A perfect nose doesn’t really exist, says New York facial plastic surgeon Edward S. Kwak, MD, because what looks balanced on one face may look entirely different on another. “The best-looking noses aren’t perfectly shaped,” he says. “The best nose is one that fits your face and creates harmony with your facial features.”
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- Dr. Edward S. Kwak is a board-certified facial plastic surgeon based in New York
- Dr. P. Daniel Ward, MD is a board-certified facial plastic surgeon based in Salt Lake City, UT
That idea has become even more central to modern rhinoplasty. Rather than working toward one idealized shape, surgeons consider the bridge, tip, nostrils, projection, width and relationship of the nose to the rest of the face. Features such as an upturned tip, prominent bridge or wider base can all look beautifully proportioned depending on the person.
While we might covet the nose of a Hollywood star, that doesn’t mean copying it would produce the same result on our face. “There are many beautiful faces and most celebrities and models have beautiful faces despite imperfections of the nose,” says Salt Lake City, UT facial plastic surgeon P. Daniel Ward, MD. “Remember that imperfections and asymmetries are part of a normal face.”
Researchers have attempted to categorize different nose shapes over the years, including Israeli professor Abraham Tamir, who identified 14 types in a 2011 analysis of artwork and photographs. However, his research was geographically limited and noses don’t fall neatly into a handful of categories. Contemporary surgeons are more likely to consider individual characteristics, including nasal width, bridge height, tip shape, projection and symmetry.
Below, famous faces illustrate just how varied common nose shapes can be and why no single type defines a beautiful nose.
Celebrities Representing Most Common Types of Noses
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Upturned or Celestial Nose
An upturned or celestial nose has a tip that rotates slightly upward and may feature a subtle concave curve along the bridge. Margot Robbie, Emma Stone, Carey Mulligan and Florence Pugh illustrate variations of this shape, from softly lifted tips to shorter, more sculpted profiles.
Jacopo Raule/Getty Images
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Snub Nose
A snub nose is generally shorter, with a softly rounded tip and a slight upward turn. Elizabeth Taylor is a classic example. Her compact, delicately shaped nose complemented her dramatic eyes and famously balanced features, demonstrating how a smaller nose can remain distinctive rather than disappearing into the face.
George Rinhart/Getty Images
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Roman Nose
A Roman nose has a strong, prominent bridge that may appear straight or gently convex when viewed in profile. Meryl Streep’s long, defined nose gives her face strength and distinction, illustrating how a prominent bridge can become an essential part of someone’s beauty rather than a feature that needs to be minimized.
Getty Images/PG/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images
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Aquiline Nose
An aquiline nose has a prominent bridge with a noticeable convex curve that creates an arched profile. Although the term is sometimes used interchangeably with Roman nose, an aquiline shape typically has a more pronounced curve. Gisele Bündchen demonstrates how that definition and projection can complement strong cheekbones and bring structure to the face.
Nelson Almeida/AFP/ Getty Images
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Hawk or Hooked Nose
A hawk or hooked nose is generally longer and narrower, with a prominent bridge and a tip that curves slightly downward. Fashion icon Diana Vreeland and Barbra Streisand are both known for distinctive profiles that became central to their public images.
Streisand has long resisted pressure to change her recognizable nose, showing how a feature others might consider an imperfection can become inseparable from someone’s beauty and identity.
ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
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Greek Nose
A Greek nose has a long, straight shape that runs from the bridge to the tip. A fitting representative of her heritage and background, Jennifer Aniston has said she was blessed with a “Greek nose.” In 2018, she shared that she underwent rhinoplasty to correct a deviated septum while preserving the aesthetics of her nose.
Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images
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Button Nose
A button nose is generally smaller with a rounded tip and may be slightly turned up. Jenna Ortega, SZA, Kelly Rowland and Scarlett Johansson all illustrate variations on the shape.
Christopher Polk/NBC/Getty Images
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Bulbous-Tipped Nose
A bulbous tip refers specifically to the lower portion of the nose, which appears fuller, wider or more rounded than the bridge. It is a good example of why surgeons look at individual parts of the nose rather than labeling the entire nose as one specific type. Chelsea Clinton, Angelina Jolie and Cameron Diaz have all been rumored to have refined their noses for a more slender tip.
Valerie Macon/Getty Images
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Broad Base or Wider Nostrils
A broader nasal base is characterized by greater width across the nostrils or lower third of the nose. Zendaya, Beyoncé, Rihanna and Oprah all show how a wider base can work beautifully in proportion with the rest of the face. Nostril shape and width are only one component of overall nasal anatomy.
John Shearer/WireImage/Getty Images
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Low or Shorter Bridge
A lower nasal bridge sits closer to the plane of the face and may be paired with a shorter tip or wider base. Awkwafina and Lucy Liu illustrate how a lower bridge can contribute to an elegant, balanced profile without needing to conform to a higher, more projected bridge.
Lucy Liu: Karwai Tang/WireImage/Getty Images
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Long, Straight Nose
A long nose extends farther from the bridge to the tip but may still maintain a smooth, straight profile. Dame Helen Mirren demonstrates how length and definition can bring elegance and character to the face without disrupting its overall balance.
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images
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Prominent or Bumpy Bridge
A visible dorsal hump or bump along the bridge is one of the most recognizable nasal characteristics and one commonly discussed during rhinoplasty consultations. Lady Gaga and Sarah Jessica Parker both demonstrate how a prominent bridge can become an integral, striking part of someone’s appearance.
Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for The New Yorker
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Crooked or Asymmetric Nose
Perfect symmetry is rare, including in the nose. A bridge or tip may naturally lean slightly to one side or become asymmetric due to genetics or prior trauma. Owen Wilson is perhaps Hollywood’s most recognizable example. As Dr. Ward notes, these individual differences are often part of what gives a face its character, and surgeons don’t necessarily aim to eliminate every asymmetry.
Getty Images/Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
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Bifid Nose
A bifid nose has a visible groove or subtle separation through the center of the nasal tip. This feature is created by the position of the underlying tip cartilages and can range from a barely perceptible indentation to a more noticeable division. Actor Jason Bateman is known for the subtle bifid shape of his nasal tip.
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
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Fleshy Nose
A fleshy nose has thicker skin and greater soft-tissue fullness, particularly around the tip and sides of the nose. Prince Philip was used to represent this category in Abraham Tamir’s analysis, which described it as the most commonly observed shape among the images studied.
Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images
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Nixon Nose
“Nixon nose” is an informal term associated with former President Richard Nixon’s recognizable profile rather than a clinical classification. It generally describes a longer nose with a prominent bridge and a broader, softly rounded tip.
Getty Images
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Combination Nose
Most noses don’t fit perfectly into one category. A combination nose displays characteristics associated with multiple shapes. Anne Hathaway, for example, has a long, relatively straight bridge paired with a softly rounded tip, illustrating why surgeons assess each part of the nose individually rather than relying on one definitive label.
Getty Images/Emma McIntyre/FilmMagic