Diamond Face Shape
A diamond face is widest at the cheekbones, with a narrower forehead and chin.
Quick answer
Widest at the cheekbones, narrow at both ends.
A diamond face is widest at the cheekbones, with a noticeably narrower forehead and a narrow jaw and chin. Check both ends: if only your chin narrows, look at heart instead. Styling a diamond face adds width at the forehead and chin (fringes, volume at the ends, frames with a strong top line) and keeps extra width off the cheekbones.
Check your shape from a photoHow to recognise a diamond face shape
A diamond face has one wide line and two narrow ends. You need all three: cheekbones that lead, a forehead that is clearly narrower, and a jaw and chin that narrow too. If you judge only one end, you can mistake diamond for heart or oval.
The mirror checklist
Look straight at a mirror or a front-facing photo with your hair pulled back from your forehead and temples. Then check four things.
- Your cheekbones are clearly the widest part of your face.
- Your forehead is noticeably narrower than your cheekbones.
- Your jaw is also narrower than your cheekbones.
- Your chin is narrow, and may be pointed.
If all four hold, diamond is your likely shape. If your chin is narrow but your forehead is nearly as wide as your cheekbones, look at heart instead. If your forehead narrows only slightly and your jaw curves gently into the chin, look at oval.
How the face shape detector reads a diamond face
The face shape detector places 468 landmarks on your face and turns the distances between them into ratios. Its published diamond rule has two routes, and both need a narrow forehead. On a shorter face, with length no more than 1.15 times cheekbone width, the forehead is no more than 0.71 of cheekbone width, the chin angle 115° to 122° and the jaw angle 133° to 137°. On a longer face, from 1.18, the forehead is no more than 0.73 of cheekbone width, the jaw no more than 0.89 and the chin angle 110° or tighter.
In mirror terms, 0.71 or 0.73 is the "noticeably narrower forehead" and 0.89 is the narrower jaw. The forehead condition sits in both routes, so it is usually the one that separates diamond from its neighbours. A strong diamond score also sets square to zero and stops oval scoring.
These are scoring rules, not a pass mark. Every shape collects points for the conditions your face meets, and the highest score leads. These ratios come from landmarks on a photo, so they don't match tape-measure readings; use the face shape calculator if you're measuring by hand.
Diamond or oval? Diamond or heart?
Diamond is most often confused with oval and heart. In both cases, the measurement that settles it is your forehead.
| Published rule | Diamond | Oval | Heart |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forehead ÷ cheekbone width | 0.71 or less, or 0.73 on a longer face | Under 0.70 adds points | 0.70 or more adds points on one route |
| Length ÷ cheekbone width | 1.15 or less, or 1.18 or more | 1.18 to 1.23 | Not part of the rule |
| Chin angle | 115° to 122°, or 110° or tighter on a longer face | Not part of the rule | 100° or tighter, the strongest condition |
Diamond or oval: how sharply do the ends narrow? Oval tapers gently; diamond narrows sharply at forehead and chin. Only diamond's longer-face route overlaps oval's length band, and there a forehead of 0.73 of cheekbone width or less and a chin of 110° or tighter decide; once met, oval stops scoring. Lighting and your hairline can blur forehead width in a photo, which can push a diamond outline towards oval scores. See oval vs diamond face shape.
Diamond or heart: is your forehead narrow or wide? Heart's forehead is wide; diamond's is narrow. Both can narrow towards the chin, so the chin alone can't tell them apart: heart's strongest condition is a chin of 100° or tighter, and diamond's longer-face route accepts 110° or tighter. Diamond always needs a forehead of 0.73 of cheekbone width or less, while heart's wide-top route starts at 0.70, so the two touch in a narrow band. The glasses advice differs too: diamond faces skip frames that are widest at the cheekbone line, while heart faces avoid heavy top bars. See heart vs diamond face shape.
Hair direction for a diamond face
Add width at the forehead and chin: fringes, volume at the ends, and frames with a strong top line. For hair, a fringe or bangs fill the narrower forehead, and length or texture near the chin fills the lower face. Keep the sides close at cheekbone level, so width doesn't stack where your face is already widest.
Women's cuts
- Chin-grazing layersWidth at the chin offsets wide cheekbones.
- Soft bangsBangs fill a narrower forehead.
- Pixie with soft bangsThe bangs fill the forehead, while short sides keep cheekbone width from stacking.
- Textured crop with fringeA light fringe at the brow and texture at the chin soften both narrow ends.
Photos, lengths and styling notes are in the women's haircuts for a diamond face guide.
Men's cuts
- Textured medium length. Length through the sides fills the gap between temple and jaw.
- Short crop with a little fringe. A hint of fringe covers a narrow forehead without exposing the widest cheekbone line.
The men's haircuts for a diamond face guide covers fringe lengths, fades and longer styles.
