How many face shapes are there?

There are numerous different classifications floating around the internet, which range from 3 or 4 different face shapes to over a dozen. Many of these classifications use similar terms, such as "rectangle", "square", and "oblong", but the definitions of these very same terms vary from site to site. Some shapes like "diamond" and "inverse triangle" are simply confusing.

Charts of different face shape classifications.

Examples of various classifications of face shapes.

I believe facial shapes can be simplified into 5 types: Oval, Oblong, Square, Pentagon, and Round.

Chart of face shape classifications regrouped to show the Oval, Oblong, Square, Pentagon, and Round face shapes.

A more meaningful classification of face shapes which groups essentially similar faces and eliminates needless confusion.

Each of these shapes can be found in individuals from every ethnicity, sex, skin color, and continent. Sometimes individuals can be a mix between multiple shapes; however, one usually predominates.

Given below are brief descriptions and a few examples of each face shape. Each section links to a more extensive gallery of images to illustrate the variation that exists within each type. (Click the titles below to view the main image gallery for each face shape).


Oval face shape

The Oval face shape is associated with the Neolithic Aryan farming archetype. Its high forehead and lack of heavy features give it a youthful impression. People who possess Aryan blood memory will find this shape most beautiful. As such, the study of this face shape and other physical traits associated with the Neolithic Aryan archetype will be the main focus of this website.


Oblong face shape

The Oblong face shape is similar to the Oval. However, it often gives an "overgrown" impression and its often extreme length makes the face too long overall to comfortably fit within an aesthetically-pleasing oval. Additionally, people with Oblong faces have heavy features which are not typically seen on Oval faces. People with this face shape are sometimes humorously referred to as "horse faced", suggesting the Oblong's proportions are just simply too long and heavy-featured to be as aesthetically pleasing as the Oval.


Square face shape

The Square face shape is associated with the Paleolithic hunting archetype. Square faces have large and well-defined jaws, giving the face a robust and box-like impression. Sometimes Square faces are longer than they are wide--however, this should not to be confused with the Oblong shape.


Pentagon face shape

The Pentagon face shape is associated with the Turanian herding archetype. The distinguishing feature of this shape are the protruding cheekbones which give the face a Pentagonal appearance. A Pentagon-shaped face may sometimes appear similar to a Round or Square face; however, the sharp cheek bones of the Pentagon tend to give people of this type a "cat-like" impression, distinguishing it from the other shapes. (Certain individuals of this type may sometimes look more similar to a hexagon than a pentagon, but they should be grouped in the Pentagon category for the sake of simplicity.)


Round face shape

The Round face shape is closely related to the Square and Pentagon. As its name suggests, Round faces have softer features than the chiseled jaw of Squares or the sharply-protruding cheekbones of Pentagons. Many people with wide faces who do not clearly fit the Pentagon or Square shapes can be considered to have the Round face shape.