Finding the perfect hair cut doesn’t just depend on what style you want, but on the shape of your face as well. A certain hair style may look good on that celeb you’re copying it from, but it doesn’t mean it’ll fit you too, not when you don’t share the same shape as them.
Determining your face shape isn’t easy, but once you do, it’ll open a new door for all the right hairstyles you can experiment with. Let our handy guide help you pinpoint your face shape, and what hairstyles go with it for every length so you can finally have that face-flattering cut you’ve always wanted!
ROUND
A round face is nearly as long as it is wide, with the forehead and jawline curving at the corners. The chin is rounded and the widest part of the face is the cheeks.
- ROUND FACE, SHORT HAIR
A pixie cut with layers around the crown downplays the roundness in a big way. The choppy pieces at the top add height and lengthen the face, perfect for straight, wavy and fine hair.
- ROUND FACE, MEDIUM-LENGTH HAIR
A long bob with loose curls around the neck has a face-slimming effect – it adds angles, break up the chin area, and doesn’t curve in under your jaw – which results in structure and counterbalancing the circular shape of your face.
- ROUND FACE, LONG HAIR
Long, barely-there layers make your hair, not your face, seem fuller. If you have wavy or curly hair, long layers prevent your hair from ballooning around your cheeks which makes your face look more round.
HEART
People with heart-shaped faces often have a wide forehead, narrow jaw and pointed chin.
- HEART FACE, SHORT HAIR
A pixie clipped evenly on the sides and nape with short layers on top cancels out a pronounced jawline, while the choppy layers break up the wide forehead. Avoid a top-heavy effect with curls as it will exaggerate your chin.
- HEART FACE, MEDIUM-LENGTH HAIR
A collarbone-length bob with sweeping bangs and long layers add balance in the face and draws the eyes away from the chin.
- HEART FACE, LONG HAIR
Long, wispy layers with a full fringe offsets a prominent jaw while the curls prevent the strands from falling flat.
OVAL
An oval face has an equal measurement of the widths of the brow, cheekbones and jaw. In some instances, the forehead can be a tiny bit wider than the curved chin.
- OVAL FACE, SHORT HAIR
An angular bob with short, chin-hugging layers emphasizes the face shape while the side part adds lift to the layers for a graphic look.
- OVAL FACE, MEDIUM-LENGTH
A sleek, shoulder-length blowout with subtle layers keep your strands from lying flat against your head, which elongates the face. Keep uneven pieces around your face to make your hair look fuller and denser.
- OVAL FACE, LONG HAIR
Long strands paired with a sweeping fringe shortens a long face by covering the area between your hairline and brow, removing several inches from the face.
SQUARE
A square face is nearly as wide as it is long. The sides of the face are straight and the jawline is slightly angled with very minimal curve.
- SQUARE FACE, SHORT HAIR
A short, layered bob with subtle bangs brings the focus higher and puts the emphasis on your cheekbones instead of your jaw.
SQUARE FACE, MEDIUM-LENGTH HAIR
Light, feathery layers around the shoulders camouflage a strong chin while the side part and the sweeping bangs offsets the shape of the face and gives an asymmetrical effect.
- SQUARE FACE, LONG HAIR
Long strands with layered bangs that hit the cheekbones get rid of angles and soften the entire face.
Know your face shape already? Head over to your favorite salon now, start snipping and thank us later!