How to Determine Your Face Shape for Glasses | Mirror Method

For the full breakdown, see our best Eyewear For Face Shape guide.

Choosing glasses that flatter your face starts with knowing your face shape. The process takes about two minutes, requires no special tools, and saves you from trying on dozens of frames that just don’t work. Here’s how to get an accurate read.

The Setup: What You Need and What to Avoid

Stand directly facing a mirror, about arm’s length away, and look straight ahead. Pull all your hair back so your hairline and jawline are fully visible. A ponytail or headband works; wetting hair back is even better. Treat your hairline as the upper edge of your face and your chin as the lower edge — your ears are not part of the face shape measurement.

Don’t judge your shape from a tilted head, an angled selfie, or by relying on one feature alone. For the most accurate result, take a straight-on photo with a neutral expression and compare proportions on the screen. Tracing your face outline on the mirror with a water-soluble pencil can also help visualize the shape.

Which Measurements to Take

Four dimensions matter. You can estimate them visually or use a flexible tape measure for precision:

• Face length — from the center of your hairline to the tip of your chin.
• Forehead width — across the widest part of your forehead, roughly halfway between your eyebrows and hairline.
• Cheekbone width — across the highest points of your cheekbones, typically just below the outer corner of your eyes.
• Jawline width — from the widest point of one side of your jaw to the other.

After you have these, compare which dimension is the largest and how your face length compares to your total width.

What Your Proportions Mean

Face shape categories are a practical styling tool, not rigid science. Your face likely leans toward one category more than others. Here is how to read your numbers:

• Oval — Face length is greater than width, and all four measurements are relatively balanced. This is the most versatile shape; most frame styles work.
• Round — Forehead, cheekbones, and jawline are roughly equal in width, and face length is not much longer than width. Choose angular or rectangular frames to add definition.
• Square — Forehead, cheekbones, and jawline are similarly broad, with an angular jawline. Round or oval frames soften the strong angles.
• Heart — Forehead is the widest measurement, and the jawline is the narrowest. Frames that are wider at the bottom or have a low bridge balance the proportions.
• Diamond — Cheekbones are the widest point, with a narrower forehead and jawline. Oval, cat-eye, or rimless frames complement the angularity.
• Oblong / Long — Face length is noticeably greater than width. Wider frames that add horizontal width help balance the vertical length.

The One Rule for Choosing Frames

Contrast is the guiding principle. Rounder frames soften angular faces; angular frames add structure to softer, rounder faces. Frames should also be proportionate to your face width — nothing wider than your face itself. After shape, consider comfort, bridge fit, lens size, prescription strength, and durability, since shape is only one factor. Once you know your shape, see which frames suit you best in our roundup of the best eyewear for face shape.

Rodenstock’s styling guide confirms that the mirror-and-measurement method is the standard approach used by opticians, and it works for both eyeglasses and sunglasses. ZEISS’s face-shape guide offers the same step-by-step visual comparison, with notes on which frame shapes pair with each category.