Face Shape Guide

What Is My Face Shape? 4 Ways to Find Out

Knowing your face shape is the starting point for better hairstyle, glasses, beard, makeup, and accessory choices. This page explains all four methods for identifying your face shape — from the fastest (AI analysis, 30 seconds) to the most hands-on (tape measure). It also covers what to do if you fall between two shapes, which is more common than a clear result.

If you want to skip straight to the result: use the free AI detector — upload a photo and get your face shape in under 30 seconds.

The 7 Face Shapes Explained

There are seven widely recognised face shapes, each defined by the relative widths of the forehead, cheekbones, and jaw, combined with the ratio of face length to width. Most people fit primarily into one shape, though many sit between two.

Oval

Face length > width. Forehead slightly wider than jaw. Gently tapered edges. Most balanced shape.

Round

Width ≈ length. Full cheeks. Soft, curved jaw with no sharp angles.

Square

Forehead ≈ cheekbones ≈ jaw. Angular jaw corners. Face roughly as wide as long.

Heart

Forehead widest. Jaw significantly narrower. Often with a widow's peak. Narrow pointed chin.

Diamond

Cheekbones are widest. Both forehead and jaw are narrow. Pointed chin.

Oblong

Significantly longer than wide. Forehead, cheekbones, and jaw all similar width. Straight sides.

Triangle

Jaw is widest. Forehead significantly narrower than jaw. Opposite of heart shape.

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4 Methods to Find Your Face Shape

01

AI Photo Analysis (Fastest & Most Accurate)

⏱ 30 seconds· Accuracy: Highest

Step-by-step

  1. 1Go to faceshapedetector.app (the tool on this site)
  2. 2Upload a front-facing photo OR use your camera directly
  3. 3Ensure the photo has: good lighting, hair pulled back from the forehead, neutral expression, face centred in frame
  4. 4Click Analyze — the AI identifies 468 facial landmarks and computes your proportional ratios
  5. 5Your face shape result appears with a confidence percentage and personalised recommendations

Note: This method uses Google's MediaPipe Face Mesh — the same technology used in professional computer vision applications. It measures the actual proportional relationships between facial zones, which is why it is more accurate than visual estimation. The photo is processed entirely in your browser and never uploaded to any server.

Use the free AI face shape detector →
02

Mirror Tracing Method

⏱ 5 minutes· Accuracy: Medium

Step-by-step

  1. 1Stand or sit about 30cm from a mirror, face level with the glass
  2. 2Pull all hair back away from your face — use a headband if needed
  3. 3Close one eye (reduces parallax error from binocular vision)
  4. 4Using a washable marker, trace the outline of your face on the mirror surface
  5. 5Step back and look at the shape you have drawn
  6. 6Compare the outline to the seven face shape silhouettes

Note: This method works because the mirror removes the distortion of looking at your own face from within it. By tracing the outline with one eye closed, you see your face as a 2D silhouette — the same way a hairstylist reads a face shape. The main limitation is parallax: even with one eye closed, small positioning differences can affect the outline. Compare the result against the measurement method if you are uncertain.

03

Tape Measure Method

⏱ 10 minutes· Accuracy: High (when done correctly)

Step-by-step

  1. 1Use a flexible fabric measuring tape
  2. 2Pull all hair back — the hairline is part of the measurement
  3. 3Measure FOREHEAD WIDTH: across the widest point of your brow area
  4. 4Measure CHEEKBONE WIDTH: from the outer edge of one cheekbone to the other, across the face just below the outer corners of the eyes
  5. 5Measure JAW WIDTH: from one jaw corner (the angle of the jaw) to the other, across the bottom of the face
  6. 6Measure FACE LENGTH: from the centre of your hairline to the tip of your chin
  7. 7Compare all four measurements using the interpretation guide below

How to Interpret Your Measurements

OvalFace length > 1.4× width. Forehead slightly wider than jaw. Cheekbones are widest.
RoundFace length ≈ face width. Cheekbones are widest. Soft jaw angles.
SquareForehead ≈ cheekbones ≈ jaw width. Angular jaw corners. Face length ≈ width.
HeartForehead is the widest measurement. Jaw is significantly narrower. Narrow or pointed chin.
DiamondCheekbones are significantly wider than both forehead and jaw. Narrow pointed jaw.
OblongFace length > 1.6× width. Forehead ≈ cheekbones ≈ jaw. Straight, parallel sides.
TriangleJaw is the widest measurement. Forehead is significantly narrower than jaw.

