Heart Face Shape

A heart face shape is wider at the forehead and cheekbones and tapers to a narrow, pointed chin, forming a V-like silhouette, often paired with a widow's peak hairline. It's the second most commonly reported shape in AI-scan data after oval. Want a definitive read? Our face shape detector identifies it from one photo.

What defines a heart face shape?

A heart face shape is defined by a clear top-to-bottom taper, with the width concentrated in the upper face.

• Length vs. width: Face length is greater than width, similar to oval.
• Widest point: The forehead and/or cheekbones. The broadest part of the face is at the top.
• Forehead: Wide, often with a widow's peak (a V-shaped point at the center of the hairline).
• Jaw and chin: Narrow and tapered, frequently coming to a visible point at the chin.
• Cheek line: Curves inward steadily from the cheekbones down to a narrow jaw.

The defining giveaway is the taper: unlike oval (which tapers gently) or diamond (whose narrowest point is the forehead, not the jaw), heart's width clearly decreases from top to bottom.

How to tell if you have a heart face

Measure with a soft tape:

1. Forehead width: the widest point, roughly midway between eyebrows and hairline.
2. Cheekbone width, straight across from the top of one cheekbone to the other.
3. Jawline width, from below one ear to the chin tip, doubled.
4. Face length, center of the hairline to the bottom of the chin.

If your forehead measures greater than your cheekbones and jawline, and your chin narrows to a visible point, you likely have a heart face shape (1-800 Contacts measurement guide). A widow's peak is a common (though not required) companion trait. Average two measurements per dimension for accuracy.

Skip the manual math: detect your face shape from a photo →

Heart face shape celebrities

Women often cited as heart: Reese Witherspoon, Taylor Swift, and Scarlett Johansson are frequently referenced for their wider cheekbones and narrow, tapered chin.

Men often cited as heart: Ryan Gosling and Zac Efron are commonly pointed to for a broader forehead and narrower jawline.

These are widely published attributions used for illustration, not exact measurements.

Best hairstyles for a heart face

The goal is to add visual weight at the jaw and chin to balance a wider forehead.

For women: A chin-length bob with a side part is one of the most reliably flattering cuts. It adds width right at the jaw while the side part reduces the forehead's visual width. Side-swept bangs and medium-length layered cuts also work well; avoid heavy, center-parted volume at the crown, which emphasizes the forehead further.

For men: Styles with some width at the sides and less height on top balance a heart-shaped face; textured, side-swept fringes soften a broad forehead. Avoid very short, close-cropped cuts that expose the full width of the forehead and hairline.

Full guide with images: best hairstyles for a heart face →

Best glasses for a heart face

The goal is to add visual weight toward the bottom of the frame and soften the forehead's width.

• Bottom-heavy frames (where the visual weight sits lower in the lens) help balance a wider top.
• Rimless or light-rimmed styles on top with more presence at the bottom work particularly well.
• Round or oval frames soften the transition from a wide forehead to a narrow chin.

Avoid heavily embellished or oversized frames at the top (like bold browlines). They add width exactly where the face already has the most. Full details: best glasses for a heart face →

Styling tips for a heart face

For women: Contour lightly along the temples and forehead edges to soften width there, and add a touch of blush or highlighter along the jaw to bring visual balance downward. Statement earrings that widen at the bottom (like teardrops) complement a narrow chin nicely.

For men: A fuller beard, especially with width maintained along the jawline, is one of the most effective ways to balance a heart-shaped face. It adds exactly the lower-face weight the shape benefits from. Keep the beard fuller at the jaw rather than tapering to a thin point at the chin.

Heart vs. other face shapes

Heart vs. diamond: Both taper to a narrower chin, but heart's widest point is the forehead, while diamond's widest point is the cheekbones with a narrow forehead above.

Heart vs. inverted triangle: These are effectively the same broad concept (wide top, narrow bottom) though "inverted triangle" (covered on our triangle face shape page) is typically used when the forehead specifically (rather than cheekbones) is the standout widest point and the jaw is straighter rather than pointed.

Compare all seven on the face shapes pillar page →, or jump to: oval, round, square, oblong, diamond, triangle.