How to Reduce the Size of Your Nose

Having a larger nose is nothing to be ashamed of, but if you're feeling self-conscious about it, there are some tricks and techniques that can help minimize its appearance. Contouring and makeup tips are some of the most popular methods, but to enhance the effect, you can also incorporate hairstyle and accessories.

Prepare your face with a cleanser and moisturizer. Wash your face with a facial cleanser and pat it dry. Apply a light layer of toner before moisturizing.

• It's crucial to have a clean face before applying makeup.
• Contouring is a makeup technique that highlights the natural darker areas of your face. Depending on how you contour, certain areas of your face may appear smaller or larger.

Even out your skin tone with foundation. If you don't already have a common foundation, choose one that closely matches your natural skin tone. Apply the foundation all over your face, including your nose.

• To make the foundation blend better, use a primer before applying the foundation.

Apply a darker foundation to the sides of your nose. Choose a foundation that is 1-2 shades darker than your natural skin tone. Draw two lines on either side of the nose and blend them out.

• If you have a long and wide nose, you may want to contour the tip of the nose as well.
• The most important part of contouring is blending. Use a makeup brush or sponge to blend the dark areas into the base layer of foundation underneath. Once done, the darker foundation should appear as a natural shadow, not a harsh line.
• You can use either powder or liquid contour products.

Use a lighter shade for the bridge of your nose. Choose a foundation that is one shade lighter than your natural skin tone. Apply a thin line down the bridge of your nose, from between the eyes to the tip of the nose and nostrils.

• This layer of foundation will highlight your nose, making the shadows on the sides more effective.
• As with the previous step, blend the highlight into the darker contour and base layer as naturally as possible. Make sure the transition between light and dark areas is seamless.

Apply translucent setting powder to the sides of your nose. Choose a finely milled, matte powder and apply it to the sides of your nose where you’ve contoured.

• This powder will set the contour lines and hide imperfections in the foundation, making the makeup look more natural.
• Ensure you’re using a matte setting powder. Shimmering powders will draw attention to the areas you’ve applied them, so using them on contoured areas may highlight them too much.

Highlight your eyes or lips. A great way to downplay a prominent nose is to make other facial features stand out. Bold eye makeup or daring lipstick will draw attention to your eyes or lips, shifting focus away from the nose.

• If you choose to highlight your eyes, try using black eyeliner and mascara.
• If you prefer to emphasize your lips, opt for a bright or bold lipstick. Glossy or sparkly lip colors are also very effective.
• Stick to focusing on one feature at a time. Heavy makeup on both eyes and lips will make your face look heavier.

Subtly draw attention to your cheekbones. As an addition to accentuating your eyes or lips, you can balance it out by highlighting your cheekbones.

• Choose blush or a powder darker than your natural skin tone and apply it to your cheekbones. Shimmery blush works best, as it reflects light on the skin.
• Alternatively, you can lightly apply bronzer along your cheekbone to make that area brighter and more defined.

Avoid making your skin too shiny. In general, try to prevent your nose from looking shiny. Excess shine draws attention to that area, making it appear larger.

• The key is to keep your nose as oil-free as possible. Use a gentle facial cleanser on your nose every morning and evening. Harsh cleansers can irritate the skin, causing it to produce more oil. Throughout the day, you can blot oil from your nose using a tissue or oil-absorbing blotting papers.
• Always follow up with toner and moisturizer after cleansing your face.
• When applying makeup to your nose, opt for matte products rather than anything too shiny. Remember to use a primer before foundation to prevent oil from disrupting your makeup.

Go for longer hair. Medium-length or long hair is a better choice than short hair if you want to divert attention away from certain features on your face. Short hair tends to frame the face, highlighting the nose and making it appear larger. Longer or medium-length hair helps balance the facial features, making them look smaller.

Layer your hair. Straight, blunt hair creates a series of vertical lines that accentuate your nose, which is the longest and most prominent feature on your face. Instead, opt for layered cuts to soften your face and add more roundness.

• While any layered hairstyle is better than blunt cuts, a wavy, layered style is the most flattering. The soft waves balance out the sharp lines of your nose.

Go for waves or curls. Wavy or curled hair breaks up harsh features on your face, especially the long, straight nose that is usually the most noticeable.

• Use a curling iron, hot rollers, or a flat iron to create gentle waves in your hair.

Avoid ponytails. Sleek, tight ponytails highlight the sharp angles of your face and draw attention to your nose. The more angular your face, the more your nose stands out.

• When tying your hair back in a ponytail or bun, consider adding some volume or leaving a few strands loose around your face for a softer, more balanced look.

Part your hair to one side. A middle part creates a straight line that leads to your nose, drawing attention to it.

• Conversely, a side part helps to balance the features of your face, drawing focus away from your nose and softening its appearance.

Try bangs. Bangs can help conceal a larger nose, but avoid straight-across styles as they will only emphasize the straight line of your nose.

• When choosing bangs, go for side-swept or soft, wispy bangs to balance the angles of your face and soften your overall look.

Keep your hair tidy and away from your face. While bangs can be effective, a neat updo might be even more practical, especially if you're not fond of having your face framed by bangs.

• The idea here is to balance the features of your face. When your hair covers your forehead and the sides of your face, it makes your face appear smaller, but the nose tends to stay prominent. As a result, the nose becomes the most noticeable feature on your face. Keeping your hair out of your face helps to avoid this.
• However, men with larger noses who wish to minimize them may find that growing a beard or mustache helps balance their facial features.

Choose glasses with a wide, low bridge. A low bridge will help divide your nose horizontally, giving it a more balanced appearance. This makes the lower part of the nose, where attention tends to focus, appear smaller. A wide bridge frame will enhance this effect even further.

• Larger frames are better than smaller ones. Bigger frames compete with the size of your nose, helping to balance it, while smaller frames draw attention to your nose’s size.
• Another option is wearing contact lenses. Since glasses rest on your nose, they naturally draw attention to it. Using contacts instead will help avoid highlighting this feature.

Wear earrings. Your ears and nose are aligned horizontally on your face. A short, ornate earring will draw attention to this horizontal line, meaning it will highlight your nose. Larger earrings that dangle below the earlobe will widen the horizontal line of your face, making the nose appear smaller compared to the earrings.

• If you prefer not to wear long earrings, choose shorter ones that cover the earlobe. This shifts attention to the sides of the face, reducing the focus on the nose.
• Round earrings that occupy both horizontal and vertical space are better than those that emphasize just one dimension. Earrings that emphasize a vertical line will draw attention to the straight lines of your nose.

Choose a hat with a prominent brim. Both men and women should seek hats with a round brim or one that slopes downward at the front. A hat with a brim that extends across the face can make the forehead appear wider, making the nose appear shorter and more proportional.

• Avoid wearing a tricorne hat, as its sharply pointed brim above the forehead emphasizes the nose.
• Hats with a larger brim in the front than the back create a more flattering effect around the forehead, compared to hats with evenly sized brims.
• Make sure the top of the hat isn't pulled too tightly forward over your face. Ideally, the hat should have a moderate height to maintain a balanced visual appearance. Avoid hats with a sharply tapered top.
• Consider hats with wide bands or colorful ribbons on the brim, as these details can draw attention away from your nose.

• Toner
• Matte foundation in three shades (natural, darker, lighter)
• Matte setting powder
• Lipstick
• Mascara
• Eyeshadow
• Blush or bronzer
• Gentle facial cleanser
• Oil blotting paper
• Curling iron, hair rollers, or hair straightener.
• Eyeglasses or contact lenses.
• Large earrings
• Wide-brimmed hat