There are seven main face shapes: oval, round, square, heart, diamond, oblong (rectangle) and triangle (pear). Your face shape is decided by four things: the width of your forehead, cheekbones and jaw, and the length of your face from hairline to chin. Knowing your shape helps you choose haircuts, glasses, brows and contour that balance your features. Most people are a mix of two shapes, so use this guide as a starting point rather than a strict rule.
How to Find Your Face Shape
Pull your hair back and use a soft measuring tape (or a front-facing selfie with your face straight and relaxed):
- Forehead: measure across the widest part, hairline to hairline.
- Cheekbones: measure across the widest point of your cheekbones.
- Jawline: measure from below one ear to the tip of the chin, then double it.
- Face length: measure from the centre of your hairline to the bottom of your chin.
Then compare: which measurement is the largest, and is your face clearly longer than it is wide? Check the jaw too: is it rounded, angular or pointed?
The 7 Face Shapes at a Glance
| Face shape | Widest part | Length vs width | Jaw |
| Oval | Cheekbones (forehead slightly wider than jaw) | About 1.5 times longer than wide | Soft, rounded |
| Round | Cheekbones | About equal | Soft, rounded |
| Square | Forehead, cheeks and jaw similar | About equal | Strong, angular |
| Heart | Forehead | Slightly longer | Narrow, pointed chin |
| Diamond | Cheekbones (narrow forehead and jaw) | Longer | Pointed or narrow |
| Oblong / rectangle | All similar | Clearly longer than wide | Straight or slightly rounded |
| Triangle / pear | Jaw | Varies | Wide, strong |
Oval Face Shape
Balanced and slightly longer than wide, with a gently rounded jaw. Often called the most versatile shape.
- Hair: almost anything, from pixie cuts to long layers. Avoid heavy bangs that hide your proportions.
- Glasses: most frames; wide rectangular or geometric frames look great.
- Makeup: light contour only; focus on blush on the apples of the cheeks.
Round Face Shape
Width and length are similar, with full cheeks and a soft jaw.
- Hair: height at the crown, long layers, side parts and side-swept bangs. Avoid chin-length blunt bobs.
- Glasses: angular, rectangular or cat-eye frames.
- Makeup: contour under the cheekbones and along the jaw; arched brows add structure.
Square Face Shape
Forehead, cheekbones and jaw are similar widths with a strong, angular jaw.
- Hair: soft waves, curtain bangs, layers around the jaw, side parts. Avoid blunt cuts that end at the jaw.
- Glasses: round or oval frames soften the angles.
- Makeup: soften the jaw corners with contour; rounded brows.
Heart Face Shape
A wider forehead and cheekbones tapering to a narrow, pointed chin, sometimes with a widow’s peak.
- Hair: side-swept or curtain bangs, chin-length bobs and volume at the jaw. Avoid lots of volume at the crown.
- Glasses: bottom-heavy, oval or rimless frames.
- Makeup: contour the temples; add blush lower on the cheeks.
Diamond Face Shape
Wide, high cheekbones with a narrow forehead and chin. The rarest shape.
- Hair: fringes and chin-length styles that add width at the forehead and jaw; tucking hair behind the ears shows off cheekbones.
- Glasses: oval or cat-eye frames with detail on the top line.
- Makeup: highlight the forehead and chin; soft contour on the cheekbones.
Oblong (Rectangle) Face Shape
Clearly longer than wide, with fairly straight sides.
- Hair: bangs, waves and volume at the sides; shoulder-length cuts. Avoid very long, straight, flat hair and lots of height on top.
- Glasses: deep, oversized or round frames.
- Makeup: contour the top of the forehead and under the chin to shorten; blush across the cheeks horizontally.
Triangle (Pear) Face Shape
The jaw is the widest part, with a narrower forehead.
- Hair: volume and layers at the crown and temples; side bangs. Avoid volume at the jaw.
- Glasses: top-heavy, browline or cat-eye frames.
- Makeup: highlight the forehead; contour the jaw corners.
Face Shapes and Lips
Lip proportions also affect how balanced your face looks. A thin upper lip can make the lower face look longer, which is why some people consider a subtle lip flip. Read our lip flip before and after guide to see what it can and cannot change.
Face Shapes FAQs
What is the most common face shape?
Oval and round are generally considered the most common, but most people are a combination of two shapes.
Can your face shape change?
Yes, a little. Weight changes, ageing (loss of fat and collagen, jowls) and even dental work can change how your face shape looks.
Are face shape apps accurate?
They are a helpful starting point but depend on photo angle and lighting. The tape-measure method is more reliable.
What is the most attractive face shape?
There is no single best shape. Oval is called the “ideal” in makeup guides only because it is balanced, but every shape can look striking with the right styling.
Explore more beauty guides on our blog.
Sources: Beautyblender: How to find your face shape; Omni Calculator: Face shape calculator; The Smile Tracker: 7 face shapes.
