Comparison

Oblong vs Diamond Face Shape

Both shapes can be long, so length will not separate them. What does is the relationship between your three width measurements: near-equal points to oblong, cheekbones standing clearly above the rest points to diamond.

Cheekbones
Forehead width
Chin
Measurements

Tool · Comparison

Oblong or Diamond? Decider

Length will not separate these two — the gap between your cheekbones and your other widths will. Enter your measurements and the tool does the subtraction.

This calculator runs in the browser, so it needs JavaScript enabled. The written guidance on this page explains the same comparisons by hand.

Everything is worked out in your browser from the numbers you type. Nothing is uploaded or stored. Face-shape categories are descriptive styling guidance, not a medical or scientific classification.

Quick answer

What Is the Difference Between an Oblong and a Diamond Face?

An oblong face has near-equal forehead, cheekbone and jaw widths, so its sides run almost parallel and the outline reads as a column. A diamond face is widest at the cheekbones by a clear margin, with a narrow forehead and a chin that tapers to a point, so the outline narrows at both ends. Both can be long — the widths, not the length, decide it.

The short answer

The One-Line Difference

An oblong face is a column. A diamond face is widest in the middle and narrow at both ends.

If your cheekbones clearly outmeasure both your forehead and your jaw, you are looking at a diamond, regardless of how long your face is.

Visual

Oblong and Diamond Side by Side

Drawn at the same scale. Watch the top and bottom of each outline rather than the overall height.

Oblong

Long, with the three widths sitting close together.

Forehead, cheekbones and jaw within about a centimetre of each other
Sides run almost parallel
Forehead is tall and broad
Chin is rounded or lightly tapered
Jawline curves softly, without a point

Diamond

Widest at the cheekbones, tapering at both the forehead and the chin.

Cheekbones are the clear widest point
Forehead is narrow relative to the cheekbones
Jaw narrows toward a pointed chin
Cheekbones often look angular or high-set
Outline is widest in the middle

Reference

Full Comparison Table

Feature	Oblong	Diamond
Overall proportion	Clearly longer than wide	Longer than wide; length varies
Widest point	Cheekbones, but only marginally	Cheekbones, by a clear margin
Forehead width	Similar to the jaw	Narrow — often the narrowest measurement
Cheekbone prominence	Modest; the face looks flat-sided	High and often angular
Jaw width	Similar to the forehead	Narrow, tapering toward the chin
Chin	Rounded or lightly tapered	Distinctly pointed
Sides of the face	Near-parallel	Angled — out to the cheeks, in to the chin
Overall impression	A long column	A kite or rhombus
Styling need	Add width evenly, shorten the face	Add width at the forehead and jaw, soften the cheekbones

Face length appears in the first row but does not decide anything here — both shapes are commonly long.

The decisive test

The Measurement Test

One comparison settles nearly every case: the size of the gap between your cheekbone measurement and the other two.

Measure your forehead, cheekbones and jaw as described in the measurement guide, then subtract.

All three within about a centimetre of each other — oblong. The face has no strong widest point.
Cheekbones clearly above both others — diamond. The face has a definite widest point in the middle.
Forehead noticeably narrower than the cheekbones, but the chin rounded — likely oblong with prominent cheekbones rather than a true diamond.

The chin is a useful second check. A diamond chin comes to a distinct point; an oblong chin does not. If your chin is rounded, diamond is unlikely regardless of your cheekbones.

Detail

Cheekbones, Forehead and Chin

Cheekbones

The defining feature of a diamond face. They sit high, project outward and create the widest line of the face by a visible margin. Oblong cheekbones are still the widest point technically, but the difference is small enough that the sides of the face look straight.

Forehead

A diamond forehead is narrow, often noticeably so, and can look short as well. An oblong forehead is broad and typically tall — one of the shape's most recognisable traits, and the reason fringes work so well on it.

Chin

A diamond chin tapers to a point. An oblong chin is rounded or only lightly tapered. This is the fastest single check and the one least affected by hairstyle.

Jawline

Diamond jaws angle inward from a narrow starting point. Oblong jaws run close to the same width as the forehead and curve gently rather than angling.

In between

Hybrid Faces: Elongated Diamond and Oblong with Strong Cheekbones

A common real-world case that neither category describes perfectly.

Plenty of long faces have noticeable cheekbones without the narrow forehead and pointed chin that complete a diamond. That combination is sometimes called an elongated diamond, and it sits genuinely between the two categories.

A practical way to resolve it: let the chin decide. Rounded chin plus a broad forehead means the oblong advice will serve you better. Pointed chin plus a narrow forehead means the diamond advice will.

The face shape quiz shows how close your top two scores were, which is useful precisely for cases like this.

Practical

Styling Implications

The two shapes need width in different places, so the advice diverges more than for oblong versus oval.

Area	Oblong approach	Diamond approach
Hair length	Chin to collarbone, layers from the cheekbone	Chin-length or longer, volume at the jaw
Fringe	Strongly recommended — shortens a tall forehead	Side-swept, to add width to a narrow forehead
Volume placement	Evenly at the sides, level with the cheekbones	At the forehead and jaw, softened at the cheekbones
Frames	Wider than deep, strong horizontal line	Frames wider at the top, to broaden a narrow forehead
Brows	Flatter and longer, to widen the upper face	Rounded and slightly fuller, to fill a narrow forehead

Both shapes benefit from softening, but where the width goes differs — which is why identifying correctly is worth five minutes with a tape measure.

If oblong is your match, start with the hairstyle guides, then glasses — the two levers with the biggest effect.

Frequently Asked Questions

The oblong versus diamond questions readers ask most.

What is the difference between an oblong and a diamond face shape?

On an oblong face the forehead, cheekbones and jaw measure close to the same width, so the sides look almost parallel. On a diamond face the cheekbones are clearly the widest point, with a narrow forehead and a narrow, pointed chin, so the outline tapers at both ends.

Can a face be both oblong and diamond?

Faces can sit between the two. A long face with moderately prominent cheekbones and a slightly narrow forehead is sometimes called an elongated diamond. If the gap between your cheekbone width and your forehead and jaw widths is small, treat it as oblong; if the gap is pronounced, treat it as diamond.

How do I know if my cheekbones are prominent enough to be a diamond?

Measure all three widths. On a diamond face the cheekbone measurement stands clearly above both the forehead and jaw measurements — typically by more than a centimetre on each side. On an oblong face all three sit within roughly a centimetre of each other.

Is a diamond face longer than an oblong face?

Not necessarily. Both can be long, which is exactly why they get confused. Length is not a reliable way to separate them — the relationship between the three width measurements is.

Does styling advice differ between oblong and diamond faces?

Yes. Both benefit from softening, but a diamond face is usually balanced by adding width at the forehead and jaw where it is narrow, while an oblong face is balanced by adding width evenly and shortening the visible face length.