Human face detection plays an important role in many applications such as video surveillance, face recognition, and face image database management. This paper describes a fast face detection algorithm with accurate results. We use lighting compensation to improve the performance of color-based scheme, and reduce the computation complexity of feature-based scheme. Our method is effective on facial variations such as dark/bright vision, close eyes, open moth, a half-profile face, and pseudo faces. It is worth stressing that our algorithm can also discriminate cartoon and human face correctly. The experimental results show that our approach can detect a frame in 111 msecs with the 92.3% detection rate.