A heart shaped face is widest across the forehead and tapers down to a slim jaw and a delicate, often pointed chin. The cheekbones are usually high and defined. Some people with a heart shaped face also have a widow peak, which completes the heart outline. Styling it is mostly about adding a little width around the jaw, or letting a narrow chin be the focal point.
What a heart shaped face looks like
These signs usually show up together.
- The forehead is the widest part. The face is broadest across the temples.
- High cheekbones. The cheekbones sit high and close to the width of the forehead.
- A slim jaw. The face narrows quickly below the cheekbones.
- A pointed or delicate chin. The chin is narrow and often comes to a soft point.
How to tell if you have a heart shaped face
Check in a mirror, with a tape measure, or with our free face shape detector, which compares your forehead, cheekbone and jaw widths from a selfie.
The mirror trace
- Pull your hair back from your forehead, face a mirror and keep your head level.
- Trace your outline on the glass with a washable marker or soap.
- Step back. A heart shaped face traces like a heart or an upside down triangle with soft corners, wide at the top and narrow at the chin.
The tape measure
Measure across the widest part of your forehead, your cheekbones and your jaw at the corners below your ears. If the forehead is the largest of the three, or tied with the cheekbones, and the jaw is clearly the smallest, your face is heart shaped. If the cheekbones are clearly wider than both the forehead and the jaw, look at the diamond face shape. If the taper is gentle and the face is longer, look at the oval face shape.
Best hairstyles for a heart shaped face
The aim is to add a little fullness around the jaw and soften the width at the forehead, if you want to.
Short hair
A pixie with side swept bangs softens the forehead. A short, textured cut with some length around the ears keeps the face balanced. Lots of height at the crown adds more width at the top.
Medium hair
A chin or shoulder length bob with volume at the ends is a classic choice, because it adds width right where the face is narrowest. A lob with soft waves from the cheekbones down works well too.
Long hair
Long layers that start at the chin or below, with waves or curls at the ends, balance the shape. Curtain bangs or side swept bangs soften a wide forehead. Slicking all the hair back shows the full heart outline, which is a bold look.
For men
Medium length on top worn loose or swept to the side softens a wide forehead. A slightly fuller cut at the sides near the ears balances a slim jaw. Very short sides with tall height on top make the top of the face look wider.
Glasses for a heart shaped face
Frames that are wider at the bottom, light rimless or semi rimless frames, and round or oval frames balance a wide forehead. Very heavy brow line frames add width at the top, so keep them for days when you want a bold look.
Makeup and contouring
Contour lightly at the temples and on the tip of the chin. Keep blush a little lower on the cheeks and blend it toward the ears. A soft highlight along the jaw adds width where the face is narrowest.
Beards and facial hair
A fuller beard at the chin and jaw adds width where the face is slimmest. A full chin strap or a short boxed beard both work. Very thin, pointed beards repeat the narrow chin.
Heart, diamond and oval compared
Heart shaped faces are most often confused with diamond and oval ones.
- A diamond face is widest at the cheekbones, with a narrow forehead as well as a narrow jaw.
- An oval face tapers gently, with a jaw only a little narrower than the forehead.
If your result sits between two shapes, try ideas from both pages. Most real faces sit somewhere between the textbook outlines.
Why heart shaped faces photograph well
High cheekbones catch light, which gives a heart shaped face natural definition in photos. A slim chin also shows a clear jaw line from many angles. Learn more about cheekbones in our guide to high cheekbones, and remember that every face shape has its own strengths.
Heart face at a glance
| Hairstyles to try | Side swept or curtain bangs, A chin or shoulder length bob with volume at the ends, Waves from the cheekbones down, Longer textured tops for short hair |
|---|---|
| Go easy on | Lots of volume at the crown, Very short sides with a full top |
| Glasses | Frames that are wider at the bottom, light rimless frames or round frames balance a wider forehead. |
| Makeup | Contour lightly at the temples and the tip of the chin, and keep blush low on the cheeks. |
| Beard | A fuller beard at the chin and jaw adds width where the face is slimmest. |
