Midface · Three-Axis Score

Cheekbone test

R
By · RealSmile
Facial Analysis Research
Verified
Updated
October 5, 2026
Sources
5 peer-reviewed
Method
How it works →

Width, projection, hollow depth. Three measurable cheekbone axes, each with a published anthropometric norm for reference.

High cheekbones are not one thing. They are three things that have to combine. The scan tells you which of the three your face has and which is the bottleneck.

17 metrics · Free · No signup

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Free score · $14.99 unlocks the written midface report

The three axes the scan measures

Bizygomatic width index. Horizontal distance between the two zygion landmarks divided by total face width. Faces read as high-cheekboned sit at roughly 0.75 to 0.80 on this index, per Farkas anthropometric norms. Below 0.70 reads as narrow; above 0.85 reads as wide-set.

Malar projection index. Perpendicular distance from the malar apex to the maxilla plane, normalized by midface length. Measured from a three-quarter angle. The reference range is 0.18 to 0.24 of midface length for faces consistently rated as having projecting cheekbones.

Submalar hollow contrast. The luminance and depth differential between the malar apex and the soft tissue immediately below. Deeper hollows produce stronger visible cheekbone read even at constant width and projection. This is the axis that responds most to soft-tissue changes.

RealSmile does not combine these axes into one cheekbone score. The 17-metric scan reads cheek width through Jaw Taper (V-Shape) and Facial Width-to-Height Ratio, and the full report shows each with its measured value and a 0-100 score.

What changes which axis

Bizygomatic width

Does not change in adults. Bone structure is fixed after late adolescence. Width can only be visually narrowed (lower-face shaping) or framed (haircut, brow shape) to alter the perceived ratio.

Malar projection

Does not change in adults without surgery. Filler or implants can add projection. Soft-tissue volume loss around the cheekbone reveals existing projection that was previously hidden by fullness.

Submalar hollow depth

Responds to body composition. A 3 to 5 percent body fat reduction visibly deepens the hollow. Masseter reduction (dietary, postural, or pharmacological) narrows the lower face and increases the contrast.

Perceived width ratio

Responds to framing. A wider haircut, fuller brow, or narrower beard line changes the ratio of cheekbone width to head outline width without changing the bone.

Perceived projection

Responds to lighting and angle. A three-quarter angle at 30 to 45 degrees with forward light produces the highest perceived projection from the same underlying bone.

Perceived cheekbone score

How the axes above add up in a photo. The free scan returns your Face Score (a percentile) and your strongest metric. The $14.99 report ranks the levers by impact on your specific weak axis.

Why the three axes matter separately

Most people asking "are my cheekbones high?" are conflating the three axes. A face can be high on bizygomatic width and low on projection (wide, flat midface). A face can be high on projection and low on width (narrow, defined midface). A face can be high on both and low on hollow contrast (full, framed cheekbones that do not photograph as gaunt).

The configuration matters for what changes are worth pursuing. If your projection is high but hollow contrast is low, body composition reduction has a real payoff. If your projection is low at any width, no body composition change will produce a Hollywood-cheekbone look — the bone is not there. The scan separates the diagnosis from the wish.

Honest limits

  • Bone structure does not change after late adolescence. No diet, exercise, or facial massage moves bizygomatic width or malar projection.
  • Hollow depth responds to body composition but with diminishing returns. Below roughly 12 percent body fat in men or 18 percent in women, further reduction starts to read as gaunt rather than defined.
  • Photo angle and lighting change perceived projection by 20 to 40 percent. Casual mirror comparisons will mislead you about real change. Use the scan, which normalizes for head pose.
  • The published attractiveness effect of cheekbone prominence is moderate and non-linear (Perrett et al., 1998). High prominence is desirable up to a point; extreme prominence reduces ratings.
  • Cheekbone prominence interacts with other midface metrics. A high cheekbone score does not predict overall facial attractiveness on its own — the full report shows the midface readings it interacts with (Midface Ratio, FWHR, Jaw Taper) among every metric your photo supports.

