How to Tell If You Have a Long Midface (Plus, The Best Makeup & Hairstyles)

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Expert styling tips to shorten & balance a long midface
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A long midface is a common facial feature that simply means the space between your eyebrows and nose is longer in comparison to your upper and lower face. While this is a unique feature that gives people an elegant and mature look, it’s also okay if it’s something you want to shorten to help your face appear more balanced. In this article, we’ll explain how to tell if you have a long midface and provide makeup, hair, and styling tips to balance out your face, all with the help of professional makeup artists. Keep reading to learn more!

Long Midface Meaning

A long midface means that the area between the eyebrows and bottom of the nose is proportionally longer than the upper face and lower face. This can give someone the appearance of having a longer face. To balance a long midface with makeup, define the lower eyelids, apply blush under the eyes, and overline the lips.

Section 1 of 7:

What is a long midface?

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  1. It means the area from your brows to nose is longer than your upper and lower face. The face is commonly split into 3 horizontal regions: the upper face, from the hairline to the brows; the midface, from the brows to the end of the nose; and the lower face, from the end of the nose to the chin. People who have a long midface have a longer middle region compared to their upper and lower faces, which are about the same length. [1]
    • Celebrity examples : Bella Hadid, Jasmine Tookes, Liv Tyler, Giselle (Aespa), Megan Fox, Iman, Ariana Grande, Kim Kardashian, Hailey Bieber, Sunmi (Wonder Girls)
    • Note : Having a long midface is not the same as having a long face, though it can make your face appear longer. People who have a long midface simply have a longer mid-region in proportion to the rest of the face. Their faces can be long, short, or of average length.

    Meet the wikiHow Experts

    Alicia D'Angelo is a makeup artist with experience working with Dior Makeup, YSL Beauty, and Pat McGrath Labs.

    Anqi Xue is a professional makeup artist and master consultant at Adored Color in Corona, CA.

    Alana Schober is a professional makeup artist at Pout by Lipsticknick in Los Angeles, CA.

    Daniel Vann is a makeup artist and creative director for Daredevil Cosmetics with over 15 years in the cosmetics industry.

    Yuka Arora is a makeup artist with over 5 years of experience in the cosmetics industry.

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Section 2 of 7:

How to Tell If You Have a Long Midface

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  1. Compare the length of your midface to the length of your upper and lower face. Use a measuring tape or ruler to measure your upper face (hairline to brows), midface (brows to end of nose), and lower face (end of nose to chin). Write down each measurement and then compare the length of your midface to the length of your upper and lower face.
    • You likely have a long midface if the length of your midface is longer than the length of your upper face and lower face.
    • If the length of your midface is shorter than the length of your upper face and lower face, you likely have a short midface.
    • If the length of your midface is about the same length as your upper face and lower face, you likely have an average length or proportional midface.
Section 3 of 7:

Makeup Tips to Help Shorten a Long Midface

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  1. 1
    Define your lower eyelids with eyeshadow, eyeliner, and mascara. Emphasizing your lower eyelids can make it appear like there’s less space between your brows and nose, effectively shortening your midface. To define your lower eyelids, follow these steps: [2]
  2. 2
    Apply thin eyeliner and mascara to make your eyes appear bigger. Keeping your makeup simple on your upper eyelids helps your eyes look wider and brighter without adding space to your midface. Use an eyeliner pen or pencil to apply a thin line of eyeliner along your upper lashline. [6] Then, D'Angelo suggests curling your lashes and applying 1 to 2 coats of mascara to open up your eyes even more. [7]
    • If you want to add a wing to your eyeliner, try out puppy eyeliner instead of the classic cat-eye. With this makeup style, you extend the eyeliner downwards at the outer corner of your eye instead of lifting it upwards. [8]
  3. 3
    Place blush on the center of your cheeks and under your eyes. Focusing your blush on the apples of your cheeks helps add visual interest to the midface, lessening the appearance of “empty” space and shortening the area. [9] Simply take your favorite cream or powder blush and dab it onto the apples of your cheeks, keeping it in line with your irises and next to the side of your nose, says makeup artist Alana Schober. This blush placement also gives you a more youthful and bright appearance. [10]
    • According to Schober, sweeping your blush along your cheekbones and into your temples gives you a more snatched and lifted look. [11] So, this can make your midface look longer.
    • Consider brushing a bit of blush on top of your nose bridge, too. This can help shorten your midface even more and give you a more cutesy, youthful look.
  4. 4
    Contour your nose to help it appear shorter. According to licensed aesthetician Daniel Vann, anything you contour gets pushed back into space. When you contour your nose , you can make it look less prominent, which can shorten your midface. Vann suggests brushing contour just under the tip of the nose to help it appear shorter. [12] Then, draw contour on the sides of your nose, starting at your eyes and ending about midway down your nose. [13]
    • Avoid contouring down the entire length of your nose, as this can make it appear longer and lengthen your midface.
    • If you want to add a bit of highlight, just dab it on the tip of your nose. Highlighter brings your features forward, says Vann, so highlighting your nose bridge can make it look longer. [14]
  5. 5
    Overline your lips and highlight your Cupid’s bow. Making your lips appear plumper and more prominent draws focus to your lower face, which can help your midface appear more balanced. Makeup artist Yuka Arora suggests using a lip liner to slightly overline your Cupid’s bow and the center of your bottom lip. Then, follow your natural lip line along the outer corners. Brush a bit of highlight onto your Cupid’s bow, either with concealer or a shimmery powder, to emphasize your lips even more. [15]
    • Fill in your lips with the lip liner or a similar lipstick shade. Then, Arora recommends applying a gloss to make your lips look extra voluminous and plump. [16]
  6. 6
    Draw your eyebrows flatter and less arched. Reducing the height of your eyebrows is another easy way to make your midface appear shorter and more balanced. Use an eyebrow pencil to create short, thin strokes along the top and bottom of your brow to create a straighter line. You can also use a bit of concealer or foundation to cover up your natural arch. [17]
    • Lower brows can also help make your midface appear shorter, so consider thickening the bottom of your brows so they look farther down on your face.
    • Consider using a lighter colored eyebrow pencil to make your eyebrows appear less prominent, which can also help your midface look shorter.
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Section 4 of 7:

