Diamond face shape
The cheekbones are the widest point, with the face narrowing towards both a narrower forehead and a narrower jaw — a double taper.
In one line: Cheekbones wider than both the forehead and the jaw · forehead and jaw are of similar, smaller width · C > F and C > J.
How to tell
- The cheekbones are the widest point of the face.
- Both the forehead and the jaw are narrower than the cheekbones — the double taper is the signature.
- Cheekbones sit high and read as prominent, sometimes with a slightly angular midface.
- The chin may be narrow or slightly pointed, and the forehead is often not much wider than the jaw.
Check it yourself with a tape measure
- Measure W (cheekbones), F (forehead) and J (jaw) at their widest points.
- Diamond if W is greater than F and also greater than J.
- Check that F and J are close to each other — if the forehead is clearly wider than the jaw, check heart instead.
- The length-to-width ratio is usually between 1.2 and 1.4.
Prefer not to measure? The face shape detector makes the same comparisons from a photo, inside your browser — your photo is never uploaded.
On the numbers above: the ratios quoted here describe tape-measure measurements — hairline to chin for length, and the widest points for the three widths. The photo tool derives its ratios from facial landmarks, which is a slightly different quantity, and its numbers typically sit a little lower than the ranges quoted here. Neither is wrong; they are two ways of drawing the same outline, and the measurement basis is stated so you can compare like with like.
Hairstyles
Works with diamond
- Width at the forehead: a side-swept fringe or bangs softens the narrow upper face.
- Chin-length layers and volume at the jaw, which balance the narrow lower face.
- A side part rather than a centre part, which avoids echoing the taper.
Works against it
- Styles that are tight at the temples and wide at the cheekbones — that exaggerates the diamond.
- Heavy volume exactly at cheekbone height.
- Slicked-back styles with no width at either end.
Glasses frames
Frames that balance
- Top-heavy frames and cat-eye shapes, which add width to a narrow forehead.
- Oval frames that are wider than the cheekbones, so the frame becomes the widest point.
- Frames with a distinctive upper rim or brow line.
Frames that repeat the geometry
- Narrow frames that sit inside the cheekbones and disappear against them.
- Rimless styles — prominent cheekbones leave nothing for them to balance against.
Makeup
- Highlight the forehead and the chin to bring both narrow ends forward.
- Blush on the apples of the cheeks rather than swept along the cheekbone.
- Keep contour light at the cheekbones: they are already the widest point.
Easily confused with
Heart
Heart also narrows at the jaw, but its forehead is the widest point. Diamond is widest at the cheekbones — compare F and C to separate them.
Oval
Oval is widest at the cheekbones too, but the taper is gentle and the length-to-width ratio is closer to 1.5, so no end reads as narrow.
FAQ
Are prominent cheekbones the same as a diamond face?
Not by itself. Many face shapes have prominent cheekbones. A diamond face needs the cheekbones to be measurably the widest point, with both the forehead and the jaw narrower — the double taper is what makes it diamond.
What hairstyle suits a diamond face?
Anything that adds width at the forehead and at the jaw: a side-swept fringe, bangs, and chin-length layers. What to avoid is a style that is narrow at the top and wide at the cheekbones, which repeats the taper.
Other shapes
- Oval face shape
- Round face shape
- Square face shape
- Heart face shape (inverted triangle)
- Oblong face shape (long face)
Measure yours
Open the face shape detector → — six measurements, no upload, no signup.