What Is Visual Weight, And Why Is It Important?

If you’ve spent time on TikTok, you’ve probably seen the Bold Glamor filter. I initially found this filter fun, as it made me feel beautiful. But then I started to feel like it made me look more like James Charles than like myself.

The same thing happened when I tried wearing heavier makeup. I’ve seen girls play up their eyes or lips with dramatic makeup and look amazing, but I felt like a clown when I tried it. I figured that I just wasn’t putting it on correctly. 

But then, I learned about “visual weight” on TikTok. And now, my aversion to heavy makeup on my face makes so much sense. 

“Visual weight” is how much attention certain parts of a design attract, and it applies to our faces, too. In the case of faces, it’s all about how much attention you give to specific details of your face. 

In this video by @princessraquelle on TikTok, you can learn about this concept. If you have a larger face with smaller features, yours is probably lower. Therefore, if you have a smaller face with larger features, you probably have a high “visual weight.”

Typically, individuals with sharper features have high “visual weight.” Their features tend to stand out and catch your attention. Some celebrities include Angelina Jolie, Johnny Depp, and Rihanna.

If you have a lower “visual weight,” then your features likely look softer and less prominent. If you have more balanced features instead of one or two of your features grabbing all the attention, you’ll also have a low “visual weight.” Celebrities include Cate Blanchett, Kate Winslet, and Timothee Chalamet.

Most people, however, fall somewhere in between “high” and “low” on this spectrum. This means that some of your features may stand out more than others, but they don’t necessarily stand out as sharply as they would otherwise. People like Jennifer Lawrence, Emma Watson, and Ryan Gosling would fall in the middle. 

So, you might want to know how I can determine my visual weight. All you need is your phone and your camera! Here’s how to figure it out.

1. Take a selfie. 
2. Next, place a black-and-white filter on the photo.
3. Then, edit the contrast on your photo. First, set the contrast to -100 and take a screenshot, then repeat the process with the contrast set to 100. 
4. Determine whether your features “pop” more on the contrast of -100 or 100. If they stand out more with a contrast of -100, you have a lower “visual weight.” If your features stand out more with a contrast of 100, you have a higher “visual weight.” If they look the same in each photo, you have a balanced one.

Here are a few makeup tips to try out!

Makeup for high “visual weight:”

Try dramatic makeup, like a bold red lip, a bright eyeshadow, or a strong contour. These looks will help accentuate your robust features. Just highlight only one or two of your features at a time!

Makeup for low “visual weight:”

Try a more subtle look with “natural” eye, lip, and blush colors. Finish your look with a soft contour and lightly-filled brows. To avoid drawing attention to too many parts of your face, prevent heavy eyeliner and bold eyeshadow!

Makeup for balanced “visual weight:”

Use some neutral tones but play up other features with a pop of lip or eye color. You may need to experiment to determine which looks you like and which ones you’d rather not try again.

If you want to up your makeup look, start by figuring out your “visual weight.” This way, you can accentuate your natural beauty and have fun whenever you want to try a new look!

Featured image via Atikh Bana on Unsplash