Kibbe Face Types: Facial Features of All 13 Types

Kibbe face types describe two things: the facial bones (jaw, cheekbones, brow, nose bridge) and the facial features (eyes, lips, the soft tissue of the cheeks). Sharp, narrow or long bones read as yang; rounded, fleshy or lush features read as yin. Each of the 13 Kibbe types has a typical combination of the two, and this guide walks through every one of them.

One caution before you start: in David Kibbe's system the face supports the body, not the other way round. Your vertical line and overall body structure carry more weight than any single facial feature. Use your face to confirm or break a tie between two types, not to decide everything.

How Kibbe Reads a Face

In Metamorphosis (1987), the self-assessment splits the face into two parts, and it helps to keep them separate when you look in the mirror:

A type is usually a mix. A Soft Dramatic, for example, combines sharp yang bones with lush yin features. That mix is exactly why people get confused, so the sections below describe both layers for each type.

Kibbe Face Types Chart

The site still covers the original 13 types from Metamorphosis. Kibbe's current curated system uses 10 and no longer includes pure Natural, Classic or Gamine, which is why those three are marked legacy above.

Dramatic Family Faces

Dramatic face

A Dramatic face is all yang. The jawline is sharp and often long, the cheekbones are high and chiseled, and the nose tends to be narrow, long or prominent. Eyes are usually narrow or angular rather than round, and lips are on the thinner, straighter side. The impression is striking and severe rather than "cute." The face looks best with clean, sharp makeup lines and sleek hair. See the full Dramatic type.

Soft Dramatic face

The Soft Dramatic face, a common search on its own, keeps the Dramatic bones (strong jaw, prominent cheekbones, a large nose) but adds lush yin features: big eyes and full, wide lips. The result is bold and glamorous, the classic Hollywood siren face. If your bones are sharp but your features are fleshy and large, Soft Dramatic is worth a close look. More on the Soft Dramatic type.

Natural Family Faces

Flamboyant Natural face

The Flamboyant Natural face is defined by blunt yang: broad rather than sharp. Jaws are often square or wide, cheekbones are wide and flat-planed, and the nose may be broad with a rounded or blunt tip. Eyes and lips are medium to wide and relaxed. "Blunt facial features" is the key phrase here. The face reads as open, strong and a little casual, never fussy. See the Flamboyant Natural type.

Natural face (legacy type)

The pure Natural face sits in the middle: slightly blunt bones, moderate width, medium features, and no extreme in any direction. The face looks fresh and friendly. Because Kibbe has since folded this type into Flamboyant Natural and Soft Natural, many people who once typed as Natural now lean toward one of those. Read more on the Natural type.

Soft Natural face

A Soft Natural face combines slightly blunt, slightly wide bones with soft, lush features: round or large eyes, full lips, and cheeks with some fullness. The edges of the jaw and cheekbones are softened rather than crisp. The overall impression is warm, approachable and a bit unstudied. Overly precise makeup tends to fight this face. See the Soft Natural type.

Classic Family Faces

Dramatic Classic face

The Dramatic Classic face is symmetrical first and sharp second. The jaw is defined and even, the cheekbones are refined and moderately high, and the nose is straight. Features are medium and evenly spaced, with nothing oversized. The result looks polished, cool and composed, like a face that suits a tailored blazer. More on Dramatic Classic.

Classic face (legacy type)

The pure Classic face is the most balanced of all: an oval outline, moderate jaw and cheekbones, a straight nose and evenly matched eyes and lips. Nothing is sharp, blunt or lush enough to dominate. Kibbe now sorts most Classics into Dramatic Classic or Soft Classic. See the Classic type.

Soft Classic face

The Soft Classic face keeps Classic symmetry but adds gentle softness: a slightly rounded jaw, softened cheekbones and medium-to-full lips. Eyes are often medium to large with a soft look. The face reads as gracious and gentle rather than crisp. See the Soft Classic type.

