Your jawline is the lower edge of your face, from the corner below each ear to the tip of your chin. It shapes your whole profile, and it is one of the four measurements that decide your face shape. Knowing which type you have makes it easier to choose haircuts, beard styles, glasses and makeup that work with it. This guide covers the four jawline types, how to tell which one you have, and what can change a jawline over time.
What Is a Jawline?
Your jawline follows your lower jaw bone (the mandible). Three parts give it its look:
- Jaw width: the distance between the two corners of your jaw, just below your ears.
- Jaw angle: the corner where the jaw turns forward toward the chin. A tighter angle looks more defined; a wider angle looks softer.
- Chin: where the two sides meet. It can be broad and square, rounded, or narrow and pointed.
Bone sets the basic structure, but the muscle, fat and skin over it decide how sharp the edge looks. That is why two people with similar bones can have quite different jawlines.
The 4 Main Jawline Types
Most people fit one of these four types, or sit between two of them.
Square jawline
A square jawline is wide, with clear, angular corners below the ears and a broad, flat chin. The jaw is about as wide as the cheekbones, so the lower face looks strong and structured. It is the classic jaw of a square face shape, and it is also common with rectangle and triangle faces.
Round jawline
A round jawline is also fairly wide, but its corners curve instead of forming an angle, and the chin is rounded. The outline looks full and smooth, which gives a youthful, friendly look. It usually goes with a round or oval face.
Soft jawline
A soft jawline has a gentle jaw angle and little visible edge, so the jaw blends smoothly into the neck. It is not about width: a soft jawline can be narrow or wide. It is common with oval, round and oblong faces, and it often becomes more noticeable with age.
Sharp jawline
A sharp jawline, often called a chiseled or defined jawline, has a clear jaw angle and a crisp edge, with a visible line between the jaw and the neck. It can be wide or narrow and often tapers toward a defined chin. Sharp jawlines are common with square, diamond and heart faces.
Other jawline types
- V-shaped (tapered) jawline: narrow at the corners and tapering to a pointed chin, as in heart and diamond faces.
- Wide or heavy jawline: the jaw is the widest part of the face, which is the mark of a triangle face.
How to Tell Your Jawline Type
You only need two photos and a minute. Tie your hair back, take off glasses and keep a neutral expression.
Take a front photo at eye level
Hold the camera straight in front of your face, at arm’s length, with your head level.
Compare your jaw with your cheekbones
If your jaw is about as wide as your cheekbones, it is wide (square or round). If it is clearly narrower, it is tapered.
Look at the corners below your ears
Angular corners point to square or sharp. Curved corners point to round or soft.
Take a side photo
Stand side-on to the camera with your chin level, not raised.
Check the jaw angle and edge
A tight corner and a clear line between jaw and neck mean sharp. A wide, gentle corner that blends into the neck means soft.
Your jaw is closely linked to your face shape, so it helps to know both. If you are not sure of your face shape yet, our guide on how to find your face shape walks you through it.
Jawline Types and Face Shapes
Each face shape tends to come with a certain kind of jaw:
| Face shape | Typical jawline | Jaw width |
|---|---|---|
| Oval | Soft or round, gently curved | Slightly narrower than the forehead |
| Round | Round, with curved corners | Wide |
| Square | Square and angular | As wide as the forehead and cheekbones |
| Heart | Sharp or V-shaped, with a pointed chin | Narrow |
| Triangle | Wide and strong | The widest part of the face |
| Diamond | Sharp and tapered | Narrow |
| Oblong | Soft or round | Similar to the forehead |
| Rectangle | Square and angular | Similar to the forehead |
These are typical pairings, not rules. A round face can have a fairly defined jaw, and a square face can look softer with age.
Jawline Differences in Men and Women
On average, men have a wider jaw, a more prominent jaw angle and a broader chin, which is why square and sharp jawlines are often described as masculine. Women’s jaws are, on average, narrower and more tapered, with a softer angle and a smaller chin.
There is a lot of overlap, though. Many women have strong, square jawlines and many men have soft or round ones. Every type of jawline can look great with the right styling.
What Changes the Way Your Jawline Looks?
- Genetics: your bone structure sets the width, angle and chin shape.
- Body fat: fat under the chin and along the jaw blurs the edge, so weight loss often makes a jawline look sharper.
- Age: skin loses firmness over time and jowls can form, which softens the jawline.
- Jaw muscles: large chewing muscles (the masseters), for example from clenching or grinding, can make the lower face look wider and squarer.
- Posture: pushing your head forward or looking down at a phone hides the jaw edge, especially in photos.
- Facial hair: a beard can change the outline of your jaw completely.
Can You Change Your Jawline Type?
Your bone structure does not change in adulthood, but how your jawline looks can:
- Styling: a beard, a haircut, contour makeup or the right glasses can make a jawline look sharper, softer or squarer.
- Lower body fat and good posture: both make the jaw edge easier to see.
- Cosmetic treatments: options such as fillers or treatments that relax the jaw muscles exist, but they are medical procedures. Talk to a qualified professional about risks and results.
Jaw exercises and “mewing” are popular online, but there is little scientific evidence that they reshape the jaw bone in adults.
Best Styles for Each Jawline Type
The rule is simple: balance what you have. Soften a strong jaw, and add angles to a soft or round one.
| Jawline type | Haircuts | Beard | Glasses | Makeup |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Square | Layers, waves and side parts to soften the corners | Rounded beards or light stubble | Round and oval frames | Soft contour on the jaw corners |
| Round | Height on top and angular cuts | Boxed beards or a goatee to add length | Rectangular and angular frames | Contour along the sides of the jaw |
| Soft | Textured crops and short sides | A neat beard with a crisp neckline | Bold browline or rectangular frames | Contour just below the jaw edge |
| Sharp | Most styles; slicked back shows off the jaw | Clean-shaven or light stubble | Almost any frame; thin metal suits it | Highlight the jaw edge or soften it with blush |
For a round jaw in particular, our round face shape guide has more haircut and beard ideas.
Jawline Types FAQs
What is the most common jawline type?
There is no reliable data on how common each type is. Soft and round jawlines are very common, especially as people age, while sharply defined jawlines are less common without low body fat.
What jawline type is the most attractive?
Defined jawlines are often rated as attractive, especially on men, but attractiveness depends on the whole face. A jawline that is in balance with your cheekbones and forehead matters more than any one type.
Is a square jawline the same as a sharp jawline?
Not quite. A square jawline is wide with angular corners. A sharp jawline has a clear angle and a crisp edge, but it can be narrow. Many square jawlines are also sharp.
Can I tell my jawline type from a selfie?
Yes, if the photo is taken at eye level with your head straight and your hair back. A side photo also helps you see the jaw angle and how defined the edge is.
Does losing weight change your jawline?
It can make your jawline look more defined, because less fat sits under the chin and along the jaw. Your bone structure, and so the basic shape of your jaw, stays the same.
Does a beard change your jawline?
It changes how your jawline looks, not the bone underneath. A boxed beard can make a round or soft jaw look squarer, and a rounded beard can soften a square jaw.
Which Jawline Type Do You Have?
Square, round, soft or sharp: your jawline comes down to the width of your jaw, the shape of its corners and how defined its edge is. Every type can look great once you style it to balance your features. Your jaw is also one of the four measurements behind your face shape, so to see the full picture, check your face shape with our free Face Shape Detector.