Finding the Right Hairstyle to Suit Your Face Shape
Writing is my passion. I have an undying thirst and quest in the field of writing. Some eat, drink, or use drugs when stressed; I write.
Picking the right hairstyle is critical to feeling (and looking) your best. A dazzling haircut can complement your features and highlight what makes you beautiful. A hairstylist with experience will know which hairstyles will or won’t flatter a face, but just in case they (or you're!) not sure, I've written this guide to determining your face shape.
Choosing the perfect hairstyle for your face shape can be like going on a blind date. It’s like you don’t know what to expect or what you will receive while getting a new haircut. If you see a picture of what you are getting, it may also make your heart flutter, but if you get it, and it does not suit your face, you'll quickly understand that not every hairstyle suits everyone.
A hairstyle is important for any woman ready to update her looks. The first rule of discovering a suitable hairstyle for your face shape is never going to the salon before establishing the shape of your face. A face mismatch will end in disappointment. It's best to pick a hairstyle that highlights your bone structure, and a style that makes you look gorgeous. When it comes to a haircut, your facial characteristics influence your appearance and carry a powerful effect on each person in your life. Your haircut can even influence the jobs you are considered for!
The different face shapes are:
- oval,
- square,
- long, or
- heart.
Some styles will make the jaw appear softer; the right haircut can make a broad forehead appear smaller, and even make a double chin visually disappear. Other things to be keen on when choosing a hairstyle are your hair texture, personality, and lifestyle.
What can make one person face softer and beautiful may not be the best look for the next person. Halle Berry has a broad brow and narrow jaw, the length, and width of her oval face go with almost any haircut or style; so everything looks good on her. This isn't true for everyone! Essentially, when choosing a hairstyle you do not need the supernatural on your side.
Six Steps to Determining Your Face Shape
Do this before you start changing the length, color, or style of your hair!
- Get a variable measuring tape or a ruler
- Determine the width of your forehead at its inclusive point.
- Measure corner to corner from your cheekbones to their broadest point.
- Measure across your jaw line to its widest point.
- Measure the width of your face by placing your tape directly underneath your eyes, measuring ear to ear. Make sure you stop measuring where your ears meet each side of your head.
- Determine the time-span of your face by putting the tape at the top of your temple, beneath your hairline, and establishing the length by measuring from the forehead to the bottom of your chin.
How Do These Measurements Determine Your Face Shape?
- Oval: The width of your forehead is smaller than the width of your cheekbones, the width of your cheekbones is wider than your face length, and your jaw is slightly rounded.
- Heart: The width of your hairline is smaller than that of your jawline, often accompanied by a widow's peak. The width of your cheekbones will be comparable to the width of your forehead, and your chin will come to a tidy point.
- Square: The width of your forehead, cheekbones, and jawline are similar. Face length and width are about the same, and your jawline is strong and square.
- Long: The width of your forehead is substantially smaller than the length of your face.
Why Figure Out Your Face Shape
Because there are so many different hairstyles to choose from, it's easiest to look for a style that highlights the many face shapes and make you look fantastic. It is hard to know where to begin as there are different types of faces. If you want to find an edgy hairstyle that's perfect for your face shape, I suggest you find your face shape by breaking out the variable measuring tape or ruler and using the above method.
Once you figure out your face shape, you can put together a list of your favorite hairstyles!
Sandra Bullock
The Square-Shaped Faces
A square-faced person face carries sharp, angular features. Their jaw, cheekbones, and forehead are also equal in width. Think Sandra Bullock and Angelina Jolie.
If you have a square face, it is best to get a style that brings out your robust and angular jaw. Several styles will bring out a square face person's strong jaw. A square-faced person will look gorgeous in shags, a long bob, or side swept bangs. Also, long, sleek styles with layers that cascade at the jawline and hang downward are gorgeous as well.
Styles Square-Shaped Faces Should Avoid
Short hair can be challenging to pull off. Broader, no-nonsense bangs, and blunt bobs are all wrong for a square face. Styles like these will make your facial characteristics appear even sharper, creating a closed, distant look.
Styling Tips for a Square Jaw
For a flattering look that adds lift and volume in the uppermost head area go for updos. Also, wear styles with movement in the hair, which softens the edge of the jawline.
Read More From Bellatory
Heart-Shaped Faces
If you have a heart-shaped face, your chin comes to a point; this face shape draws attention to the eyes and cheekbones. The hairstyles that are best for a heart-shaped faces are side-swept bangs or fringe to the brow line. A heart-shaped face can sport short and long styles. A short hairstyle that's pixie clipped evenly on the sides and layers on top is dynamic. A bold, beautiful style that falls at your jawline is perfect.
A suitable long style would be layers combined with sweeping bangs that accentuate the cheekbones and draw the eyes away from the chin area. It will give a heart shape face an elongating effect.
Styles Heart-Shaped Faces Should Avoid
Concise styles such as blunt bobs should be avoided. Heart-shaped faced people can wear some short and long hair styles, but it is best they avoid chunky layers.
Styling Tips for Heart-Shaped Faces
When finalizing the perfect haircut for a heart face shape, think about a high middle, side position styles or a bob that highlights the chin and stops at the jawline for flattering fabulous looks. Also, soft curls that flourish just below the chin are attractive.
Oval-Shaped Faces
People with an oval faces tend to look good in every chosen hairstyle and “anything goes!” as they have the ideal face shape. There is only one downfall, and that is sometimes faces can appear long. Therefore, it is best not to wear styles that add height on top of the head. Oval-shaped faces can be as daring as they’d like—they look flawless in short hair cuts and wavy, curly, or straight long styles. Styles that fall past the shoulders bring out their best facial features.
