Heart-shaped lips – what lip shapes reveal about expression, closeness, and attraction
- Daniel Neuhaus
- Feb 6
- 11 min read
Heart-shaped lips are defined by a clearly visible double arch in the center of the upper lip. This shape is commonly referred to in anatomy as the Cupid’s bow. We will mention this term once here for orientation – and then consistently speak of heart-shaped lips, as this is the common and widely used term in everyday language.
Some people have very clearly defined heart-shaped lips, while in others the shape is softer, almost straight, or only subtly visible. In the beauty world, the focus is often on how to accentuate this lip shape visually. In Face Reading, however, I am interested in something deeper:
How do you express yourself through your mouth? How do you show closeness, desire, creativity, and joy of life?
In this article, we look at both aspects:
How to recognize heart-shaped lips, how they can be visually emphasized – and which inner themes this area touches in Face Reading.
Contents at a glance
1. What exactly are heart-shaped lips?
Heart-shaped lips describe the curved double arch of the upper lip. This shape lies exactly where the philtrum – the small groove between nose and lips – flows into the upper lip.
Typical characteristics of clearly visible heart-shaped lips are:
a small peak in the center of the upper lip
two gentle arches to the right and left of this peak
a clearly recognizable lip contour
a light-reflecting edge that can be emphasized well with gloss or highlighter
The name “heart-shaped lips” comes from the visual impression: the upper lip resembles the outline of a heart and is therefore intuitively associated with expression, attraction, and emotional openness.
2. Pallium and philtrum – the human center between nose and lips
When we talk about heart-shaped lips in Face Reading, we never look only at the contour of the upper lip.
We consider the entire zone between the tip of the nose and the upper lip:
Pallium: the distance between the tip of the nose and the upper lip
Philtrum: the vertical groove that runs from the nose to the upper lip
Heart-shaped lip contour: the double arch of the upper lip
In many traditions, this area is seen as something special:
In Ancient Greek, philtron means “love charm.”
In Chinese physiognomy, the philtrum (Ren Zhong, 人中) is considered the “center of the human being”, associated with the Water element, fertility, creativity, and life flow.
Some texts speak of the “Palace of Immortality” – symbolically referring to what we leave behind in the world: children, works, traces of our life.
Important: These are traditional interpretations, not medical diagnoses. They describe how cultures have understood this facial area over centuries.
3. How can you recognize heart-shaped lips?
If you would like to know how pronounced your heart-shaped lips are, you can proceed as follows:
Stand facing a mirror; good lighting is important.
Gently bring your lips together, without smiling or pressing.
Look only at the center of the upper lip:
Strongly pronounced: clear peak, clearly visible arches, well-defined contour
Moderately pronounced: soft arches, slight peak, rather gentle contour
Barely visible: almost straight line, little curvature, rather smooth upper lip
Also pay attention to the philtrum:
Is the groove deep and clear?
Does it appear rather flat or blurred?
Is the distance between nose and upper lip rather short or long?
This interaction of philtrum + heart-shaped lip contour strongly shapes the overall impression of your mouth.
4. How to visually emphasize heart-shaped lips
The search intent around heart-shaped lips is largely cosmetic: many people wonder how they can emphasize this lip shape. A few simple ways that work without any procedures:
Lip liner along the curved contour
Lightly trace the arch with a fine pencil slightly above your natural line. This makes heart-shaped lips more clearly visible.
Highlighter on the tip of the philtrum
A small point of light where the philtrum ends makes the upper lip appear more three-dimensional.
Gloss in the center of the upper lip
A hint of shine enhances light reflections and gives the upper lip more volume.
Matte lipsticks for a clear contour
Matte textures define the shape more clearly than very creamy or glossy ones.
With a flatter lip shape
You can subtly create a gentle peak with lip liner without overdoing it. What matters is that you still feel like yourself.
All of this is optical support, not an obligation. Your mouth is allowed to be exactly the way it is.
