Eyebrow Shapes for Your Face Shape: How to Find Your Best Brows

The best eyebrow shape for your face balances it: high, angled arches for a round face, soft or rounded arches for a square face, low rounded arches for a heart-shaped face, curved brows for a diamond face and straighter, flatter brows for a long face. Oval faces suit most shapes, usually with a soft angled arch. Whatever your face shape, your brows should start, arch and end at points set by your own nose and eyes — that's what keeps them looking natural.

Below is a quick table, the 3-point mapping method, a section for each face shape and grooming tips that avoid the most common mistakes.

Find your face shape first

Your face shape comes from your face length compared to its width and which part is widest — forehead, cheekbones or jaw. If you're not sure, follow our guide on how to find your face shape or upload a straight-on selfie to the free face shape detector.

Quick reference: eyebrow shapes by face shape

Face shape	Goal	Brow shapes to try	Usually skip
Oval	Keep the balance	Soft angled arch; most natural shapes	Very high or very heavy arches
Round	Add length and structure	High, angled arch; slightly longer tail	Round, curved brows
Square	Soften a strong jaw	Soft angled or rounded arch; medium thickness	Thin, sharply angled brows
Heart	Balance a wider forehead	Low, rounded arch; soft curve	Very high, peaked arches
Diamond	Soften the cheekbones	Curved or rounded brows; soft arch	Sharp, angular peaks
Oblong	Make the face look shorter	Straight or flat brows; a little extra length	High arches that add height

The 3-point eyebrow mapping method

Before you choose a shape, find where your brows should start, peak and end. Hold a pencil or a makeup brush against your face:

1. Start: hold it straight up from the side of your nostril. The brow should begin on that line.
2. Arch: angle it from the side of your nostril through the outer edge of your iris while you look straight ahead. That's where the highest point of the arch should sit.
3. Tail: angle it from the side of your nostril to the outer corner of your eye. The brow should end on that line, with the tail no lower than the start.

Mark each point lightly with a brow pencil. The face-shape advice below only changes how high and how sharp the arch is — the three points stay yours.

Oval face

An oval face is slightly longer than it is wide with balanced proportions, so most brow shapes work.

Try: a soft angled arch that follows your natural brow bone. Keep the thickness natural.

Skip: very high or very heavy arches, which can make an oval face look surprised or stern. More in the oval face guide.

Round face

A round face is about as wide as it is long, with soft curves. Angled brows add structure and draw the eye up and down.

Try: a high, angled arch with a slightly longer tail. A defined peak makes the face look longer.

Skip: round, curved brows, which repeat the roundness of the face. See the round face guide.

Square face

A square face has a broad forehead and a strong, angular jaw. Brows can soften those lines or match them.

Try: a soft angled or rounded arch at medium-to-full thickness. A slightly fuller brow balances a strong jaw better than a thin one.

Skip: thin, sharply angled brows, which can look harsh next to a defined jaw. Details in the square face guide.

Heart-shaped face

A heart-shaped face is widest at the forehead and cheekbones, with a narrower chin. The aim is to keep attention off the forehead.

Try: a low, rounded arch with a soft curve.

Skip: very high, peaked arches, which make the upper face look even wider. More in the heart face guide.

Diamond face

A diamond face is widest at the cheekbones, with a narrower forehead and jaw.

Try: curved or rounded brows with a soft arch. They soften the cheekbones and make the forehead look a little wider.

Skip: sharp, angular peaks, which echo the angles of the cheekbones. See the diamond face guide.

Oblong face

An oblong face is noticeably longer than it is wide. Horizontal lines make it look shorter.

Try: straight or flat brows with only a slight arch. Letting the tail extend a little toward the temples adds width.

Skip: high arches, which add height to an already long face. Details in the oblong face guide.

Eye shape and brow position

Your eyes change which brow shape looks best too:

• Close-set eyes: keep a little more space between the brows; don't fill in the inner corners heavily.
• Wide-set eyes: start the brows slightly closer to the nose so the eyes look closer together.
• Hooded eyes: a slightly higher arch and a clean area under the brow make the lid look larger.
• Deep-set eyes: softer, thinner-looking brows keep the eye area from looking heavy.

Our eye shapes guide explains how to tell which eye shape you have.

Uneven eyebrows

It's common for one brow to sit higher or arch more than the other — faces are rarely perfectly symmetrical. To make them look more even, match the three mapped points on both sides and fill in the lower or thinner brow slightly with a pencil or powder. Our guide on how to make your face more symmetrical covers other small fixes.

Grooming tips

• Remove only from below the brow and between the brows. Leave the top line alone unless a professional shapes it.
• Brush brows up first, then trim only the hairs that stick out far past the shape.
• Go slowly: pluck a few hairs, then step back from the mirror. Overplucked brows can take months to grow back — and some may not.
• Fill gaps with short strokes in a shade close to your natural brow color; slightly lighter usually looks softer than darker.
• Set with brow gel for a fuller, brushed-up look without lamination.
• For tinting, lamination or microblading, go to a licensed professional, and ask about a patch test first.

Men's eyebrows

For most men the best brow shape is the one they already have, just cleaned up: remove a unibrow and the stray hairs under the brow, and trim very long hairs. Avoid creating a visible arch — a straight, full brow looks most natural on most men.

How brows affect your face rating

Brows frame the eyes and shape how your upper face reads, so a well-groomed brow can change how balanced your proportions look in photos. If you're curious how your face shape and proportions measure up, try the free AI face rating. And for the rest of the look, see glasses for your face shape or best hairstyles for women by face shape.

FAQ

How do I find the right eyebrow shape for my face?

Start with your face shape: high angled arches for round faces, soft or rounded arches for square faces, low rounded arches for heart-shaped faces, curved brows for diamond faces and straighter brows for long faces. Then map the start, arch and tail with a pencil from the side of your nostril so the shape follows your own features.

What eyebrow shape suits a round face?

A high, angled arch with a slightly longer tail. The defined peak adds structure and makes a round face look longer. Avoid very rounded, curved brows.

What eyebrow shape suits an oval face?

Most shapes suit an oval face. A soft angled arch that follows your brow bone is the safest choice; avoid very high or heavy arches.

Where should the arch of my eyebrow be?

On the line from the side of your nostril through the outer edge of your iris, while you look straight ahead. For most people that puts the peak about two-thirds of the way along the brow.

Do eyebrows affect attractiveness?

Yes, they frame the eyes and influence how balanced the upper face looks. Well-groomed brows that follow your natural shape tend to look better than heavily reshaped ones.