Facial thirds test: are your thirds balanced?
Last updated: September 2026
The face divides into three vertical bands: hairline to brow, brow to the base of the nose, and nose base to chin. The classical ideal is three equal thirds, with the mouth one third of the way down the lower band. Upload one front-facing photo and the test draws the four lines on your face and gives each third as a share of face height, plus a balance score. Free, in your browser, nothing uploaded.
How to read your thirds
| Pattern | Reads as | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Three shares within 3% of each other | Balanced | The classical ideal. Rarer than it sounds. |
| Middle third long | Long midface | Reads as soft or drawn. Often paired with a small chin. Camera below eye level makes it look worse, camera at eye level makes it look better. |
| Lower third long | Strong lower face | Reads as a prominent chin and jaw. Common in faces rated masculine. |
| Lower third short | Short chin | Reads as a weak lower face. A camera held high exaggerates it. |
| Upper third short | Low hairline or forehead | Measured from the top of the face mesh, which sits under the hairline, so everyone reads a little short here. Compare the middle and lower thirds first. |
The test also splits the lower third: from the nose base to the mouth should be one third of it and from the mouth to the chin two thirds. A mouth that sits low reads as a long upper lip; a mouth that sits high reads as a long chin.
How the test measures thirds
A face landmark model finds the top of the forehead, the point between the brows, the base of the nose, the mouth and the chin. The test levels the head and corrects for a camera held above or below eye level, which is the single biggest distortion of the thirds, then measures the three bands as shares of the total. The balance score weights the middle to lower ratio (the two bands the mesh measures exactly) and the lower third split.
Nothing is uploaded. The model runs on your device, the photo stays on your device, and the result image you can save is drawn on your device. Close the page and nothing remains.
Why the thirds matter
Balanced thirds are one of the strongest single predictors of a face reading as harmonious in photos, ahead of most individual features. Raters check them before they look at any trait, because a long midface or a short chin changes how every other feature reads: the same nose is large on a short midface and fine on a long one. If your thirds are off, that is the measurement to understand before you spend money on anything else.
See what your thirds do to the rest of the face
ChadMe rates harmony, jawline, eyes, skin and hair from the selfie and explains how they interact, with the potential ceiling.
How to get an accurate measurement
- Camera at eye level, at arm's length or further. A low camera lengthens the chin and widens the jaw; a high camera shrinks them.
- Even light from the front. A window behind you or a lamp above you puts shadows exactly where the landmarks are.
- Face the camera straight on with a neutral expression, mouth closed, hair off the forehead.
- No filters, no beauty mode, no crop that cuts the chin or the ears.
- Use the same setup when you compare two photos. Different setups produce different numbers on the same face.
Hair off the forehead matters more here than on any other test: the top line is the hairline.
FAQ
Is the facial thirds test free?
Yes. It runs in your browser from one photo with no signup and no upload.
What are ideal facial thirds?
Three equal bands: hairline to brow, brow to nose base, nose base to chin, each about a third of face height, with the mouth one third of the way down the lower band.
What does a long midface mean?
The middle third (brow to nose base) is longer than the lower third. It reads as soft or drawn and often goes with a small chin. A camera held below eye level exaggerates it.
Why does my upper third read short?
The test measures from the top of the face mesh, which sits a little under the real hairline, so every face reads a little short there. Compare the middle and lower thirds, which are measured exactly.
Can facial thirds be changed?
The bone does not change without surgery. What changes is how they read: hairstyle changes the visible upper third, facial hair changes the lower third, and camera height changes all three.
Is my photo uploaded?
No. The measurement runs on your device.