Hot take: Determining your face shape is a waste of your time. I mean sure, knowing whether your face closely resembles a heart or an oval is a fun fact to have on hand, but as far as guiding the way you contour your face or get your hair cut, it isn’t necessary or even that reliable. To prove my point, I spent, like, the first half of my life thinking I had a round face, followed by a time when I thought I had an oval face, and then years thinking I had a square-shaped face. It’s really only a matter of time before I start convincing myself I’m shaped like a rectangle, and you know why? Because faces are always changing, and rarely does someone fit exactly into one category. Okay, rant over. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.

With all that said, I know you clicked on this page because you’re dying to know your closest face-shape match, and who am I to stop you?! So if you would like to know your face shape, keep reading for Chinese face reading expert and author of The Wisdom of Your Face Jean Haner’s expert insight. Below, she breaks down the process of determining the shape of your face into a few simple steps.

How to Determine Your Face Shape Step #1: Measure

Before you start, tie your hair back, and pull your hair off your forehead so you can see your entire face. For the most accurate measurements, Haner recommends whipping out a flexible measuring tape and taking yourself back to third grade geometry, though a rough estimation would also do just fine. If you have a photo of yourself looking directly into the camera, even better. Then, measure the four key distances of your face, listed below.

Forehead Width: Measure the distance across your forehead at the widest point, from hairline to hairline.

Cheekbone Width: From your hairline above your cheekbone, measure the distance across your face to the same spot on the other side.

Jawline Width: Start at the base of your jaw (underneath your ears). Measure the distance along the edge of your jaw until you reach the middle of your chin. Continue to measure the other side or simply multiply that number by two.

Face Length: Begin measuring at the center of your hairline and bring it all the way down until it reaches the tip of your chin.

How to Determine Your Face Shape Step #2: Consider Your Facial Features

Aside from just measuring, there are a few characteristics tied to specific face shapes. For instance, a rounded jawline is typically tied to a rounder face shape, while a pointed chin is closely associated with a heart-shaped face. Take note of the angles and contours of your face to see whether they’re soft or sharp or pronounced or not. Now that you’ve gathered your measurements and a list of characteristics, sort through the six common face shapes listed below, eliminating the types with descriptions that don’t align with your own facial findings.

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