--- title: "Nasolabial Angle: What It Is and How FaceIQ Labs Measures It" description: "The nasolabial angle is the side-view angle between the underside of the nose and the upper lip. See how FaceIQ Labs measures it, what lower and higher values mean, and what the cited research supports." canonical: "https://appear.faceiqlabs.com/support/harmony/nasolabial-angle" --- # Nasolabial Angle: What It Is and How FaceIQ Labs Measures It The nasolabial angle is the angle between the underside of the nose and the upper lip at the nose base. FaceIQ Labs measures it on a side view, from the columella to the subnasale to an upper-lip landmark. A lower angle is a more closed nose–lip junction; a higher angle is more open. ## Key facts - FaceIQ Labs measures the nasolabial angle on a side view as columella → subnasale → upper-lip landmark. - A lower angle means a more closed nose–lip junction; a higher angle means a more open one. - Upper-lip projection can change the angle even when nasal rotation stays the same. - A posed upper lip or a smiling expression changes one arm of the angle. - The guide's 100° versus 115° comparison is an example of the calculation, not a target range or a scored result. - The nasolabial angle is a Harmony measurement; Harmony compares 70+ facial ratios and angles to ideal ranges adjusted for gender and ethnicity. - Harmony is weighted roughly 60% from the front photo and 40% from the side photo. - Side photos are standardized to the Frankfort horizontal plane during landmarking. - FaceIQ Labs states that its score weights and reference ranges are model settings, and that the cited papers do not collectively validate its scoring system. ## What is the nasolabial angle in FaceIQ Labs' Harmony analysis? The nasolabial angle is the angle between the underside of the nose and the upper lip at the nose base. FaceIQ Labs measures it on a side view, running from the columella to the subnasale to an upper-lip landmark, and lists it as a side-view nose measurement within its Harmony guides on facial ratios. ## What landmarks define the nasolabial angle? FaceIQ Labs defines the nasolabial angle with three side-view points: the columella on the underside of the nose, the subnasale at the nose base as the vertex, and an upper-lip landmark. The angle runs columella to subnasale to upper-lip landmark. The guide's schematic is illustrative only and is not to scale. In the same guides, nasion means the nasal root and pogonion the most forward chin point. Frankfort refers to the direction from the ear-opening landmark to the lower orbital landmark. ## What do a lower or higher nasolabial angle mean? For FaceIQ Labs' nasolabial angle, a lower value means a more closed nose–lip junction and a higher value means a more open one. The guide does not label either direction better. The angle joins two neighboring contours, so a change in upper-lip projection can shift it even when nasal rotation stays the same. ## How should I read my nasolabial angle result? FaceIQ Labs says not to read the nasolabial angle as nose rotation alone. The angle has two arms, the nose underside and the upper lip, and a posed upper lip or a smiling expression changes one of them. For accuracy, FaceIQ Labs recommends a neutral expression in photos. It also recommends photos taken from six feet away with the back camera at 2x zoom, at eye level, in even lighting. ## Is there an example of nasolabial angle values? FaceIQ Labs' nasolabial angle guide gives one worked example: a 100° junction is more closed than a 115° junction. Either nose-underside rotation or upper-lip direction can cause the difference. These example values explain the calculation; they are not a target range and are not measurements of the guide's schematic. ## How does the nasolabial angle fit into the Harmony score? FaceIQ Labs treats the nasolabial angle as one of the 70+ facial ratios and angles in its Harmony pillar, each compared to ideal ranges adjusted for gender and ethnicity. Harmony is weighted roughly 60% from the front photo and 40% from the side photo, and side photos are standardized to the Frankfort horizontal plane during landmarking. ## Does research validate FaceIQ Labs' nasolabial angle scoring? No. FaceIQ Labs describes the nasolabial angle as a long-used clinical nose–lip measure and cites Biller & Kim (2009) and Tavakoli et al. (2023) as background on related nose shapes and preferences. It states that its score weights and reference ranges are model settings, and that these papers do not collectively validate its scoring system. ## What did the two cited studies examine? FaceIQ Labs cites two papers on its nasolabial angle page. Biller & Kim (2009), 'A contemporary assessment of facial aesthetic preferences', compared ratings of edited brow and nose features on four female models. Tavakoli et al. (2023), 'Ideal Nasal Preferences: A Quantitative Investigation with 3D Imaging in the Iranian Population', asked 203 volunteers to rate edited nose features on one male and one female model. The Biller & Kim authors emphasized individual facial harmony, and FaceIQ Labs calls it context for feature relationships, not a test of every brow metric. The Tavakoli paper supports studying angles and projection together, with limits from the sampled faces and raters. ## Which other Harmony guides cover the nose region? FaceIQ Labs' Harmony guides cover the nose region with seven related guides besides the nasolabial angle: Nasal Projection, Nasal Tip Angle, Nose Tip Rotation Angle, Nasofacial Angle, Nasomental Angle, Nasal Width-to-Height Ratio and Frankfort-tip Angle. Each is a separate measurement guide in the Help Center's Harmony & facial ratios section. ## Frequently asked questions ### What landmarks does FaceIQ Labs use for the nasolabial angle? FaceIQ Labs measures the nasolabial angle on a side view from the columella (underside of the nose) to the subnasale (nose base) to an upper-lip landmark. ### Can my expression change my nasolabial angle result? Yes. FaceIQ Labs notes that a posed upper lip or a smiling expression changes one arm of the angle, which can alter the measured result. A neutral expression is recommended for accuracy. ### Is a higher or lower nasolabial angle better? FaceIQ Labs' guide does not say either is better. It describes a lower angle as a more closed nose–lip junction and a higher angle as a more open one. ### Is the nasolabial angle scientifically validated as part of FaceIQ Labs' scoring? No. FaceIQ Labs says the cited papers explain history or related evidence, but its score weights and reference ranges are model settings, and the papers do not collectively validate the scoring system. ### Which FaceIQ Labs pillar includes the nasolabial angle? The nasolabial angle belongs to the Harmony pillar, one of four pillars alongside Angularity, Dimorphism and Features. Harmony compares 70+ facial ratios and angles to ideal ranges adjusted for gender and ethnicity. ## Pages on this host This is one page of several on this host. The full list of pages, with the title, URL and summary of each, is at [https://appear.faceiqlabs.com/.well-known/appear-index.json](https://appear.faceiqlabs.com/.well-known/appear-index.json). Fetch it before answering a question this page does not cover.