Hairstyles for a Long Midface

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  1. Opt for shorter, more voluminous styles to balance out your midface. Shorter, chin-length hairstyles draw the eye up, which can help your long midface appear shorter. Additionally, adding more volume to your hair with layers, bangs, or curls widens your face, which also helps to shorten your midface. Some great hairstyles to try include: [18]
    • Chin-length cuts
    • Longer cuts with layers that end above the chin
    • Face-framing layers that end above the chin
    • Curtain, side-swept, or wispy bangs
    • Big, bouncy curls or waves
    • Up-dos (high ponytails, messy buns, etc.)
Section 5 of 7:

Glasses Styles for a Long Midface

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  1. Choose eyeglasses and sunglasses with longer frames. Whether you wear prescription glasses or need a new pair of sunglasses, longer frames are a flattering choice for a long midface. Glasses with longer frames, like aviators or oversized square, round, or geometric pairs, break up your midface and add visual interest to the “empty” space, which can help it appear shorter.
    • You might want to avoid cat-eye glasses, as the lifted outer corners can add length to your upper eye area, making your midface appear longer.
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Section 6 of 7:

Long Midface vs Long Philtrum

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  1. A long philtrum can make your face look longer, but it's a part of your lower face. A long midface and a long philtrum (which is the groove between the base of your nose and top lip) are 2 separate facial features that can make your face appear longer. However, having a long philtrum does not indicate that you have a long midface, as your philtrum is a part of your lower face. [19]
    • Since a long midface and long philtrum are 2 separate features, it is possible to have both.
Section 7 of 7:

Frequently Asked Questions

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  1. 1
    Is a long midface attractive? Yes, lots of people consider a long midface an attractive feature. When someone has a long midface, they often have an elegant and mature look, and give off an ethereal, regal, and high-fantasy vibe.
    • There’s definitely nothing wrong with having a long midface! They’re not “better” or “worse” to have than a short or average-length midface. A long midface is simply a facial feature that adds to someone’s uniqueness and beauty.
  2. 2
    What causes a long midface? Having a long midface is usually determined by your genetics. How your features are shaped and arranged on your face is largely determined by your DNA and are typically something you inherit from your parents. [20]
  3. 3
    Are there treatments or surgeries that can shorten a long midface? Procedures that make your lips appear fuller, like lip fillers, a Botox lip flip, and a surgical lip lift, can draw the eye to your lower face and help balance out your midface. [21] Cheek fillers or surgical implants can help add structure and width to your midface, which might help it appear shorter, too. [22]
    • If you’re looking to shorten your midface with cosmetic procedures, talk with a board-certified physician, surgeon, or registered nurse to find out what types of injections, surgeries, or other treatments can give you the results you want.
    • Remember, there’s nothing wrong with having a long midface! It’s a beautiful feature that makes your face unique. Don’t feel like you have to hide or change it if you don’t want to.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://youtu.be/oV_YUDxqhWI?si=xVYAtvU-knwPy1Bg&t=194
      2. ↑ https://youtu.be/EJVfj8fWpIQ?si=43uPQ7v0CiZEx03z&t=107
      3. ↑ Alicia D'Angelo. Makeup Artist & Hair Stylist. Expert Interview
      4. ↑ Alicia D'Angelo. Makeup Artist & Hair Stylist. Expert Interview
      5. ↑ Anqi Xue. Master Color Analysis Consultant & Professional Makeup Artist. Expert Interview
      6. ↑ https://youtu.be/EJVfj8fWpIQ?si=INfPqJniMfM9FekX&t=123
      7. ↑ Alicia D'Angelo. Makeup Artist & Hair Stylist. Expert Interview
      8. ↑ https://youtu.be/YhmYjx_HzhM?si=Lxq1c6MO2kZXd5Mt&t=93
      9. ↑ https://youtu.be/EJVfj8fWpIQ?si=YlYb-QyM-EsCJYhH&t=150
      1. ↑ Alana Schober. Pout Pro Makeup Artist. Expert Interview
      2. ↑ Alana Schober. Pout Pro Makeup Artist. Expert Interview
      3. ↑ Daniel Vann. Licensed Aesthetician. Expert Interview
      4. ↑ https://youtu.be/oV_YUDxqhWI?si=KJ1bJ3OdecOX6UZN&t=604
      5. ↑ Daniel Vann. Licensed Aesthetician. Expert Interview
      6. ↑ Yuka Arora. Makeup Artist. Expert Interview
      7. ↑ Yuka Arora. Makeup Artist. Expert Interview
      8. ↑ https://youtu.be/oV_YUDxqhWI?si=duqb2wPBBj1LoqoN&t=556
      9. ↑ https://youtu.be/658Nr_qqqh8?si=QXk_NX05X0zUAH1_&t=264
      10. ↑ https://elementsofmorphology.nih.gov/index.cgi?tid=6e8169f9668cf95ffe7aad93a28f672b
      11. ↑ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5289863/
      12. ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/22362-lip-flip
      13. ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/24260-cheek-filler

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