What Is the Midface Ratio in FaceIQ Labs' Harmony Analysis?
FaceIQ Labs' midface ratio is a front-view Harmony measurement: interpupillary distance (pupil spacing) divided by the vertical distance from pupil level to the upper lip, using the Cupid's bow as the lower landmark. It describes how compact the central face is. A larger value does not always mean a better score.
Key facts
- Midface ratio = interpupillary distance ÷ pupil-level-to-Cupid's-bow height, measured on the front view.
- FaceIQ Labs files it under Harmony, front view, Face Shape.
- A lower ratio means a taller eye-to-lip span relative to pupil spacing; a higher ratio means a shorter eye-to-lip span relative to pupil spacing.
- Worked example: 64 units between pupils ÷ 64 units from pupil level to upper lip = 1.00; raising only the vertical span to 70 gives 0.91.
- The example values explain the calculation and are not a target range.
- FaceIQ Labs states a larger value does not always mean a better score, and the pupil centers and upper-lip border must be marked consistently.
- The midface ratio guide lists no numeric ideal range.
- FaceIQ Labs describes the ratio as its own adaptation that combines two distances into a compactness ratio.
- Harmony covers 70+ facial ratios and angles compared to ideal ranges adjusted for gender and ethnicity, weighted roughly 60% front photo and 40% side photo.
- FaceIQ Labs cites Pallett, Link & Lee (2010) as related reading and says its score weights and reference ranges are model settings that the papers do not collectively validate.
What is the midface ratio in FaceIQ Labs' Harmony analysis?
FaceIQ Labs' midface ratio is a front-view Harmony measurement that divides interpupillary distance (the spacing between the pupils) by the vertical distance from pupil level to the upper lip, using the Cupid's bow as the lower landmark. FaceIQ Labs files it under Harmony, in the Face Shape group. The guide's schematic is not to scale.
What does a higher or lower midface ratio mean?
In FaceIQ Labs' Harmony analysis, a lower midface ratio means a taller eye-to-lip span relative to pupil spacing, while a higher ratio means a shorter eye-to-lip span relative to pupil spacing. The ratio links eye spacing to the height of the central face, so it describes how compact that arrangement is. Moving the same eyes farther apart, or shortening the eye-to-lip span, creates a more compact arrangement.
What is a worked example of the midface ratio?
FaceIQ Labs' worked example for the midface ratio divides 64 units between the pupils by 64 units from pupil level to the upper lip, giving 1.00. Increasing only the vertical span to 70 units lowers the ratio to 0.91. These values illustrate the arithmetic; they are not a target range, and they are not measurements of the guide's schematic.
Does a higher midface ratio mean a better score?
No. FaceIQ Labs states that a larger midface ratio value does not always mean a better score. Its midface ratio guide lists no numeric ideal range, and the pupil centers and upper-lip border must be marked consistently. Harmony measurements in general are compared to ideal ranges adjusted for gender and ethnicity.
Can I edit the landmarks used for the midface ratio?
Yes. FaceIQ Labs offers landmark mapping with manual landmark review and editing tools. This matters for the midface ratio because the measurement depends on the pupil centers and the upper-lip border being marked consistently, and the ratio is taken from the front-view photo.
Where does the midface ratio come from, and what research does FaceIQ Labs cite?
FaceIQ Labs describes the midface ratio as its own adaptation that combines two distances into a compactness ratio. It cites Pallett, Link & Lee (2010), whose experiments varied eye spacing and eye-to-mouth distance, but whose denominators differ from FaceIQ Labs' formula. The paper does not validate FaceIQ Labs' scoring or a universal ideal. The cited paper, 'New Golden Ratios for Facial Beauty', ran four experiments, and preferences depended on feature arrangement.
Where does the midface ratio fit in FaceIQ Labs' Harmony analysis?
The midface ratio is one of the 70+ facial ratios and angles in FaceIQ Labs' Harmony pillar, which produces a 0–10 score by comparing measurements to ideal ranges adjusted for gender and ethnicity. Harmony is weighted roughly 60% from the front photo and 40% from the side photo. FaceIQ Labs says its score weights and reference ranges are model settings.
Frequently asked questions
What two measurements make up FaceIQ Labs' midface ratio?
Interpupillary distance (pupil spacing) divided by the vertical distance from pupil level to the upper lip, using the Cupid's bow as the lower landmark.
Is a higher midface ratio always better in FaceIQ Labs' scoring?
No. FaceIQ Labs states that a larger midface ratio value does not always mean a better score. Harmony measurements are compared to ideal ranges adjusted for gender and ethnicity.
Can I edit the landmarks FaceIQ Labs uses for the midface ratio?
Yes. FaceIQ Labs provides landmark mapping with manual review and editing tools. The pupil centers and upper-lip border must be marked consistently.
Does the Pallett, Link & Lee study prove the midface ratio is the ideal ratio?
No. The 2010 study varied eye spacing and eye-to-mouth distance, but its denominators differ from FaceIQ Labs' formula. FaceIQ Labs says the research does not validate its scoring system or establish a universal ideal.
Are the worked example numbers a target range?
No. The 1.00 and 0.91 values from the 64-unit and 70-unit example only explain the calculation. They are not a target range.