Face shape
Triangle face shape: how to spot it and style it
A strong, wide jaw with a narrower forehead and cheekbones.
Updated · Written by the LookFlex team · Styling suggestions, not rules
On this page
At a glance
Triangle face
Your jaw is the widest part of your face, your cheekbones are slightly narrower, and your forehead is the narrowest.
What a triangle face looks like
A triangle face, also called pear-shaped, has a jaw that is wider than the forehead and cheekbones, narrowing toward the top. The jaw is strong and the forehead is relatively narrow.
Styling is about adding visual weight and width at the top of the face and avoiding bulk at the jaw. Volume on top, fringes and light jaw-length styles all help balance the proportions.
How to tell if you have a triangle face
Face shape is a spectrum with fuzzy edges. Use one of the three methods below, and treat the answer as a starting point: if you sit between two shapes, the advice for both applies.
How LookFlex works it out
LookFlex measures four ratios from your landmarks and scores your face against a reference profile for each of the seven shapes. It reports a probability for every shape, a confidence, and a blend such as Oval–Round when the top two are within 8 percentage points. Here is where a typical triangle face sits.
| Ratio | Typical for triangle | Reference average | Compared with average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Face length ÷ face width | 1.18 | 1.20 | About average |
| Forehead ÷ cheekbone width | 0.80 | 0.84 | Much lower |
| Jaw ÷ cheekbone width | 0.93 | 0.90 | Much higher |
| Chin width ÷ jaw width | 0.53 | 0.50 | Much higher |
The mirror test
- Pull your hair back and stand a forearm's length from a mirror, face level and relaxed.
- Use a washable marker or lipstick to trace the outline of your face on the glass, from one temple around the chin to the other temple. Close one eye to keep the trace consistent.
- Step back and look at the outline. Note the widest part (forehead, cheekbones or jaw), how angular the jaw is and how long the shape is compared with its width.
- Wipe the glass with a cloth.
The tape-measure test
- Use a soft tape. Measure the widest part of your forehead, the width across your cheekbones, your jaw width (chin tip to just below the ear, doubled) and your face length from hairline to chin tip.
- Find the longest and the widest measurement, then compare the forehead and the jaw with the cheekbones.
- Match what you found with this rule for the triangle shape: Your jaw is the widest part of your face, your cheekbones are slightly narrower, and your forehead is the narrowest.
Measure two or three times and use the average. Hairline-based length differs from the length LookFlex uses, so a tape-measure result and an app result can land on neighbouring shapes.
Typical features
- The jaw is the widest part of the face.
- The forehead is narrower than the jaw.
- The cheekbones are moderate, between forehead and jaw in width.
- The chin is broad and the jaw angular or strong.
Hairstyles for a triangle face
These suggestions are the same ones the LookFlex app gives for a triangle face. Hair is personal, so treat the lists as starting points. Any style can be worn by anyone, and the lists are split into men's and women's cuts only because they reflect common barbering and salon categories.
Men's cuts
Try
- Voluminous quiff. Stylists use volume on top to balance a wider jaw.
- Pompadour. Height and width at the front offset a wider lower face, a common pairing.
- Textured fringe. A fringe widens the forehead closer to jaw width.
- Side-swept with lift. Lift at the roots balances the lower face.
- Longer crop. A fuller top keeps the outline from tapering.
Think twice about
- Tight sides with a flat top. A narrow top over a wide jaw sharpens the contrast.
- Buzz cut. No volume above means no counterweight to the jaw.
Women's cuts
Try
- Crown volume. Fullness on top balances a wider jaw.
- Layers ending above the jaw. Keeps weight away from the widest part.
- Side-swept bangs. They widen the forehead to match the lower face.
- Long layers with root lift. Raises the visual centre of the face.
- Textured angled lob. Wispy ends take the edge off a strong jaw.
Think twice about
- Blunt chin-length bob. Adds weight directly at the jaw.
