Lenses, not just frames
Best Sunglasses for Heart-Shaped Faces
Wide brow, narrow chin. Add weight at the bottom of the frame, or a lift at the outer corner. Do not add more width at the temple you already have.
Updated 27 Aug 2026 · 6 min read · best sunglasses for heart shaped faces
The chin is already doing enough
A heart face is a wider forehead and cheek tapering to a narrower jaw. A thick black wayfarer adds a second lintel on the brow. A cat-eye or a thin metal aviator draws the eye out and down, which is the correction.
If you are not sure you are heart versus diamond, look at the chin. A pointed chin with a wide brow is heart. Wide cheekbones with a narrower brow is diamond.
What to try on first
Start with a cat-eye that lifts 8–12 degrees at the outer corner, not a 1980s wing. Then a teardrop aviator with a thin bar. Then an oval acetate that is wider at the bottom than the top. Those three cover most heart faces.
| Shape | On a heart face |
|---|---|
| Cat-eye, mild | Usually the right call |
| Thin aviator | Yes |
| Bottom-heavy oval | Yes |
| Thick wayfarer | Often too much brow |
| Tiny round metal | Makes the chin sharper |
Width is measured at the brow
Match the frame to the forehead, not the chin. 2mm past the temple is enough. A $70–$160 acetate cat-eye with UV400 is a better daily pair than a $300 logo that sits high and narrow. If the pair also has to work as a dress accessory, keep the rim thin.
Questions, answered
- Are wayfarers banned on a heart face?
- No. A softer, slightly oversized wayfarer with a curved bottom can work. The sharp, narrow, heavy-brow version is the one that fights you.
- Does a fringe change this?
- A full fringe hides forehead width. You can then wear a slightly stronger brow bar. The chin geometry is unchanged.
- What about rimless?
- Rimless and semi-rimless take weight off the brow. They are a good metal option if acetate cat-eye is not your taste.
