Introduction to Visagism and Proportions

The quest for symmetry and the ideal canon.

Visagism is defined as the art of analyzing facial features to enhance the unique beauty of each individual through aesthetic techniques.

The central objective of this discipline is to achieve a visual harmony that brings the perception of the face closer to the shape considered ideal: the oval.

Let us imagine this shape not as a rigid rule, but as a balanced canvas where no one area (forehead, cheekbones or jawline) excessively dominates the others.

By understanding the client's current proportions, the consultant does not seek to "correct defects," but rather to apply optical tools - such as haircuts, makeup or accessories - to generate a sense of balance and golden ratio.

Diagnostic techniques and facial measurements

To determine facial morphology accurately, it is necessary to go beyond simple intuition.

Professional protocol requires that the face be completely uncluttered, with hair pulled back and no makeup to alter the natural shadows.

An effective technique is to use a frontal photograph of the client (with a neutral expression) and draw guide lines on it, or to do so in front of a mirror.

Three main horizontal axes are eva luated: the hairline, the eye/cheek line and the jaw line.

By comparing the width of these three points and relating them to the vertical length of the face, we can decipher the underlying geometry.

The rule of thirds and visual assessment

A fundamental analytical method divides the face into three horizontal sections: the upper third (from the hairline to between the eyebrows), the middle third (from between the eyebrows to the base of the nose) and the lower third (from the base of the nose to the chin).

In a theoretically perfect face, these three sections should be of similar height.

If the lower third is significantly larger, we could be looking at an elongated or rectangular face; if the upper third is very wide compared to the lower third, we could identify an inverted triangle shape.

This segmentation allows the consultant to quickly identify which area needs to be visually "shortened" or "widened" through styling.

Summary

Visagism is the art of analyzing the features to enhance unique beauty through aesthetic techniques. Its central objective is to achieve visual harmony that brings the face closer to the ideal oval.

For an accurate diagnosis, the face must be uncluttered and free of makeup. Three horizontal axes (hairline, eyes and jaw) are eva luated by comparing them with the vertical length.

The rule of thirds divides the face into three horizontal sections to identify disproportions. This allows the consultant to know which area needs to be visually shortened or enlarged through styling.