How To Tell If You Have High Cheekbones Vs. Low Cheekbones

What's so great about high cheekbones, anyway? You're always hearing models described as having them, and so many makeup techniques are meant to give you that oh-so-desirable high-cheekbone look. According to the Journal for Cosmetic Dermatology (posted at Wiley Online Library), high cheekbones are overwhelmingly favored worldwide as an indicator of female beauty, and, as it turns out, there's actually a scientific reason for this. 

High cheekbones are correlated with higher estrogen levels, and on some very primitive level, our brains still equate fertility with beauty. Magnum Workshop also points out that high cheekbones indicate that you've lost your childhood baby fat, but have yet to experience the effects of aging that will see your cheekbones (and every other part of your body) start to sink. That's yet another indicator that you're in your physical "prime" –- meaning your peak reproductive years.

So if you have low cheekbones, is it all over for you? No, not at all. Science doesn't always get to dictate what we find attractive, and there are certain celebs -– Angelina Jolie, for one -– who are considered quite lovely even though their cheekbones are on the low side. There are also ways to make your cheekbones look higher, if, in fact, this is even necessary. The first step, of course, is determining just what type of cheekbones you have.

High cheekbones are positioned just below the eyes or in line with the bridge of the nose, while low cheekbones are lined up with your nostrils. Not entirely sure where your cheekbones are lying relative to the rest of your face? Entity suggests the following simple test that requires no equipment apart from your fingers and a mirror. Just put your thumb on top of your ear, then put your pointer finger of the same hand alongside your nostril. That hard thing you feel under your outstretched finger? It's your cheekbone. If you have a well-padded face, it may be harder to see or feel, but a bright light may help, as will having your face free of makeup.

Another indicator that your cheekbones are high is if your face is at its widest point right below the eyes, as would be the case with a diamond-shaped face. Such a facial structure tends to cause the cheeks to hollow out slightly below the cheekbone, which is something makeup artists try to emulate with contouring. If you have this effect without any makeup at all, consider yourself fortunate indeed!

If you perform the cheekbone test and find out that yours are on the low side, don't get too upset about it. Cheekbone position alone doesn't make or break your natural beauty. If you do want a more high-cheek-boned look, though, there's always the aforementioned contouring, with no fewer than a zillion or so YouTube tutorials on the subject.

If you're looking for a more permanent change to your appearance, you can always try mewing, which is a technique that involves positioning your jaw and tongue just right in order to realign your face. Magnum Workshop warns that mewing takes some time, though. It works more quickly if you're young enough that your face bones are still pretty malleable, but if you've already passed your 20th birthday it will likely take at least a few years to see results. If you want something quicker, you can always get temporary cheek fillers made from collagen or hyaluronic acid, or for a permanent fix, you can go with cheek implant surgery using silicon enhancements. Such surgery won't be cheap or easy, but it will dramatically change your face. If you don't like the changes, though, even permanent silicon implants can be removed.