What are the different types of face shapes?

The three measurements that separate them

• Length against width: the distance from hairline to chin, compared with the width across your cheekbones.
• Widest point: forehead, cheekbones, or jaw.
• Jaw shape: a sharp, angular corner or a soft, rounded curve.

Oval

Face length runs about one and a half times the cheekbone width, the cheekbones are the widest point, and the jaw curves gently with the forehead slightly wider than the jaw. Style guides treat oval as the neutral baseline, which is why so much advice amounts to 'make your face read more oval.'

Round

Length and width come close to equal, the cheekbones are the widest point, and the jawline is soft with no sharp corner. Round faces read full through the cheeks rather than long.

Square

Length and width are close to equal, and the forehead, cheekbones, and jaw stay within a narrow range of each other. The jaw defines the shape: wide, angular, and horizontal at the corner.

Oblong

A longer version of square, sometimes called rectangle. Face length clearly exceeds face width, and the forehead, cheekbones, and jaw hold a similar width all the way down.

Heart

The forehead is the widest point, the face narrows through the cheekbones, and the chin comes to a narrow or pointed finish. A widow's peak hairline shows up often but is not required.

Diamond

The cheekbones are the widest point by a clear margin, with both the forehead and the jawline narrower. The chin is pointed and the face is longer than it is wide.

Faces that sit between two shapes

These six are reference points on a continuum, not biological categories. Plenty of faces read as square-oval or round-heart, and two stylists can label the same face differently.

Some charts add triangle or pear for a jaw wider than the forehead; a detector maps that pattern to its closest match among the six. Treat a low confidence score as useful information and borrow styling ideas from both neighbors.