- Low, slicked bun. Pulls attention to the lower face.
Glasses frames
The general rule is to pick frames that contrast with your shape: angles against curves, and curves against angles.
Frames that suit it
- Top-heavy frames, such as browline or cat-eye, add width at the forehead.
- Bold colour or detail at the top of the frame draws the eye up.
- Thin, light lower rims keep the jaw from looking heavier.
Frames to be careful with
- Heavy, bottom-heavy frames that add weight at the jaw.
- Narrow frames that make the forehead look smaller.
Beards and facial hair
Facial hair is optional. If you wear a beard, shape changes how the lower face reads.
- Keep the beard close at the jaw and sides, with a crisp neckline.
- Shorter, tidier lengths at the sides stop the lower face from looking wider.
- Going clean-shaven or with light stubble is a good option if you want to show the jaw as it is.
Brows
- Fuller, slightly angled brows add presence to a narrower forehead.
- Avoid very thin brows, which make the upper face look smaller.
Often confused with
- Square. A square has a forehead about as wide as the jaw.
- Heart. A heart is the opposite: widest at the forehead.
What the research says
Limited evidence The evidence behind face-shape advice is limited.
- Face-shape categories are styling conventions. We found no studies that test which haircuts, frames or beard shapes suit which face shape, so treat every suggestion here as a starting point.
- Measured faces vary continuously, and classical rules of proportion fitted only a few people (Farkas et al., 1985). That is why most people sit between two shapes.
- Attractiveness research has concentrated on cues such as averageness, symmetry and skin rather than named outline categories (Rhodes, 2006; Little et al., 2011), and personal taste counted about as much as shared taste (Hönekopp, 2006). Nothing in it ranks one shape above another.
- Photo distance changes proportions: a camera at about 30 cm made the nose look roughly 30% wider than one at 1.5 m (Ward et al., 2018). Retake under similar conditions before trusting a shape.
Frequently asked questions
Is a triangle the same as a pear shape?
Yes. Both describe a face that is widest at the jaw and narrower at the top. LookFlex calls it triangle.
How is a triangle different from a square?
A square has a forehead about as wide as the jaw. A triangle has a clearly narrower forehead than jaw.
Which haircuts balance a wide jaw?
Volume at the crown, fringes that widen the forehead and layers that end above the jaw. The lists below show what we suggest for men and women.
Does a wide jaw mean strong jaw definition?
Not necessarily. Face shape describes width. Jaw definition in LookFlex is a separate score based on the corner angle and the edge under the jaw.
Other face shapes
Compare all seven face shapes.
References
Every DOI was checked against Crossref. The evidence label says how much weight a source can carry alone. See how we choose sources on the research page.
- Farkas LG, Hreczko TA, Kolar JC, Munro IR (1985). Vertical and horizontal proportions of the face in young adult North American Caucasians: revision of neoclassical canons. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. doi:10.1097/00006534-198503000-00005Moderate evidenceCross-sectional study
- Hönekopp J (2006). Once more: is beauty in the eye of the beholder? Relative contributions of private and shared taste to judgments of facial attractiveness. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance. doi:10.1037/0096-1523.32.2.199Moderate evidenceExperiment
- Little AC, Jones BC, DeBruine LM (2011). Facial attractiveness: evolutionary based research. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B. doi:10.1098/rstb.2010.0404Strong evidenceReview
- Rhodes G (2006). The evolutionary psychology of facial beauty. Annual Review of Psychology. doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.57.102904.190208Strong evidenceReview
- Ward B, Ward M, Fried O, Paskhover B (2018). Nasal distortion in short-distance photographs: the selfie effect. JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery. doi:10.1001/jamafacial.2018.0009Moderate evidenceMethod or technical report
Find out your face shape
LookFlex measures your face on your device and shows your shape, with the probability for each of the seven, in about a minute. Your first scan is free.
How we measure