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Diamond face shape

Also called: diamond-shaped face

Cheekbones clearly widest, with a narrower forehead and jaw, often ending in a finer chin.

Is your face actually diamond-shaped?

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Line drawing of a typical diamond face with forehead, cheekbone, jaw and length measurement linesFWCWJWL

What defines it

Length ÷ width
about 1.35 to 1.5
Widest point
the cheekbones, by a lot
Cheekbone prominence
about 1.2 or more
Forehead ÷ jaw
close to 1.0; both narrow

Face-shape labels are fuzzy. We score on measurements.

The seven shapes are a stylists' convention, not a validated classification. Charts draw the lines in different places, and judging by eye is unreliable: in one study, visual face-type calls agreed with caliper measurements at a kappa of just 0.19.

The best published face-shape classifier reached about 85% accuracy on noisy photos. So we don't hand you one label. We show your shape as a mix, like 62% oval and 25% oblong, and our scorer never uses the label at all.

Proportions are also only part of the story. Your texture, density and hairline decide what a cut can physically do, so they carry more weight than face geometry.

Even a textbook diamond face is a mix

Our engine’s own reading of the face drawn above:

  • Diamond76%
  • Oval24%

What stylists aim for

Fill out the forehead and jaw, keep hair close at the cheekbones: fringes, some fullness at the temples, and weight near chin level.

Stylist convention

Often confused with

  • Oval

    Both are widest at the cheeks; in a diamond the forehead and jaw fall away much more sharply.

  • Heart

    A heart face is widest at the forehead, not the cheekbones.

Haircuts ranked for diamond proportions

Our scorer’s geometry-only ranking for the textbook diamond face above. Proportions are about 15% of a real score; texture, density and hairline decide more, so your own list can look quite different. Every cut links to its barber spec.

Men's cutsProportions only

  1. 01Edgar cutShort · best on 1A–2BKeeps the cheek line slim, which balances prominent cheekbones.When it doesn’t work: A low forehead, a front cowlick, prominent ears (skin fade); the hard front line shows temple recession from stage 3; trend-dependent (Janif 2014).
  2. 02Buzz cutBuzz length · best on 1A–4CAdds straight lines and sharp edges, which balances a soft, rounded jaw.When it doesn’t work: Puts bumps, a flat back of the head and prominent ears on show.
  3. 03Curtains / middle partMedium · best on 1A–2CAdds fullness at the temples, which balances prominent cheekbones.When it doesn’t work: A prominent nose; an off-centre front cowlick; hidden from hairline stage 2.
  4. 04French cropShort · best on 1A–2CAdds straight lines and sharp edges, which balances a soft, rounded jaw.When it doesn’t work: A low forehead, a front cowlick, a round face without fade contrast.
  5. 05Shaved head / bald fadeBuzz length · best on 1A–4CAdds straight lines and sharp edges, which balances a soft, rounded jaw.When it doesn’t work: Shows an irregular skull shape or scars. Trade-off from a US study (Mannes 2013): a shaved head reads as more dominant and about 4 years older, and scored lower on looks than a full head of hair.
  6. 06Modern mulletMedium · best on 2A–3CPuts weight at the jawline, which balances prominent cheekbones.When it doesn’t work: A short, thick neck; conservative workplaces; trend-dependent (Janif 2014: rarer looks rate higher).

Women's cutsProportions only

  1. 01Blunt chin bobShort · best on 1A–2APuts weight at the jawline, which balances prominent cheekbones.When it doesn’t work: A square jaw or a large chin (end above or below the chin), 2C+ hair (turns into a triangle), dense coarse hair.
  2. 02ShagMedium · best on 2A–3BAdds fullness at the temples, which balances prominent cheekbones.When it doesn’t work: Very fine low-density hair; a round face if the volume sits at cheek level (move it to the crown); straight 1A–1B hair needs daily styling.
  3. 03French bob with bangsShort · best on 1B–2BShortens the overall line, which balances a longer face.When it doesn’t work: Round or short faces, a low forehead, a front cowlick, 3A+ hair, a jaw-heavy face, heavy frames.
  4. 04Lob (long bob)Medium · best on 1A–3APuts weight at the jawline, which balances prominent cheekbones.When it doesn’t work: Few — a dependable middle ground.
  5. 05Curtain-bang layered cutMedium · best on 1B–2CAdds fullness at the temples, which balances prominent cheekbones.When it doesn’t work: A very round, short face (end the bangs below the cheekbone); a front cowlick.
  6. 06Wolf cutMedium · best on 2A–3BAdds fullness at the temples, which balances prominent cheekbones.When it doesn’t work: Fine low-density hair, round faces, a conservative look; trend-dependent (Janif 2014: rarer looks rate higher).

Want the list for your hair, not a textbook face? The free analysis adds your texture, density and hairline, and explains every pick.

Rank cuts for me

Checking by hand

Possible, but people tend to overestimate their face’s width and underestimate its length. A photo taken at arm’s length also distorts it, so stand back or use a timer.

  1. 1

    Pull your hair back

    Forehead, hairline and ears visible. Neutral expression, looking straight ahead.

  2. 2

    Measure four lines

    Forehead width, cheekbone width at the widest point, jaw width at the jaw corners, and length from hairline to chin.

  3. 3

    Divide

    Length ÷ cheekbone width, and forehead ÷ jaw. Compare with the ranges in “What defines it” above.

  4. 4

    Look at the jaw corner

    A sharp angle points to square or triangle; a curved one to round, oval or heart.

Diamond face shape: questions

What haircuts suit a diamond face?
By convention: fringes and textured tops that fill the forehead, and cuts that carry weight at the jaw. Styles that add width right at cheekbone level usually score lower on proportions.
Why do different tools give me different face shapes?
Every tool draws its own lines between shapes, so a diamond in one calculator can be an oval in another. That's why we show your result as a mix and score cuts on the measurements, not the label.
Are diamond faces hard to cut for?
Not especially. The main trade-off is at the cheekbones: volume there widens the face's widest point. Your hair texture decides how easy it is to keep the sides close.
How do I know if I have a diamond face?
Use the free face shape detector: it measures your proportions in your browser in about 10 seconds, and your photo never leaves your phone. You'll get your shape as a mix with a confidence level, plus three cuts that fit your proportions.

The other six shapes