Russian, keyhole, classic, angelic, butterfly. Twelve names you will meet on clinic pages, what each one actually describes, and why the vocabulary is so inconsistent.
Quick answer
A lip filler shape is a target result an injector works toward, not a category you belong to. The names describe where volume is placed and in what direction: Russian lifts vertically, classic adds evenly, keyhole leaves a central gap.
Most are marketing terms rather than technical ones, and different clinics use the same word differently.
Key takeaways
- Filler shapes are goals, not anatomy. Your natural lip shape is the starting point that decides which are realistic.
- There is no standard vocabulary. Russian and classic are technique terms; angelic and Hollywood are marketing names.
- The main technical difference is direction of placement: vertical to lift the lip, or horizontal to project it forward.
- Volume matters as much as name. Most of these looks are achievable at 0.5 ml to 1 ml.
- Names that describe a complication, like sausage lips or lip shelf, are not styles to ask for.
- Ask an injector what they mean by a name before you use it. Two clinics can mean two different things.
Why the vocabulary is so confusing
Lip filler shape names come from three different places, and nobody separates them.
- Some are technique names. Russian and classic describe how the injector works: which plane, which direction, how many entry points. These have relatively consistent meanings between practitioners.
- Some are outcome descriptions. Keyhole and gull wing describe what the finished lip looks like, regardless of how it was achieved.
- Some are marketing. Angelic, Hollywood, baby doll, and cherry are names invented to sell a look. They have no technical definition, and two clinics using the same word may produce very different results.
That is why “which lip filler shape should I get” has no clean answer. You are choosing from a list where the items are not the same kind of thing.
The twelve lip filler shapes
| Name | What is being aimed for | Type of term |
|---|---|---|
| Classic (natural) | Even added volume in both lips, keeping the existing outline | Technique |
| Russian | Volume added vertically so the lip lifts rather than projects forward, with a sharper Cupid’s bow | Technique |
| Keyhole | A deliberate gap or dimple in the centre of the upper lip | Outcome |
| Heart | Volume concentrated centrally so the outline tapers toward the corners | Outcome |
| Cupid’s bow enhancement | Definition added to the two peaks only, with little added size | Technique |
| Pillowy | Soft, even fullness across both lips with no sharp edges | Outcome |
| Butterfly | Volume placed in sections so the upper lip reads as two soft lobes | Technique |
| Angelic | A lifted, defined Cupid’s bow with a softly tapered outline | Marketing |
| Hollywood or glam | Noticeably fuller and wider than the starting outline | Marketing |
| Baby doll | Rounded, centrally full, deliberately youthful | Marketing |
| Cherry | Small, round and centre-weighted | Marketing |
| Gull wing | A high, sharply arched upper lip | Clinical descriptor |
Not sure what your natural shape is before you read this list? The lip shape detector measures ten ratios and names it, or read types of lips for the full descriptions.
The one distinction that actually matters
Almost every difference on that list comes down to direction of placement.
- Vertical placement lifts the lip. Product is placed so the vermilion rolls upward and outward, increasing how much red shows without pushing the lip forward. This is what Russian technique describes, and it is why it is associated with a flatter profile.
- Horizontal placement projects the lip. Product sits deeper and pushes the lip toward the viewer, increasing fullness in profile more than in a front-on photo. This is closer to classic technique.
Everything else is a variation on where along the lip that volume goes: evenly across, concentrated centrally, or restricted to the Cupid’s bow peaks.
If you understand those two directions, you can decode any name a clinic uses, including ones invented after this page was written.
The vocabulary, defined
- Vermilion – The red tissue of the lip itself. “More vermilion show” means more of it is visible.
- Vermilion border – The edge where the red lip meets facial skin. The definition here is what makes a lip look crisp rather than soft.
- Cupid’s bow – The double peak at the top of the upper lip. Several of the named shapes are really just different treatments of this one feature.
- Philtrum – The two ridges running from the nose to the Cupid’s bow. Its length limits how much lift is achievable.
- Oral commissure – The corner of the mouth. Support here is what stops corners from turning down.
- Tenting – Placing product in vertical columns to lift and define. The mechanism behind Russian technique.