5. Scientific perspective: What studies show about heart-shaped lips
Before we dive deeper into the symbolic and expressive meaning, it is worth taking a brief look at what research has found about lip shapes. This shows nicely that the perception of heart-shaped lips is not only culturally shaped, but also appears in psychological studies.
1. Study by the University Medical Center Freiburg (2015): Attractive lip shapes
A photomorphometric study by the University Medical Center Freiburg investigated in 2015 which lip shapes are perceived as particularly attractive. 176 men and women were surveyed.
The result:
Shape, size, and color of the lips jointly influence attractiveness.
A pronounced philtrum combined with a clearly curved upper lip was rated as particularly attractive.
The heart-shaped upper lip appeared attractive in both women and men, with men preferring slightly narrower lips in other men.
Source:
Penna V. et al., “The attractive lip: A photomorphometric analysis”,
Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery, 2015; 68(7): 920–929.
2. Study on sexuality: Relationship between upper lip shape and orgasmic response
A second study (2011) showed an interesting neurobiological relationship:
Women with a more pronounced heart-shaped upper lip statistically reported vaginal orgasms more frequently.
The researchers assume that shared neuronal developmental processes influence both lip shape and certain sexual response patterns.
Important:
These studies do not say that heart-shaped lips “predict” sexuality, but only that an observable correlation exists.
Source:
Brody S., Costa R.M., “Vaginal orgasm is more prevalent among women with a prominent tubercle of the upper lip”,
Journal of Sexual Medicine, 2011; 8(10): 2793–2799.
Why this is interesting for Face Reading
Such studies do not prove the “meaning” of a feature. But they show:
Heart-shaped lips touch physicality, attractiveness, closeness, and expression at the same time – which aligns closely with their traditional interpretation in Face Reading.
6. Research in our own field – pilot study of the Neuhaus Face Reading Institute
The scientific findings show how fascinating the connection between lip shape, expression, and perception is. This is exactly where the Neuhaus Face Reading Institute comes in:
A pilot study is currently being prepared to investigate how reliably certain facial features – including the philtrum and heart-shaped lips – correlate with observable expressive and personality qualities. The aim is to obtain initial empirically robust data for a modern, responsible, and scientifically compatible application of Face Reading.
7. What heart-shaped lips touch in Face Reading
Now we come to the part that is about you: how you express yourself through your mouth.
7.1 Strongly pronounced philtrum with clearly heart-shaped lips
People with a deep philtrum and clearly heart-shaped lips often carry a very vivid physical and creative energy within them.
Typical themes:
strong attractive power and often noticeable sex appeal
strong need for closeness, touch, and physical contact
powerful joy of life: appetite for living, pleasure, sensuality
pronounced ability to energize others – people feel more awake and alive in their presence
persistence and determination – they pursue what is important to them
In some traditions, a broad, deep philtrum is interpreted as an indication of high fertility and creative generative power. In modern readings, this is less about “number of children” and more about the question:
How strongly does something within you push to be shaped, lived, brought into the world – physically or creatively?
7.2 Barely visible philtrum, subtle heart-shaped lips
When the philtrum is very flat and the heart-shaped contour is only subtly visible, this often describes people who:
do not primarily work through physical charisma
tend to impress through talents, performance, or content
develop attraction, presence, and charisma more through effort rather than “naturally”
This is sometimes described as:
“Charisma does not come automatically here, but grows through what you do, create, and give.”
This is not a deficiency, but another way of showing yourself: less stage, more substance.
7.3 Long philtrum – dry humor and leadership claim
A noticeably longer philtrum – meaning a greater distance between nose and upper lip – is often associated in Face Reading with the following qualities:
dry, sometimes rough humor
thick skin: things are not taken personally right away
strong goal orientation and the will to assert oneself
natural leadership potential and the desire to achieve something special
flexible problem-solving and strategic thinking
There is a lot of performance power and endurance here. At the same time, mindfulness is needed: dry humor can also come across as hardness or sarcasm to others.
7.4 No visible philtrum
If the philtrum is almost completely absent, this can point to:
a very hungry start in life, in which the theme of “being nourished” played a role
people who had to work hard for their presence and impact
individuals who gain others more through competence, diligence, and responsibility than through pure presence
Here too, the same applies: this is not a judgment, but an invitation to feel into where your drive comes from.