Gamine Family Faces

Gamine faces are defined by juxtaposition: sharp and round elements sit side by side in a compact frame, and the face often looks youthful and animated.

Flamboyant Gamine face

A Flamboyant Gamine face leans yang: angular jaw and cheekbones, often high and sharp, in a small frame, paired with large, wide-open eyes. The nose is small or angular. The combination of sharp bones and bright eyes gives a spirited, mischievous impression. See the Flamboyant Gamine type.

Classic Gamine face (legacy type)

The Classic Gamine face is an even mix: compact, neat bones with a little sharpness, a small slightly angular nose, and medium-to-large eyes. It looks crisp and youthful without strong lushness or strong angularity. More on Classic Gamine.

Soft Gamine face

The Soft Gamine face leans yin: a small, slightly rounded face with large round eyes, full lips and soft cheeks, plus a hint of definition in the jaw or cheekbones. It looks sweet and animated, with romantic softness on a compact, gamine scale. By contrast, a Flamboyant Gamine face is sharper and narrower. See the Soft Gamine type.

Romantic Family Faces

Theatrical Romantic face

The Theatrical Romantic face pairs delicate sharpness in the bones, with slightly angular cheekbones and a refined jaw and nose, with lush yin features: large eyes and full lips. Nothing in the bone structure is large or blunt. The impression is glamorous and alluring. See the Theatrical Romantic type.

Romantic face

The Romantic face is the most yin. Bones are soft and rounded, cheeks are fleshy, and features are lush: large round eyes, often with a heavy-lidded look, full lips and a soft nose. There is no sharpness to speak of. The overall effect is sensual and dreamy. See the Romantic type.

How to Assess Your Own Face From Photos

Common Kibbe Face Type Confusions

Soft Classic vs Soft Natural face. Both have softness and full features. The difference is the bones: Soft Classic bones are symmetrical and even, while Soft Natural bones are slightly blunt and wide, sometimes with an irregular, less "matched" quality. If your face looks neat and balanced, think Soft Classic; if it looks open, broad and relaxed, think Soft Natural. The Soft Natural vs Soft Classic guide covers the body side.

Soft Dramatic vs Theatrical Romantic face. Both pair sharpness with lush features. Soft Dramatic bones are large and strong; Theatrical Romantic sharpness is delicate and small-scale.

Dramatic vs Flamboyant Natural face. Both are yang. Dramatic yang is sharp and narrow; Flamboyant Natural yang is broad and blunt.

Dramatic Classic vs Flamboyant Gamine face. Both can look sharp. Dramatic Classic is symmetrical and calm; Flamboyant Gamine mixes sharp bones with big, lively eyes in a compact frame.

Weight changes. Fuller cheeks can hide sharp cheekbones, and weight loss can make a yin face look more angular. Bones don't change, so look at the jaw and brow rather than the cheeks.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the Kibbe face types?

There is one face type for each of the 13 Kibbe types. Each is a mix of facial bones (sharp, blunt, balanced or rounded) and facial features (narrow, relaxed, even or lush). The chart above lists them side by side.

Can I find my Kibbe type from my face alone?

Not reliably. Kibbe treats the face as supporting evidence. Two people with very similar faces can be different types because of height, frame and line. Use the face to narrow down between two types, then confirm with the body.

What does a Soft Natural face look like?

Slightly blunt, slightly wide bones with softened edges, plus soft, full features such as round eyes and full lips. It reads as warm and approachable rather than sharp or symmetrical.

What are Kibbe cheekbone types?

Roughly: sharp and high (Dramatic, Soft Dramatic, Flamboyant Gamine), broad and blunt (Flamboyant Natural, Soft Natural), moderate and even (the Classics), delicate and slightly sharp (Theatrical Romantic), and soft and rounded (Romantic, Soft Gamine).

Is there a Kibbe face types quiz?

Our Kibbe quiz has 7 questions that look at the body and face together. For a no-quiz method, see how to find your Kibbe type without a quiz, and browse all 13 types to compare.