Face Shape
Heart
Wider forehead tapering to a pointed chin
The proportion rule
Forehead widest · narrow pointed chin · pronounced cheekbones
What is a heart face shape?
A heart face shape has a wider forehead that tapers down to a narrow, sometimes pointed chin — the inverse of a triangle face. Cheekbones are usually pronounced, and the face length is slightly longer than the width with a strong tapering effect. Heart faces convey delicacy and sophistication; the styling goal is to balance the wider forehead with width at the chin (chin-length cuts, fuller jaw earrings, scoop necks). Reese Witherspoon, Scarlett Johansson, and Naomi Campbell are canonical heart-faced celebrities.
How to identify a heart face
- Pull your hair back. Look at how your face tapers.
- If your forehead is the widest part of your face and your chin is narrow or pointed — you likely have a heart face.
- Cheekbones are usually high and pronounced.
- Some heart faces have a widow's peak at the hairline (not required).
- The overall outline narrows visibly from top to bottom.
Defining signals
The four geometric markers that place you in this shape.
| Forehead | Widest part of the face, broad and full |
| Cheekbones | High and pronounced, narrower than forehead |
| Jawline | Narrow, often pointed at the chin |
| Face length | Slightly longer than width, tapering |
Hairstyles that flatter
- +Chin-length lobs and bobs (add width at the jaw)
- +Side-swept bangs (cover wider forehead)
- +Soft waves at the jaw
- +Layered cuts with fullness around the chin
- +Long layers ending below the jaw
Hairstyles to skip
- −Slicked-back styles (expose the wide forehead)
- −Volume at the crown without jaw width (top-heavy)
- −Pixie cuts that emphasize the pointed chin
Glasses
- · Bottom-heavy frames (balance wider top)
- · Round and oval frames
- · Aviators
- · Light or rimless tops with bolder bottoms
Necklines
- · Boat necks · scoop · sweetheart (add horizontal width)
- · Avoid V-necks (echo the narrowing chin)
Earrings
- · Bottom-heavy drops (chandelier, teardrop)
- · Wider at the lobe
- · Skip studs that emphasize narrow chin
Heart vs Diamond
Both have narrow chins and pronounced cheekbones — but heart has a wider forehead while diamond has a narrow forehead.
| Trait | Heart | Diamond |
|---|---|---|
| Forehead | Widest part | Narrow |
| Cheekbones | Pronounced | Widest part (dramatic) |
| Chin | Narrow/pointed | Narrow/pointed |
| Best cuts | Add width at chin | Add width at forehead AND chin |
| In a word | Tapering | Diamond-shaped |
Read the full Diamond guide.
Heart vs Triangle
Heart and triangle are inverse: heart is wider at the forehead with a narrow chin; triangle is narrow at the forehead with a wider jaw.
| Trait | Heart | Triangle |
|---|---|---|
| Forehead | Widest part | Narrow |
| Jaw | Narrow/pointed | Widest part |
| Goal | Add width at chin | Add width at forehead |
| Best cuts | Chin-length, side bangs | Volume on top, side bangs |
| In a word | Top-heavy taper | Bottom-heavy taper |
Read the full Triangle guide.
Celebrities with a heart face
Images from Wikipedia.
Heart face shape — frequently asked
- What is a heart face shape? +
- A heart face shape has a wider forehead that tapers down to a narrow, sometimes pointed chin — the inverse of a triangle face. Cheekbones are usually pronounced. Heart faces convey delicacy and sophistication.
- How do I know if I have a heart face? +
- Pull your hair back. If your forehead is the widest part of your face, your cheekbones are pronounced, and your chin is narrow or pointed — you have a heart face. Some heart faces also have a widow's peak at the hairline.
- What hairstyles flatter a heart face? +
- Chin-length lobs and bobs add width at the jaw to balance the wider forehead. Side-swept bangs cover the wider forehead. Soft waves at the jaw, layered cuts with fullness around the chin, and long layers ending below the jaw all work. Avoid slicked-back styles that expose the wide forehead.
- What glasses flatter a heart face? +
- Bottom-heavy frames balance the wider top. Round and oval frames work well. Aviators flatter. Try light or rimless tops with bolder bottoms.
- What necklines flatter a heart face? +
- Boat necks, scoop, and sweetheart necklines add horizontal width that balances the narrowing chin. Avoid V-necks that echo the narrowing taper.
- What is the difference between heart and diamond faces? +
- Both have narrow chins and pronounced cheekbones. Heart has a wider forehead — wider than the cheekbones. Diamond has a narrow forehead — narrower than the cheekbones, with cheekbones as the dramatic widest point.
- What is the difference between heart and triangle faces? +
- Heart and triangle are inverse shapes. Heart has a wider forehead and narrow chin (wider at top). Triangle has a narrow forehead and wider jaw (wider at bottom). Look at where the face is widest.
- What earrings flatter a heart face? +
- Bottom-heavy drops, chandeliers, and teardrops balance the narrow chin with visual weight at the jaw line. Avoid studs that emphasize the narrow chin.
Three axes of style
Now find your color season and body archetype
Face shape tells you which hairstyles, glasses, and necklines flatter you. Color analysis tells you which palette flatters you. Kibbe tells you which silhouettes do. Run all three for a complete style picture.