Note: The most common measurement error is measuring cheekbone width too low (actually measuring at the cheeks rather than the cheekbones) or jaw width too high. The jaw width measurement should be at the widest angle of the mandible — about 2–3cm above the chin point on most people.

04

Photo Comparison Method

⏱ 5 minutes· Accuracy: Medium-Low (most subjective)

Step-by-step

  1. 1Take a front-facing photo with your phone — face centred, camera at eye level, hair pulled back
  2. 2Use consistent, even lighting — harsh shadows from one side distort the apparent face width
  3. 3Open the photo and visit the face shapes guide at /face-shapes
  4. 4Compare your photo outline to each of the seven shape reference images
  5. 5Focus on the jaw shape, the widest point of the face, and the face length-to-width ratio
  6. 6Select the two shapes closest to your outline and read both guides

Note: This is the least reliable method because human self-assessment is highly subjective. Most people have significant difficulty seeing their own face shape accurately because they are too familiar with their own face to assess it as a geometric shape. Use the photo comparison as a starting point and confirm with Method 1 or 3.

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What to Do When You're Between Two Shapes

Most people are not a perfect example of one shape. A face that is slightly longer than wide with a moderately angular jaw could be called either oval or square depending on which measurement is weighted more heavily. This is entirely normal — the seven categories are useful approximations, not rigid boxes.

When you are between two shapes, the most practical approach is:

1

Identify the two shapes your measurements point toward most strongly

2

Read both style guides in full — for hairstyles, glasses, or whichever category matters to you

3

Note where the two guides agree — these overlapping recommendations are your safest choices

4

Where they disagree, lean toward the shape with the stronger measurement signal — if your jaw is significantly wider than your forehead, the triangle-shape guidance is more applicable even if other measurements suggest oblong

5

Test both shape's recommendations in low-stakes contexts first (accessories, makeup) before committing to permanent choices like haircuts or glasses frames

Related Guides

→The 7 Face Shapes — Full Style Guides for Each→How to Measure Your Face Shape at Home→Best Women's Hairstyles for Every Face Shape

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I find out my face shape?

The fastest method is the free AI face shape detector — upload a front-facing photo and get your shape in seconds. You can also use mirror tracing, a tape measure (measuring forehead, cheekbones, jaw, and face length), or photo comparison against reference shapes.

What are the 7 face shapes?

Oval (balanced, face length 1.5× width), round (width ≈ length, soft jaw), square (all widths equal, angular jaw), heart (widest at forehead, narrow chin), diamond (widest at cheekbones), oblong (significantly longer than wide), and triangle (widest at jaw, narrowing toward forehead).

What if I am between two face shapes?

Most people are borderline between two shapes — this is normal. Read both guides and focus on where the recommendations overlap. For differences, lean toward the shape your strongest measurement points toward. Low-stakes testing (accessories, makeup) helps confirm which recommendations actually suit you.

Is the AI face shape detector accurate?

The AI detector uses Google's MediaPipe Face Mesh, identifying 468 facial landmarks and computing proportional ratios. It is more consistent than manual measurement because it uses fixed algorithms rather than subjective estimation. For best results, use a clear front-facing photo with good lighting and hair pulled back.

Find Your Face Shape in 30 Seconds

Upload a photo and get your face shape identified instantly — plus personalised hairstyle, glasses, and style recommendations. Free, private, no sign-up.

Detect my face shape free →
Naeem Ullah

Naeem Ullah

Founder, Face Shape Detector • AI & Facial Proportion Researcher

Founder of faceshapedetector.app · 4+ years in facial proportion research · 200,000+ monthly readers

Facial Landmark AnalysisHairstyle & Eyewear RecommendationsComputer VisionStyling Research

Naeem Ullah is the founder of Face Shape Detector and has spent over four years researching how facial landmark geometry translates into practical styling decisions. His work draws on training principles from professional hairstyling, optician certification programs, and academic literature on facial symmetry and proportion. He built the face detection system at the core of this tool and personally writes and reviews every styling guide published on this site. His guides are read by over 200,000 users monthly across 140+ countries.

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