Oval Face Shapes Should Avoid
Oval faces should avoid hairstyles in the shape of a giant donut bun, a trendy, a tantalized updo or a sharp short cut. Most importantly always think through your hair texture. People with curly or thick hair can end up looking like a pyramid.
Styling Tips for Oval Faces
Go with a high-fashion style, like a sharp bob, super-short crop or a blunt fringe. A gorgeous short hair cut works consistently with an oval face person to make them look much taller.
Long-Shaped Faces
If you have a long face, you should choose a style with extended layers that reach the cheekbones and the chin. Also, long, straight hair looks nice on long face people because the added width enhances long features. A long face person tends to think they have an oval face, but in reality, long faces have a higher length to width ratio.
The best hairstyles for people with long faces are bangs because they hide long foreheads and will make a face seem more oval. All kinds of bangs look great on a long faces; blunt bangs, side-swept bangs, and jagged bangs that hit just above the brow.
Hairstyles Long-Shaped Faces Should Avoid
People with long faces should avoid very short haircuts and exceptionally long styles that fall past the shoulders. These styles will make your face appear longer than is—so avoid them if that's a concern!
Styling Tips for Long Faced Folks
If you want to go long, make sure you wear layers. If you keep your hair longer in the back with long layers that fall toward your chin or beautiful bangs, it will make your face appear more oval.
The Complete Face Shape Guide
| Face Shape | Description of Face Shape | Face Shape Ideal Haircut | Face Shape Haircuts to Avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
Oval | Slightly narrower at the jawline than the temple, oval faces have gently rounded hairlines and an even countenance. Oval faces are enviably easy to shop for, because they can wear almost any style successfully. | Because of the round nature of the face, anything goes | Haircuts are a matter of personal preference to an individual with an oval face; there are none that need to be specifically avoided. |
Round | Round faces tend to be full-looking with a round chin and a matching round hairline. The widest points of the face are found at the ears and the cheeks. | Round faces benefit from height at the crown, a short and swept back haircut, or a cut longer than chin length. A layered top will add length to a round face. | Round faces are well advised to steer clear of chin-length cuts and center partings, both of which will add width to the face. |
Heart | Heart-shaped faces are much wider at the temple than the chin, though the hairline is rounded, rather than square. Heart subtypes include the diamond-shaped face, where the chin and the hairline are both narrow and the cheeks are wide. | Heart-shaped faces can wear chin length or longer hair. Layers add interest to longer hair, while a chin length bob creates facial balance | Heart-shaped faces are not suited to short, full styles, because they put too much emphasis on the upper face. They should also stay away from tapered necklines |
Square | Square faces have a strong, set jawline and a square hairline. The rectangle face shape is a longer subtype of the square. Another subtype is the the inverted triangle face type, which has a small forehead and a large chin. | Square face shapes are softened by short or medium-length hairstyles, with wispy bangs. Layered bobs also look good when they are cut above or below, but not at the jawline. | Square faces should avoid any haircut that stops at the jawline, because it will greatly accentuate an already prominent jawbone. |
Long | Long faces vary between a long oval shape in which the jaw and the hairline are rounded and approximate each other in width, to a more oblong shape with a square hairline and jaw shape. | Long faces are counterbalanced with short to medium length hair, accented with wispy bangs to soften the cut. Fullness and layering can be added at the sides to widen the face. | Long faces need to limit the length of the hair to avoid inadvertently lengthening the face. For this reason, the hair should not grow past the shoulders. |
Pick a Hairstyle That Works for Your Personality and Face Shape!
A person who desires to look nice knows when and how often to go for a haircut and style. They mainly focus on styles that can enhance their face shape and aim to get the best haircut and style that helps to build their confidence. Whether you like to wear a charming long style or just fluctuating short hair, know that short hairstyles require more upkeep. Furthermore, I’d like to hear more or less about what works for you! I hope my excellent hairstyle guide will help you build your confidence and show off your best look with confidence!
© 2016 Pam Morris
Comments
Pam Morris (author) from Atlanta Georgia on October 08, 2020:
Sangre, thank you so much for reading my Hub and sharing feedback that you think my article is good advice and most people should heed it. I look forward to hearing your intake on other hubs. Take care.
Sp Greaney from Ireland on October 08, 2020:
This is good advice and most people should heed it. I think some hair stylists are great at telling you what does and doesn't work for your face shape but there is no harm knowing yourself what works. But you also learn from experiences what you should and shouldn't do.
Pam Morris (author) from Atlanta Georgia on October 02, 2020:
Hi wiserworld, thank you for taking the time to read my Hub and give feedback. Although you never thought about how changing your hairstyle to your face shape could make a difference, it can. Some styles can make a person look old but the right hairstyle to suit the face shape can make a person look younger and so much better.
wiserworld on October 01, 2020:
Interesting read. I never thought about how changing your hair style in relation to your face shape could make such a difference!
Pam Morris (author) from Atlanta Georgia on November 07, 2019:
Hello Tess, Thank you so much for your response. I am happy to read you think my article is helpful. I try to write articles others would enjoy reading and I hope you read other hubs you think is nice.
Tess from Hawaii on October 28, 2019:
Really nice article! I went through quite few hairstyles in the past and it can be challenging if you're not aware of what looks good with your features.
