What decides your lip type?
Five things: how tall your lips are against their width, how deep the dip in the upper lip is, how wide the lips are, whether both sides match, and which lip is taller. The nine names are shortcuts for the strongest of these traits.
That is why one pair of lips can fit two names. You can have full lips with a defined Cupid's bow, and that is normal.
The nine types of lips at a glance
| Lip type | What you see | Main trait |
|---|---|---|
| Full lips | Plump upper and lower lips with balanced volume and a clear outline. | Fullness |
| Thin lips | A smaller, more delicate lip with less height in both lips. | Fullness |
| Heart-shaped lips | A well-defined Cupid's bow over a slightly fuller lower lip. | Cupid's bow |
| Bow-shaped lips | A pronounced Cupid's bow with curved corners, the classic vintage lip. | Cupid's bow |
| Round lips | Soft curves, a gentle bow and similar fullness in both lips. | Cupid's bow |
| Wide lips | Lips that reach further across the face, often with a broad smile. | Width |
| Asymmetrical lips | The left and right sides differ a little in height or shape, which is common. | Symmetry |
| Top-heavy lips | The upper lip is fuller than the lower lip. | Vertical balance |
| Bottom-heavy lips | A fuller lower lip under a thinner upper lip. | Vertical balance |
Each type has a longer description, with drawings, in the guide to different lip shapes.
How to check your lip type in a mirror
Stand facing a mirror in daylight. Relax your face, close your lips without pressing them and look straight ahead. Then go through five steps.
- Fullness. Compare the height of both lips together with the width of your mouth. Tall against the width reads as full. Short against the width reads as thin.
- Cupid's bow. Look at the centre of the upper lip. A clear dip with two peaks is a defined bow. A soft, flat curve is a soft bow.
- Width. Hold a finger under each corner of your mouth and picture them against the width of your face. Corners that sit far out read as wide.
- Symmetry. Compare the left and right side. If one side is clearly taller or curves differently, that is asymmetry.
- Vertical balance. Compare the upper lip with the lower lip. If one is clearly taller, you are top-heavy or bottom-heavy.
A mirror gives you a good guess. Judging distances by eye is hard, which is why a measurement is more reliable.
Find your lip type from a photo
The lip shape finder does the same five checks with numbers. It finds 68 points on your face and measures your lips from them. Upload one front-facing photo and you get your lip type in a few seconds. It is free, and you do not need to sign up.
Our cutoffs are simple, so you can see how the tool decides:
- Lips count as full when their combined height is more than half their width, and as thin when it is under 30 percent.
- Lips count as wide when they are more than half the width of the face outline.
- Lips count as asymmetrical when the left and right side differ in height by more than 10 percent.
These are our own thresholds, not an industry standard. Treat the result as a guide for makeup, not as a medical or cosmetic assessment.
What does your lip type change?
Mostly your makeup choices. Thin lips look fuller with a cream or gloss finish and a liner placed just outside the natural edge. A defined Cupid's bow shows best with a sharp liner and one even colour. Asymmetrical lips look more balanced in a satin finish, which hides small differences better than gloss.
None of the nine types is better than another. Every one is common.
Frequently asked questions about lip types
What are the main types of lips?
There are nine commonly named lip types: full, thin, heart-shaped, bow-shaped, round, wide, asymmetrical, top-heavy and bottom-heavy. Most people fit one name best and show traits of a second.
How do I know what type of lips I have?
Look at your relaxed, closed lips in a mirror and check five things: how tall they are against their width, how deep the dip in the upper lip is, how wide they are, whether both sides match, and which lip is taller. Or upload a photo to the lip shape finder.
Can I have more than one lip type?
Yes. Lip types describe different traits, so one pair of lips can be full, have a defined Cupid's bow and be slightly asymmetrical at once. The finder reports all five traits and names the shape that fits best.
Are thin lips a bad thing?
No. Thin is a description of lip height, not a flaw. Makeup can add the look of volume if you want it, and many people prefer a slim, defined lip.
Is it normal for my lips to be uneven?
Yes. Small differences between the left and right side are very common. The finder only calls lips asymmetrical when the two sides differ in height by more than 10 percent.
Do lip types change over time?
Lips can lose volume and definition with age, and sun exposure and dryness change how they look. Your basic shape stays recognisable, but a retest after a few years may give a different result.