Side Profile Analysis: E-Line and Facial Convexity

Reconstruct your profile from the 3D face mesh and estimate facial convexity, nasolabial angle and lip position against Ricketts' E-line.

Free no signup478 landmarksOn-device no upload~3 s to result

Live scan demo0 / 478 points

Front-facing · neutral expression · even light

Add a selfie to begin

Method

How it works and the exact formula

Side profile analysis looks at the silhouette of your face from the side: how far the forehead, nose, lips and chin project relative to each other. Orthodontists and facial surgeons use a handful of standard measurements for this, including the facial convexity angle, the nasolabial angle and Ricketts' esthetic line (E-line), drawn from the tip of the nose to the front of the chin.

Most face-mesh tools cannot see a profile because landmark models are trained on frontal and three-quarter views. MediaPipe Face Landmarker, however, predicts a depth value (z) for every one of its 478 landmarks, even from a front photo. This tool takes the landmarks on your facial midline, from the forehead down the nose bridge, nose tip, philtrum and lips to the chin, and reprojects them into a side view using that depth channel. You see the reconstructed silhouette with the E-line drawn on top.

To turn pixels into millimetres we use your iris as a ruler. The horizontal visible iris diameter of adults is remarkably consistent at about 11.7 mm, so dividing 11.7 by your iris width in pixels gives a scale for the whole face. The convexity angle is measured at subnasale (2) between glabella (168) and soft-tissue pogonion, the most forward chin point among landmarks 200, 199 and 175. We report it as 180° minus that angle, matching how Legan and Burstone express convexity, with a reference of about 12° ± 4°.

The nasolabial angle is measured at subnasale between the columella (landmark 19) and the upper lip (0); typical values are about 90–110°. For the E-line we compute the signed perpendicular distance of the upper lip (0) and lower lip (17) from the line through the nose tip (1) and pogonion. Ricketts described the upper lip about 4 mm and the lower lip about 2 mm behind the line in adults. Because depth is inferred by a neural network rather than measured, treat all profile numbers as estimates; a true lateral photo or cephalogram is more precise.

Formulas

Profile coordinates: forward = −z · s, down = y · s, where s = 11.7 mm ÷ iris width (px)
Facial convexity: 180° − ∠(G − Sn, Pg′ − Sn) (reference 12° ± 4°)
Nasolabial angle: ∠(Cm − Sn, Ls − Sn) (reference 90–110°)
E-line distance: d = −((Pg′ − Prn) × (Lip − Prn)) ÷ |Pg′ − Prn| (negative = behind the line)

MediaPipe landmarks used

Anatomical point	Index	Role
Glabella	168	Upper point of the facial convexity angle.
Pronasale (nose tip)	1	Upper end of Ricketts' E-line.
Columella	19	Upper ray of the nasolabial angle.
Subnasale	2	Vertex of the convexity and nasolabial angles.
Labrale superius / inferius	0 / 17	Upper and lower lip points measured against the E-line.
Soft-tissue pogonion	200 / 199 / 175	Most forward chin point: lower end of the E-line.
Iris edges	469–471 / 474–476	Iris diameter used to convert pixels to millimetres.
Midline chain	10 → 152 (28 points)	Drawn as the reconstructed profile silhouette.

Benchmarks

Profile bands and how the scanner scores them

Profile bands and how the scanner scores them
Metric	Band	Value range	Tool score	Modelled percentile
Facial convexity	Straight	2° – 7°	14–61	1st–52nd
Facial convexity	Balanced convex	8° – 16°	73–100	76th–99th
Facial convexity	Very convex	17° – 24°	6–61	1st–52nd
Nasolabial angle	Acute	75° – 89°	3–43	1st–17th
Nasolabial angle	Typical	90° – 110°	49–100	27th–99th
Nasolabial angle	Obtuse	111° – 125°	7–67	1st–65th
Upper lip to E-line	Behind line	-6 mm – -2 mm	73–100	76th–99th
Upper lip to E-line	Forward of line	0 mm – 4 mm	1–28	1st–4th
Lower lip to E-line	Typical	-4 mm – 0 mm	73–100	76th–99th

Clinical norms differ by age, sex and ethnicity; Ricketts' values describe adults of European ancestry and full lips are normal in many populations. Percentiles are modelled from the reference distribution our scorer uses (scores are mapped through a normal curve, mean 60, SD 18), not from a database of user faces. We don't build one: selfies are deleted within 2 hours and free scan results after 48 hours.

