angular bangs, or go even shorter by getting a pixie cut with long layers at the front and tapered sides. These cuts will surely bring out those beautiful cheekbones.

Is it possible to define your cheekbones? ›

You can't change the shape of your bones without surgery, but you can lose fat through exercise and dieting. Buccal fat reduction surgery or cheek implants may help you achieve hollow cheeks, but these surgeries can be quite expensive. A cheaper option is using makeup to contour your cheeks.

Why are my cheekbones so undefined? ›

Undefined cheekbones can be caused by the natural process of ageing, due to the lack of collagen as we age. Dermal fillers in the cheeks can help increase the volume so that cheekbones are more defined.

What affects cheekbones? ›

Defined cheekbones is partly due to your bone structure, your muscle definition and how much fat padding you have. Of course the bone structure is what you were born with but the muscles can be strengthen like how you would exercise your muscles in the gym and your fat pad can be stimulated through vigorous massage.

Which face shape has high cheekbones? ›

Diamond Face Shape

A pointy chin and high cheekbones define this face shape. Diamond-shaped faces also typically have a narrow forehead.

What face shape do I have if I have high cheekbones? ›

Diamond Face Shape

Typically, cheekbones are high and strong, and the distance between them is slightly wider than the forehead length. The chin is also more narrow and pointed, and the hairline tends to come to a more angular point.

Which face shape ages fastest? ›

Round faces tend to age very well compared to other face shapes due to the fact they store a lot of fat in the cheek area.

Do people with high cheekbones age faster? ›

High cheekbones (oval face)

High cheekbones are a desirable feature when it comes to ageing because the face keeps its shape better. People with oval shaped faces will stay youthful due to “typically high cheekbones, balanced proportions of forehead and cheeks and sharp contours”, Dr Raj said.

Do cheekbones lower with age? ›

Yes, bone loss. Over the age of 35, the number of bone regenerating cells in the face decreases. Gradually, the bone around our eyes widens, leading to eye hollows and flattened cheeks. Then, the bones of the central face and jaw degrade while rotating back and downwards.

Do Europeans have high cheekbones? ›

The majority of Eastern Europeans share quite similar facial features, such as high cheekbones, deep almond-shaped eyes, and circular faces.

Where do you put blush on if you have high cheekbones? ›

#1: Place Blush high on the cheekbones and up to temple to lift the face and accentuate cheekbones. This looks is best if you would like a facelift. #2: Place Blush on the apples of the cheeks to soften the face and give it a youthful appearance.

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