FORMA FEATURE / NOSEAlar base & nasal width: measurements, ratios, and research
The alar base is the outer width of the nostril wings. Base width, nostril shape, and flare during smiling are separate characteristics.
How alar base & nasal width is measured
Measure between the most lateral alar points in a neutral frontal view. Divide by intercanthal distance if using the classical nose–eye comparison.
Ratios, ranges & competing claims
≈ 1 : 1 — Nasal width to intercanthal distance
The classical nasal-width convention compares alar width with the gap between the inner eye corners. A study of 50 female models found noses wider than that gap.
Clinical guide: Not a universal equality and not a male optimization study. Ethnicity, facial width, and nostril shape matter. Do the neoclassical canons still describe the beauty of faces?
Separate dimensions — Width does not calculate projection
Goode’s profile measurement uses nasal length and tip projection. Alar width is a separate frontal measurement.
Measurement note: A chain of ratios cannot independently determine all three-dimensional nasal proportions. Rhinoplasty Tip-Shaping Surgery
Practical takeaway
Compare nasal width with the eyes, then the whole face.
The inner-corner gap is a useful first reference for alar width. Also inspect the nostril wings and how the base relates to mouth width.
What changes the answer
Broader facial proportions, eye spacing, nostril shape, and flare change the reading. A wider base can fit a broader face; a narrow base is not automatically a better proportion.
Connected facial features
Explore the interactive atlas and compare this feature with both fixed reference views.