Names that describe a problem, not a style
Folklore vs evidence
- Sometimes presented as looks you can request: sausage lips, lip shelf, duck lips.
- What they actually are: descriptions of over-filled or badly placed results. A lip shelf is a visible ledge where product sits too superficially. Sausage lips describe loss of definition between upper and lower. Duck lips describe excessive forward projection.
- Why this matters: these terms circulate alongside the style names, and it is easy to assume they are all options on a menu. They are not. If a clinic uses one of these words to describe a look they offer, that is worth questioning.
What decides whether a shape suits you
Your natural lip shape is the constraint, not your preference. Three things limit what is achievable:
- Existing bow definition. Techniques that sharpen the Cupid’s bow need peaks to work with. On a naturally flat or straight lip, there is less structure to define.
- Philtrum length. A long philtrum limits how much a lip can be lifted before the proportion looks wrong. This is why some practitioners discuss a lip lift rather than filler for certain faces.
- Upper to lower balance. Aesthetic medicine literature commonly cites a 1 to 1.6 upper-to-lower ratio as a planning reference, and more recent reviews describe a range of roughly 1 to 1.3 through 1 to 1.7 rather than one number. Where you already sit in that range affects which direction adding volume should go.
None of that can be assessed from a photograph or a web page. It requires an in-person examination.
Medical disclaimer. This page explains vocabulary so you can follow a consultation. It is not medical advice, it does not recommend or discourage any treatment, and it cannot tell you whether a procedure is suitable for you. Lip Shape Chart has no commercial relationship with any clinic, practitioner or product. Regulation of aesthetic treatments varies significantly between countries, so check what registration your practitioner actually holds. See the full disclaimer.
Lip filler shapes: Frequently asked questions
What are the different lip filler shapes?
The most commonly offered are classic, Russian, keyhole, heart, Cupid’s bow enhancement, pillowy, butterfly, angelic, Hollywood, baby doll, cherry, and gull wing. Only some of these are technique names with consistent meanings. Classic and Russian describe how the injector works; keyhole and gull wing describe the finished outline, and angelic, Hollywood, baby doll, and cherry are marketing names with no technical definition.
What is the difference between Russian and classic lip filler?
Direction of placement. Russian technique places product vertically so the lip lifts and more vermilion shows, which tends to produce a flatter profile and a sharper Cupid’s bow. Classic technique places product to add volume more evenly, which projects the lip forward as well as up. Neither is better; they suit different starting anatomy and different goals.
Which lip filler shape is most natural?
Classic is the term usually used for a result that keeps your existing outline and simply adds volume within it. But “natural” depends far more on the amount used and the skill of the injector than on the name of the style. A conservatively dosed Russian result can look more natural than an over-filled classic one.
Can I choose any lip filler shape I want?
No, and a good injector will say so. Your existing bow definition, philtrum length, and upper-to-lower balance limit what is realistic. Bringing a reference photo of a lip shape very different from your own is one of the most common sources of disappointment, which is why identifying your natural shape first is useful.
What is the angelic lip shape?
A marketing name rather than a technical term. It generally describes a lifted, well-defined Cupid’s bow with an outline that tapers softly toward the corners. Because there is no technical definition, ask the clinic to show you what they mean by it before you agree to anything.
How much filler do the different shapes need?
Most of the looks on this page are achievable within 0.5 ml to 1 ml, and volume affects the result at least as much as the technique name. Asking how much product a proposed look requires is a more useful question than asking which style it is.
What is a lip shelf and can I ask for one?
No. A lip shelf is a visible ledge where filler has been placed too superficially or in too great a volume. It is a complication, not a style, even though the term sometimes appears alongside genuine style names.
Keep reading
- Types of Lips: all nine natural lip shapes, which is the starting point every filler decision depends on.
- Heart-Shaped Lips: the natural shape most often confused with a filler result.
- Lipstick for Your Lip Shape: what makeup alone can and cannot change.
Source consulted: Popenko et al., JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery, 2017 on lip proportion and perceived attractiveness. Its sample was morphed images of white women aged 18 to 25, so treat the proportions as a planning reference rather than a universal target.