Philtrum and heart-shaped lips in the Water element – creativity, fertility, life flow
In Chinese symbolism, the philtrum and heart-shaped lips are associated with the Water element. Water stands for:
life flow
fertility
creativity
deep emotions
that which carries us as we grow older
A strong, evenly defined philtrum is sometimes linked, in this tradition, to three forms of “immortality” – always in a symbolic sense:
Children: what continues to live on from us in other people.
Creative works: books, music, art, ideas that outlast us.
Spiritual development: an inner maturation that connects us with something greater.
You do not have to “achieve” any of this. But it can be interesting to explore:
Where does my life energy flow – more into relationships, more into projects, or more into inner development?
Important: Face Reading does not replace medicine
Precisely because this area of the face is associated in many traditions with fertility, reproductive organs, and health, one sentence is essential:
Face Reading is not a diagnosis and does not replace a visit to a doctor or therapist.
Traditional interpretations such as “wide philtrum = good fertility” or color changes as indicators of organ function are images and orientations, not medical findings.
If health-related questions concern you, the first step is always medical care. Face Reading can then serve as a complementary, symbolic perspective.
What you can take away from all of this
You may notice that this small zone between nose and lips tells far more than just “beautiful or not beautiful.”
Heart-shaped lips show how clearly you want to express yourself.
The philtrum speaks of joy of life, humor, closeness, creativity, and endurance.
The pallium – the length of this distance – can say something about your aspiration to have influence.
In the end, this is not about putting yourself into a box.
It is an invitation:
“How do I want to show myself through my mouth – in language, closeness, and expression? And am I already living this in a way that feels aligned on the inside?”
FAQ about heart-shaped lips
Are heart-shaped lips more attractive?
Many people perceive clearly defined heart-shaped lips as sensual and youthful. Attractiveness, however, is always subjective – a smooth or subtle upper lip can also be very expressive.
Can I ‘get’ heart-shaped lips if I don’t have them?
Surgical or aesthetic procedures can change the shape. In many cases, however, makeup is already sufficient to visually emphasize the contour. What matters most is that you feel comfortable with every step.
What do heart-shaped lips say about my sexuality?
Traditional texts link a strongly defined philtrum and heart-shaped lips with high physical energy and desire. This is never a box, but rather an indication of joy of life and a need for closeness – how you live this is very individual.
I hardly have a philtrum – is that a problem?
No. In Face Reading, the question would rather be: Where does your strength lie if it does not come through pure presence? Often, people without a pronounced philtrum are very competent, reliable, and impressive through what they do and create.
If you would like to understand your face more deeply
If you sense that there is more resonating in this zone between nose and lips than “just” a lip contour, this can be explored very subtly in a personal Face Reading: your way of living closeness, how you show yourself, what you hold back, and where your life flow may want more space.
Lip shapes are a key to better understanding personality and closeness. Whether full, narrow, long, or heart-shaped – each form carries its own meaning. If you want to find out which lip shape you have and what it reveals about you, this article guides you step by step through the most important forms.
Lips often speak before words. They show how we live closeness, how we feel, and how we move in relationships. If you want to understand what your lips reveal about your emotional style, you will find an introduction to the world of Face Reading here.
Video: A conversation about personality, empathy, and what faces reveal
In this episode of FlowGrade – For Life, I speak with Max Gotzler about what Face Reading can truly offer today. We go through the fundamentals – physiognomy, facial expression, body language – and discuss how personality shows itself in the face, where the limits lie, and why empathy is the core of this work.
At the end, I read a few facets of Max’s personality from his face – in the form of a small speed reading, in a live analysis.
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You will learn how facial features are connected to personality, resources, and inner patterns – and how you can use this knowledge for coaching, communication, or your personal development.
The webinar is designed to be interactive and offers plenty of space for your questions.
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Also interesting:
What different face shapes are there, and how can you recognize your own?
