PinkMirror is one of several AI beauty analysis sites. If you're looking for an alternative, you may want a beauty test that explains exactly how its numbers are produced, a dedicated symmetry measurement, or styling advice you can see on your own face. This guide explains the geometric approach and how to read the results.
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Geometric beauty analysis, explained
There are two broad ways to score a face. One trains a model on human attractiveness ratings and predicts a score from the whole image; the result can be hard to explain and sensitive to lighting, makeup and hair. The other measures geometry: distances and angles between anatomical landmarks, compared with reference proportions. Geometry is easier to explain and repeat, but it only captures structure. We use geometry and say so on every page.
What TheFaceRating does
- Free on-device scan. Google's MediaPipe Face Landmarker places 478 landmarks on your photo inside your browser. The free measurements never upload your photo.
- Transparent formulas. Every tool page lists the exact landmarks and formulas, from symmetry to canthal tilt and side profile.
- No account to start. You don't need to sign up to scan; an email is only needed for purchases and the Studio.
- Styling on your own photo. The paid report renders 14 identity-preserving try-ons (6 hairstyles, 4 necklines, 4 frames) on your real selfie, plus your 12-season palette.
- One-time pricing. Reports are a single payment ($7.99, $16.99 or $24.99). There is no subscription.
- Short retention. Uploaded selfies are deleted within 2 hours and free scan results after 48 hours.
How the symmetry score works
- MediaPipe places 478 landmarks; we rotate the face so the iris line is level.
- A midline is drawn through the brow center (landmark 168) and the nose base (landmark 2).
- For 12 left-right landmark pairs we measure horizontal and vertical differences, normalized by half the cheekbone width.
- The mean difference D becomes a score: 100 × e^(−3.2 × D).
Most clear, frontal photos score between 80 and 93. See the face symmetry test for the full benchmark table.
Checklist: what to compare
| Question to ask | TheFaceRating | What to check on PinkMirror |
|---|---|---|
| How is the score produced? | Published geometric formulas | Model or method description |
| Dedicated symmetry test? | Yes, 12 landmark pairs | Whether symmetry is measured separately |
| Photo uploaded for the free result? | No | Where the photo is processed |
| Styling on your photo | Hair, necklines, frames rendered | Format of recommendations |
| Pricing | Free scan; one-time report | Current pricing |
Beyond the beauty score
A score is a starting point. The useful part is knowing which feature to frame: our attractiveness test breaks harmony down by region, and each region links to the styling that helps most. Your color season tells you which shades flatter your skin, and the report renders 14 looks on your photo so you can compare them side by side.
Take a better photo first
Before comparing any beauty test, fix the photo: arm's length, camera at eye level, light from in front, neutral expression, hair off the forehead. Lens distortion from a close selfie can move a symmetry score by several points. Use the photo A/B battle to pick your best shot.
Why symmetry scores differ between apps
There's no standard symmetry scale. Tools differ in which landmarks they pair, how they define the midline (eye line, nose line or a fitted plane), how they normalize for face size and how they map the result to a score. Some also include expression asymmetry, such as a lopsided smile. That's why the same face can score 78 in one app and 91 in another. Our method is fixed and published: 12 pairs, a brow-to-nose midline, normalization by half the cheekbone width and a single exponential mapping, so your score is comparable across your own photos over time.
What "accurate" means for a beauty test
Accuracy has two parts. Measurement accuracy asks whether the tool places points and computes ratios consistently; geometric tools do well here when the photo is good. Validity asks whether the score matches how people actually perceive the face; no tool can be fully valid, because perception varies between people and cultures. A transparent tool lets you judge both: you can see exactly what was measured and decide how much weight to give it.
When PinkMirror may suit you better
If you prefer a holistic AI impression of the whole image, a model-based rating may be what you want. If you want measurements you can understand and repeat, start with the geometric scan.
Free tool
Measure it on your own face
Find out how symmetric your face is with a 0–100 score from 12 mirrored landmark pairs, corrected for head tilt.
Open Face Symmetry TestFrequently asked questions
Is there a free PinkMirror alternative?
Yes. TheFaceRating's attractiveness test, symmetry test and proportion tools are free in your browser with no signup.
Which is more accurate, a geometric or an AI-rated beauty score?
They measure different things. Geometry is precise and explainable but limited to structure; rating-trained models capture more of the image but are harder to explain and more sensitive to photo conditions.
What is a good facial symmetry score?
On our scale most faces score 80–93, and 90+ is strongly mirrored.
Does makeup change my result?
Makeup has little effect on landmark positions, so geometric scores barely change. It matters a lot for color analysis, which is why we ask for a makeup-free photo there.
Is my photo stored?
Not for the free scan. With consent, AI features use a copy that is deleted within two hours.
Why do different beauty tests give me different scores?
They measure different things with different scales: landmark sets, midline definitions, targets and weights all vary, and model-based tests react to lighting and makeup. Compare results from one tool across similar photos rather than across tools.
Can a beauty test tell me what to change?
Ours points to the region where styling helps most and links to the specific haircut, neckline and frame moves for that measurement, then lets you preview them on your own photo.
References
- Thornhill R, Gangestad SW (1999). Facial attractiveness. Trends in Cognitive Sciences 3(12):452–460.
- Rhodes G (2006). The evolutionary psychology of facial beauty. Annual Review of Psychology 57:199–226.
- Kartynnik Y, Ablavatski A, Grishchenko I, Grundmann M (2019). Real-time Facial Surface Geometry from Monocular Video on Mobile GPUs. CVPR Workshop on Computer Vision for AR/VR.
- Ward B, Ward M, Fried O, Paskhover B (2018). Nasal distortion in short-distance photographs: the selfie effect. JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery 20(4):333–335.