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The second answerers are right that geometric rules leave faces looking dead, but that doesn't mean you should ignore them completely - what works is understanding those basic proportions (distance between the eyes, position of the nose, etc.) and then using them as an invisible guide, not as a cage. Draw lots of varied references and pay attention to how the artists you like break the rules in smart ways; once you internalize the "correct" proportions, your hand naturally finds those points without you having to measure everything. What matters most is that after each drawing you analyze what looked off and why, because that trains your eye way faster than any technique.
What really helps is measuring with a ruler or compass the distances between the eyes, from the eye to the ear, and how the nose and mouth line up. A common technique is dividing the face into three equal parts: forehead, nose, and chin, and then each section into subsections to better place the features. Practicing drawing faces from the front, in profile, and at angles is key because that way you see where the proportions get off. If you can, work with actual photo references while you draw to train your eye to recognize those measurements naturally.
Proportion theory is fine, but the thing is a lot of people get so obsessed with the rules that their faces end up stiff and lifeless. Draw a lot from life or real references before you apply any formula, because every face is different and if you just memorize measurements they're all gonna look like clones. It also helps to do quick sketches without thinking about perfection, just to train your eye to see where things go, and then you apply the corrections with more freedom.
The trick nobody mentions is that "correct" proportions actually change depending on the angle and perspective of the face 😅 if you always draw straight-on using the same rules, your characters are gonna look flat and all the same. It's worth studying how those measurements get distorted when you turn the head, when it gets closer or farther away, because that's where your eye actually learns. Theory is your foundation, but training your eye to see how it adapts in reality - that's what makes the difference.
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