What to avoid
Avoid tight pulled-back styles that expose the widest cheekbone line. A fully slicked-back style leaves both narrow ends bare, so the cheekbones carry the whole outline. Volume placed only at the sides, level with the cheekbones, has a similar effect. If you like your hair off your face, keep some texture at the hairline or some length near the jaw.
The hairstyle recommender ranks these cuts against your own measurements, including how narrow your forehead reads against your cheekbones.
Glasses for a diamond face
Choose frames with a defined top line, or frames light enough not to add width at the cheekbones.
- OvalSoft ovals calm wide cheekbones.
- RimlessMinimal rims keep cheekbone width from stacking.
- Cat-eyeIf you wear women's frames, a lifted corner matches high cheekbones without adding width.
- BrowlineIf you wear men's frames, a defined brow bar fills a narrower forehead.
Skip frames that are widest at the cheekbone line, because they add width where a diamond face already leads.
For bridge fit, sizing and every frame family side by side, see glasses for your face shape. To rank frames for your own face, use the glasses finder. Our guide to glasses for a diamond face shape has more examples.
Beard direction (if you grow one)
A beard can add weight where a diamond face is narrowest: the chin. Chin-focused fill puts density at the chin, which offsets wide cheekbones. An anchor beard adds width under a narrower chin while keeping the cheeks clear. Avoid hollow cheeks with a tiny chin patch; the cheekbones stay dominant. The men's face shape guide covers beards for every shape.
Celebrities with a diamond face
Seeing how stylists use fringes, chin-length cuts and frames on public figures commonly described as diamond-faced is a practical source of ideas. Browse celebrities with a diamond face shape.
Earrings and hats
Studs at the lobe and delicate drops that end near the chin fill the narrow ends of a diamond face. Skip long lines that sit widest at the cheekbone, which add width at your widest point. For hats, a defined brow band or slight width at the temples helps a narrow forehead. Avoid tight skull caps, which add no width above the brow.
If you're between two shapes
When your forehead, cheekbone and jaw widths sit close to the line between two shapes, the face shape detector names both and shows how close you are to each.
Diamond's neighbours are oval, whose forehead tapers more gently, and heart, whose forehead is wider. A result that reads mostly diamond with some heart usually means a narrow chin with a forehead near diamond's limit, so the heart guide's chin-weighted cuts, such as a chin-length bob, are a reasonable borrow. A result that reads mostly diamond with some oval usually means your forehead was only just narrow enough, often because of your hairline. Pull your hair back and scan again before you choose a cut.
Not sure if you have a diamond face shape?
Upload a front-facing photo with your hair off your forehead and temples. The face shape detector compares your forehead and jaw widths with your cheekbone width, then tells you whether you read as diamond, with a confidence label and the reasons behind it. Landmarks are found in your browser first, and your photo isn't stored.
Check with the face shape detector
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if I have a diamond face?
With your hair pulled back, your cheekbones are clearly the widest part of your face, and both your forehead and your jaw are narrower. The detector's diamond routes need forehead width no more than 0.71 to 0.73 of cheekbone width, with a narrowing chin and jaw.
Is diamond the rarest face shape?
FaceAuraAI doesn't publish how often each shape appears yet, so we can't tell you how diamond compares with other shapes. We'll only publish counts with a documented sample window and stated biases. Figures quoted elsewhere seldom say how they were counted. Our face shape statistics page explains the policy.
What is the difference between a diamond and an oval face?
Check your forehead. An oval face tapers gently, so the forehead is only a little narrower than the cheekbones. A diamond face narrows sharply at both ends, and the detector needs forehead width at 0.73 of cheekbone width or less, with a chin of 110° or tighter, on an oval-length face, and then oval stops scoring. See oval vs diamond face shape.
What is the difference between a diamond and a heart face?
Check your forehead again. A heart face has a wide forehead; a diamond face has a narrow one. Diamond needs a forehead of 0.73 of cheekbone width or less; heart's strongest condition is a chin of 100° or tighter, and its wide-top route starts at a forehead of 0.70. See heart vs diamond face shape.
Why does my hairline matter for a diamond face?
Forehead width is the measurement that defines diamond, and the face shape detector reads it near the top of its forehead outline, which usually sits below your hairline. Hair over your temples or a low fringe covers that line and can push a diamond read towards oval or heart. Pull your hair back for the photo.
Which haircuts suit a diamond face?
Which glasses suit a diamond face?
Oval and rimless frames suit a diamond face whichever range you shop. If you wear women's frames, a cat-eye matches high cheekbones without adding width. If you wear men's frames, a browline's brow bar fills a narrower forehead. Skip frames that are widest at the cheekbone line.
Why did the detector say diamond with medium or lower confidence?
Diamond often scores close to heart or oval, because a single forehead ratio separates them. Or the photo held the read back: a fringe, side lighting that hides your temples, or a head turn. Lower confidence is an honest result, not an error. A straight-on photo in even light, with your hair pulled back, usually firms it up.