Styling

Styling and virtual try-on by result

Your profile is what people see in group photos, video calls and every side-on glance. Hair volume and necklines change how the forehead-to-chin line reads more than most people expect.

Very convex profile

Volume at the back of the crown and a softly lifted fringe balance a projecting midface. Fuller beards (men) or volume at the nape add weight to the lower profile.

Preview crown-volume cuts

Straight or flat profile

Forward texture and fringes add depth to the upper profile. Statement earrings and collars with structure create projection near the jaw.

Try structured collars

Lips forward of the E-line

Full lips in front of the line are common and attractive in many populations. Defined brows and a structured fringe balance the lower profile; avoid very high, tight updos that shorten the upper profile.

See your harmony by region

Recessed chin estimate

Short boxed beards add projection; for longer hair, length that ends at the jaw or below draws the eye forward. Open necklines lengthen the neck line under the chin.

Rate your jawline

Acute nasolabial angle

A slightly lifted, textured crown and brows shaped with a clear arch draw the eye upward from the nose-lip junction. This is a styling choice; nasal shape changes are a medical topic.

Check your midface ratio

Side Profile Analysis: frequently asked questions

What is Ricketts' E-line?

The esthetic line, described by Robert Ricketts in 1968, is drawn from the tip of the nose to the most forward point of the chin. He reported that in balanced adult profiles the upper lip sits about 4 mm and the lower lip about 2 mm behind that line. Norms vary considerably by ethnicity and age.

Can you analyze a side profile from a front photo?

Approximately. MediaPipe estimates depth for every landmark, so we can rebuild the midline silhouette and measure profile angles from a front photo. A true side photo or X-ray is more precise, so treat these numbers as estimates for styling and curiosity.

What is a good facial convexity angle?

Expressed as 180° minus the glabella–subnasale–pogonion angle, adult soft-tissue convexity is typically around 8–16°. Lower values mean a straighter profile; much higher values mean the midface projects more relative to the chin.

What is a normal nasolabial angle?

Most sources describe about 90–110° as typical, with slightly more obtuse angles more common in women. Our estimate uses the columella and upper-lip landmarks from the 3D mesh.

Why does my side profile look different in photos?

Lens distance changes profile proportions: close phone cameras enlarge the nose and shrink the chin. Head pitch also matters, since looking down pushes the chin back. Use photos taken at arm's length or with the rear camera for the most faithful profile.

How accurate is 478-landmark browser profile analysis compared with apps like FaceIQ or Umax?

We can't vouch for other apps' methods. What we can say is that ours is transparent: you see the exact landmarks, formulas and scale used. The limitation is that depth is inferred from a single front photo, so expect a few degrees and about a millimetre or two of uncertainty.

Can I improve my side profile?

Posture (head forward vs. aligned), body fat under the chin, beard shape and hair volume all change the profile you show. Changes to bone or nasal structure are medical decisions to discuss with a qualified professional.

References

Ricketts RM (1968). Esthetics, environment, and the law of lip relation. American Journal of Orthodontics 54(4):272–289.
Legan HL, Burstone CJ (1980). Soft tissue cephalometric analysis for orthognathic surgery. Journal of Oral Surgery 38(10):744–751.
Rüfer F, Schröder A, Erb C (2005). White-to-white corneal diameter: normal values in healthy humans obtained with the Orbscan II topography system. Cornea 24(3):259–261.
Grishchenko I, Ablavatski A, Kartynnik Y, Raveendran K, Grundmann M (2020). Attention Mesh: High-fidelity Face Mesh Prediction in Real-time. 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.

Keep exploring

Related free tools and guides

Free tool