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EveryFaceShape

History

Fashions of the past and famous faces. 90 face guides on EveryFaceShape so far.

Face fashions of the past show how much ideals change: the kohl-lined eyes of ancient Egypt, the shaved and repainted brows of Heian Japan, the white lead ceruse and silk beauty patches of Renaissance and eighteenth-century Europe, the whiskers of the Victorians, and the monocle and pince-nez. Each was once ordinary, and each says something about its time.

Old ideals

Egyptian men and women lined their eyes with kohl more than 5,000 years ago. Heian court women in Japan removed their brows and painted new ones high on the forehead, and blackened their teeth. In Europe, Elizabeth I is pictured with a face whitened by ceruse, which contained lead. In eighteenth-century France, silk mouches imitated beauty marks.

Whiskers and frames

In the nineteenth century sideburns, mutton chops and full beards became the norm for European and American men, and armies required moustaches. Pince-nez and monocles were the fashionable eyewear. The clean-shaven face spread in the twentieth century with safety razors and the First World War. The toothbrush moustache, popular early in the century, became rare after the Second World War.

Famous history face guides

Beauty markImitated with silk patchesHikimayuHeian Japan's painted browsOhaguroJapanese teeth blackeningPince-nezNineteenth-century eyewearMonocleA single lens of the Victorian eraToothbrush moustachePopular early in the twentieth century

Still to be written: Venetian ceruse.

Further reading

KindFace shapeEyesNoseLipsBrowsJaw and cheeksHairlineSkinBeardMoustacheFrameAdornmentMakeupMarking
SuitsOval facesRound facesSquare facesHeart-shaped facesDiamond facesOblong facesTriangle facesMost faces
OriginInherited featuresGrown and groomedWornAppliedMarkedChanges with age
OrderBest knownA to ZOldest firstNewest first
🇳🇿 New ZealandTā moko Traditional permanent facial and body markings of the Māori people of New Zealand.Marking 🇮🇳 IndiaKesh Uncut hair kept as a religious symbol in Sikhism, part of the Five Ks.Marking · 1699 🇲🇽 MexicoCalavera Decorative or edible skulls made for the Mexican Day of the Dead.Adornment 🇳🇬 Nigeria and 2 moreYoruba tribal marks Scarification patterns used by the Yoruba people for identity and beauty.Marking WorldEyebrow Short terminal hairs above the eye that protect the socket and aid facial expression.Brows WorldForehead The area of the head above the eyes and below the hairline.Hairline WorldPhiltrum A vertical groove in the upper lip found in humans and many mammals.Eyes · Most faces WorldDimple A small natural indentation in the flesh, most notably on the cheek.Skin · Most faces WorldAquiline nose A human nose with a prominent bridge that curves or bends slightly.Nose 🇮🇳 IndiaTripundra Three horizontal ash lines on the forehead worn by Shaivite Hindus.Adornment WorldSideburns Facial hair grown on the sides of the face from the hairline.Beard · Most faces WorldMonolids An upper eyelid form without a visible crease, common in East Asian populations.Eyes WorldGroucho glasses Novelty frames with fake nose and moustache mimicking Groucho MarxFrame WorldFacial hair Hair grown on the human face, primarily a male secondary sex characteristic.Beard · Most faces 🇩🇪 GermanyMonocle A single corrective lens held in the eye socket by one eye.Frame · Most faces · 1830 WorldVan Dyke beard A moustache and goatee with shaved cheeks.Beard · Most faces 🇮🇳 India and 1 moreThreading Hair removal using twisted cotton threadAdornment · Most faces Ned Kelly beard 🇦🇺 AustraliaNed Kelly beard Full beard and moustache style named after an Australian outlaw.Beard · Most faces 🇵🇱 Poland and 1 moreWalrus moustache Thick, bushy facial hair that covers the upper lip.Moustache · Most faces Soul patch WorldSoul patch A small patch of facial hair worn between the lower lip and the chin.Beard · 1986 🇮🇱 Israel and 1 morePayot Sidelocks worn by Orthodox Jewish men as a religious observance.Beard WorldFu Manchu moustache A long moustache with two hanging tendrils.Moustache · 1929 WorldBeard Facial hair on the jaw, chin, cheeks and neck of adult males.Beard 🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreToothbrush moustache A narrow moustache trimmed to the width of the nose.Moustache · 1890 WorldChinstrap beard A narrow line of hair tracing the jaw from ear to ear.Beard · Most faces WorldHandlebar moustache A moustache with long ends curled upwards like bicycle bars.Moustache · Most faces WorldGoatee Facial hair focused on the chin, sometimes including a moustache.Beard · 1950 WorldMoustache Facial hair grown above the upper lip and under the nose.Moustache · Most faces Amazigh facial tattoos 🇩🇿 Algeria and 3 moreAmazigh facial tattoos Traditional geometric skin markings of North African Amazigh women.Marking Seminole face paint 🇺🇸 United StatesSeminole face paint Traditional Seminole facial markings for ceremony and war.Makeup · Most faces Maang tikka 🇮🇳 India and 1 moreMaang tikka A traditional South Asian forehead ornament worn along the hair parting.Adornment Greek nose WorldGreek nose A nose shape defined by a straight bridge and narrow nostrils.Nose Full beard WorldFull beard A traditional style covering the cheeks, jaw, and chin.Beard · Oval faces Rajasthani moustache 🇮🇳 IndiaRajasthani moustache A curled upper-lip style linked to Indian heritage.Moustache · Most faces Ainu lip tattoos 🇯🇵 JapanAinu lip tattoos Traditional facial markings worn by Ainu women to mark maturity and protect the spirit.Marking Nath 🇮🇳 India and 1 moreNath Traditional nose ornament worn in South Asia and the Middle East.Adornment · Most faces Chin facial tattoos 🇲🇲 MyanmarChin facial tattoos Traditional facial ink patterns worn by Chin women in Myanmar.Marking Día de los Muertos face paint 🇲🇽 MexicoDía de los Muertos face paint Skull-style makeup worn during Mexican Day of the Dead celebrations to honour ancestors.Makeup · Most faces · 1913 Atayal facial tattoos 🇹🇼 TaiwanAtayal facial tattoos Traditional markings of the Atayal people in Taiwan, signifying skill and spiritual passage.Marking Apatani facial tattoos 🇮🇳 IndiaApatani facial tattoos Facial tattoos and nose plugs of Apatani women in IndiaMarking Verdi beard 🇮🇹 ItalyVerdi beard A full beard paired with a distinct moustache.Beard · Most faces Peking opera face paint 🇨🇳 ChinaPeking opera face paint Symbolic oil-based makeup for Chinese opera characters.Makeup · Most faces
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Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

The weekly digest

Every Monday: the face guide of the day, new pages on EveryFaceShape, and the conferences and anniversaries of the week ahead.