Cheekbone test FAQ

What makes cheekbones look high?+
Three measurable inputs combine to produce the visible "high cheekbone" impression. First, bizygomatic width relative to face width — the cheekbone width sits at roughly 75 to 80 percent of head width in faces read as high-cheekboned. Second, malar projection forward of the maxilla — the cheekbone sits proud of the surrounding tissue rather than flush with it. Third, submalar hollow depth — the soft tissue below the cheekbone recedes visibly, creating shadow that emphasizes the bone above. Faces lacking one of the three rarely read as high-cheekboned even if the other two are present.
How are cheekbones actually measured on a photo?+
A frontal photo measures bizygomatic width as the horizontal distance between the two zygion landmarks (the most lateral point of each zygomatic arch). A three-quarter or profile photo measures malar projection as the perpendicular distance from the cheek apex to the maxilla plane. Submalar hollow depth measures the relative recession of the soft tissue below the cheekbone versus the malar apex. The 17-metric scan computes all three from a single photo and returns them as a normalized score against population means published by Farkas (anthropometric proportions of the head and face, 1994).
Are high cheekbones actually more attractive?+
Cheekbone prominence reliably contributes to attractiveness ratings in faces of both sexes in the published literature, but the effect is non-linear. Perrett, Lee, Penton-Voak, et al. (1998) showed that moderate cheekbone prominence increased ratings while extreme prominence reduced them. Cunningham (1986) found cheekbone width and prominence ranked among the top correlates of female facial attractiveness ratings. The effect is also sex-dimorphic: high projection with narrow lower face cues femininity; high projection with wide lower face cues masculinity. Pure width or pure projection alone produces weaker effects than the combined signal.
Can I change my cheekbones without surgery?+
Bone structure does not change in adults. Three soft-tissue levers, however, change visible cheekbone prominence meaningfully. First, submalar fat loss (body composition reduction) deepens the hollow below the malar apex, increasing visible projection. Second, masseter and buccal volume reduction (dietary, postural, in some cases botulinum toxin to the masseter) narrows the lower face and increases the contrast against the upper midface. Third, contouring and grooming (subtle bronzer under the cheekbone, hairline shaping that frames the upper face) can move perceived prominence by a measurable amount in photo contexts. None of the three changes bone; all three change the visible signal that the bone produces.
What is a good cheekbone score?+
The 17-metric scan does not produce a single cheekbone score. The readings that involve cheek width are Jaw Taper (V-Shape), your jaw width over your cheekbone width, and Facial Width-to-Height Ratio. The free scan shows your Face Score (a percentile) and your strongest metric; the full report gives both readings their measured value and a 0-100 score, with 50 at the median of people who have scanned here.
Why does my photo show different cheekbones at different angles?+
Photo angle changes apparent malar projection noticeably depending on the head turn. A pure frontal photo flattens the projection axis; a three-quarter turn at 30 to 45 degrees produces the highest visible projection because the malar apex catches forward light while the submalar region recedes into shadow. This is the standard "good angle" effect. The RealSmile scan reads a front photo and does not return a projection score, so compare photos taken the same way; casual mirror or selfie comparisons at different angles will mislead you about real change.
How does cheekbone score interact with my full face score?+
The scan has no single cheekbone metric. Cheek width enters two of the 17 metrics, Jaw Taper (V-Shape) and Facial Width-to-Height Ratio, and how it reads depends on the rest of the face: wide cheekbones over a long lower third read differently from the same width over a short one. The full report shows both readings alongside the other midface metrics, such as Midface Ratio, so you know whether the cheek area is the lead lever or whether one of its neighbors is the real bottleneck.
What does the $14.99 PDF unlock that the free score does not?+
The free score returns your Face Score (a percentile) and your strongest metric. The $14.99 report scores every metric your photo supports (typically 15 of the 17), names your weakest, and writes a 30-day plan, so you know whether to prioritize the cheekbone area or one of the other midface levers.

Your full report. Every metric your photo supports.

Unlock your full written report.

$14.99 unlocks the full report: every metric your photo supports, weakest first, and a 30-day plan.

Unlock The Report — $14.99 →or try the free score first

Score your cheekbones on all three axes

Free, instant, private. Width, projection, hollow depth — plus 14 more metrics.

Free · 1 scan a day, 5 with a free account · Photos auto-deleted

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Related Tools

→ jawline test→ midface ratio — glossary→ facial thirds test→ face shape test→ looksmaxxing test — 17-metric scan→ malar projection — what it means→ zygomatic arch — glossary→ the ogee curve explained→ the 17 measurements — every metric explained

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