Quick Answer:
A lip shape chart sorts lips into nine common types (full, heavy upper, heavy lower, wide, round, thin, bow-shaped, heart-shaped, downturned) for men and women alike.
By Muhammad Rehan Iqbal, Founder and Developer of OvalFaceShape.com.
A lip shape chart groups lips into nine common types: full, heavy upper, heavy lower, wide, round, thin, bow-shaped, heart-shaped and downturned. The same chart works for men and women because the types describe proportions, not gender. Most people are a blend of two, so treat the chart as a shared vocabulary, not a verdict.
Who this guide is for:
This guide is for anyone using OvalFaceShape.com to name their lip shape before choosing lipstick, preparing questions for a clinician, or settling a curiosity. It is descriptive guidance, not a medical assessment.
The Lip Shape Chart: 9 Common Lip Shapes
Beauty editors, including L’Oréal Paris, use these nine categories. Many people combine two, such as wide and bow-shaped.
| Lip shape | Defining feature | Quick check |
|---|---|---|
| Full | Upper and lower lips equally plump | Both lips show clear volume at rest |
| Heavy upper | Upper lip fuller than lower | Upper red area looks deeper |
| Heavy lower | Lower lip fuller than upper | Lower red area looks deeper |
| Wide | Noticeably wider than tall | Many front teeth show when smiling |
| Round | Width close to height, soft edges | Doll-like, rounded corners |
| Thin | Slim, low volume | Lips hard to see when smiling |
| Bow-shaped | Full, with a deep Cupid’s bow and flatter lower lip | Sharp dip at the top center |
| Heart-shaped | Deep Cupid’s bow, rounded or angled lower lip | Outline reads as a heart |
| Downturned | Corners angle downward | Mouth corners sit below the center line |
Bow-shaped vs. Heart-shaped lips
Both have a pronounced Cupid’s bow, the dip at the center of the upper lip. The difference is the bottom: bow-shaped lips have a wider, flatter lower lip, while heart-shaped lips have a rounded or slightly angled one. Check the lower lip first when separating them.
Lip Shape Chart for Females vs. Males
The categories are identical for both sexes; typical proportions differ. A lip-anatomy primer in the PMFA Journal describes fundamental shape and form differences between male and female lips. It also notes that the upper lip matters to attractiveness in both sexes, while a full lower lip reads as feminine but plays little role in masculine appeal.
Measured ratios (upper:lower lip height, from Wong et al., summarized in a 2017 dermatology review:
| Group | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| Caucasian | 1:1.43 | 1:1.25 |
| Chinese | 1:1.25 | 1:1.25 |
| Korean | 1:1.11 (caliper) | 1:1.25 |
Men’s lips were more similar across groups than women’s, and Caucasian men had the thinnest lips. A “girl lip shape chart” and a male one therefore use the same nine labels, and the practical difference is in proportion.
How to Identify Your Lip Shape (Step by Step)?
- Relax your face in front of a mirror, mouth closed, no pout or smile.
- Judge fullness: compare the upper and lower red areas, then the width against the height.
- Check the outline: look for a deep Cupid’s bow, and whether the corners turn down.
- Measure the ratio (optional): hold a ruler at the center, measure the upper and lower red lip height in millimeters, then divide the lower by the upper.
- Name the blend, for example “wide and heavy lower.”
You can also upload a photo to the Lip Shape Analyzer for a second opinion.
Lip Shape Chart for Fillers: What the Research Supports?
No single ratio is ideal for everyone. A 1:1.6 upper-to-lower ratio is widely cited as ideal for Caucasians, but the same 2017 review argues that Caucasian measurements shouldn’t be applied to other groups.
In a study across generations, the 1:1 ratio was the most-chosen option (43.1% and 45.9% for the two models). 1:1.6 drew 29.4% on the first model, and participants found 1:2 less natural.
Terms like “gull wing” or “sausage” are injector vocabulary for results, not natural types on the chart. A licensed clinician should assess anatomy before any treatment, so use the chart to describe your lips, not to plan filler.
Explore our complete guide to contouring for every face shape to learn the best contouring techniques for your face shape.
Zodiac and Personality Lip Charts
Zodiac lip charts assign a lip shape to each sign, and personality charts assign traits to each shape. The zodiac pages I reviewed cite no study, and I found no peer-reviewed evidence that sun sign determines lip shape. Treat these charts as entertainment.
Lipstick Shape Chart: Matching Shape to Makeup
Techniques below follow L’Oréal’s guidance and are suggestions, not rules.
| Lip shape | Common technique |
|---|---|
| Full | Gloss to emphasize; line just inside the natural edge to tone down |
| Heavy upper/lower | Line only the thinner lip, slightly over |
| Wide | Soft nude or sheer gloss; highlight the Cupid’s bow |
| Round | Satin or glossy finish |
| Thin | Subtle overlining, mostly at the center |
| Bow-shaped | Define the bow with liner in an X |
| Downturned | Concealer at the corners, then liner to lift |
Key Takeaways
- The chart has nine common types, and most people are a blend.
- Male and female lips use the same labels; proportions differ.
- The 1:1.6 ratio is one cited ideal, not a universal rule.
- Zodiac and personality lip charts have no evidence behind them.
- A chart describes your lips; a clinician advises on filler.
FAQs
Which lip shape is most attractive?
No single shape wins. Preferences vary by culture and region, and in Wong et al. the lips rated most attractive were smaller than average. Choose styling, not a “best” shape.
How can I identify my lip shape?
Examine your relaxed lips in a mirror, compare fullness, width and the Cupid’s bow to the table above, and name the blend. The Lip Shape Analyzer can confirm it.
What is the rarest lip shape?
No study I found ranks lip shapes by prevalence, so any “rarest” label is an informal guess.
What is the most common lip shape?
L’Oréal describes full lips as generally considered the most common, but I found no population study confirming it. Treat it as an editorial claim.
Is 1:1.6 the ideal lip ratio for everyone?
No. It is the ratio most often cited for Caucasians, while measured averages and preferences differ across ethnic groups.
Bow-shaped vs. heart-shaped lips: what’s the difference?
Both have a deep Cupid’s bow. Heart-shaped lips have a rounded or angled lower lip, while bow-shaped lips have a flatter, wider one.
Can lip filler change my lip shape?
Fillers can change volume and proportion, but results are temporary, and anatomy and goals should be assessed by a licensed clinician first.
Next step:
Upload a photo to the Lip Shape Analyzer to see which of the nine shapes fits you best.