Oval vs Round vs Heart Face: How to Spot the Difference

Oval, round and heart faces differ in two things: length and where the face is widest. An oval face is a little longer than wide and widest at the cheekbones, with a softly rounded jaw. A round face is about as wide as it is long, with full cheeks. A heart face is widest at the forehead and narrows sharply to a slim chin. If you're between two, choose styles that suit both.

Wendy WeiSeptember 3, 2026 · 3 min read

The Two Questions That Separate Them

First: is your face clearly longer than it is wide? Oval and heart faces usually are; a round face isn't. Second: where is it widest? An oval face is widest at the cheekbones, a heart face at the forehead, and a round face is fairly even with full cheeks.

Oval vs Round

The difference is length. An oval face is about one and a half times as long as it is wide; a round face is close to equal. Both have soft, curved jaws. Holding a ruler up to a photo, or measuring from hairline to chin and across the cheekbones, settles it quickly.

Fuller cheeks and weight gain make an oval face read rounder, and weight loss can make a round face read oval, which is why people often find they're 'between' these two.

Oval vs Heart

Both can be longer than wide and both narrow toward the chin. The differences: a heart face is widest at the forehead (an oval face at the cheekbones), and a heart face narrows sharply to a slim or pointed chin, while an oval face narrows gently to a rounded one. A widow's peak hairline is common with heart faces.

Round vs Heart

These are less often confused, but full cheeks on a heart face can make it look round in photos. Check the chin: a round face has a wide, soft chin; a heart face has a narrow one.

Get new guides by email

How Common Is Each?

In Ollie's face scan of 4,032 celebrities, oval was the most common shape (22%), heart second (18%) and round sixth (12.2%). Among women, heart was the most common shape of all (26.9%); among men, round (15.2%) was more than twice as common as among women (7%).

See the full guide to all 7 face shapes for the others.

If You're Between Two Shapes

Most people are a mix. Choose cuts that suit both shapes: for oval-round, add a little height and keep the sides soft; for oval-heart, add some fullness around the jaw. The free face scan in Ollie Stylist shows how likely each shape is for your face and scores haircuts against all of them, so a between-shapes face gets advice that works for both.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my face is oval or round?

Compare length with width. An oval face is clearly longer than wide; a round face is about as wide as it is long. Both have soft jaws.

What's the difference between a heart and oval face?

A heart face is widest at the forehead and narrows sharply to a slim chin; an oval face is widest at the cheekbones and narrows gently to a rounded chin.

Can you be between face shapes?

Yes, most people are. Ollie's face scan shows how likely each shape is and recommends cuts that suit the shapes you're closest to.