We all have different shaped faces right.. however have you ever stopped to consider whether your current hairsyle is doing you justice or accentuating a feature that you don't like so much.
We are here to help, in this article we are going to go over the different face shapes, how you can tell what shape you are and what hairstyle suits you face.
Most people will agree that there are four basic face shapes: heart, oval, round, and square. Other people believe that other face shapes exist, such as triangle, oblong, rectangular, and diamond shapes, which are variations of the original four face shapes.
How do you know which face shape you can call your own?
You’ll need to study your face carefully to determine this. Yes, I know, more school stuff, but this will all pay off in the end.
To begin your study of your face, you’ll want to get in front of a big mirror that shows your entire upper body. With your full neck and chest exposed (topless, even, if you feel comfortable with it), and your hair pulled completely back from your face with headbands and hair clips, study your face.
There are some basic questions you will need to ask yourself:
How wide is my forehead when compared to my jaw-line?
Is my jaw-line wider than my forehead?
When looking at myself straight on do I appear to have more space between my eyes than between the outer corner of my eyes and my hairline at the temples?
How prominent and rounded are my cheekbones?
The answers to these questions will help you to determine your face shape.
Also, try this handy trick. While sitting in front of the mirror with your hair pulled back, use a lipstick to draw around your face in the mirror. Move away from the mirror and look at the shape. Choose the shape that matches yours the best.
Heart Face Shape
The heart face shape is characterized by a wider forehead in a face that tapers to the chin. Most women with heart-shaped faces choose hairstyles that include a fringe, along the forehead, as well as a shorter hairstyle ending at or around the chin.
Hair Styles for Heart Faces
- Instead of accentuating your chin, which already tends to draw much of the focus, lead others’ eyes to your cheekbones and eyes with sweeping fringe jaw-length or longer hair.
- Choose a style that will create volume around the bottom of your face.• Be sure to keep a prominent part in your hair, and consider soft layers ending around your cheekbones to accent that feature.
- If you have short hair keep the top layers soft and long.
- If you have long hair then go for long layers that graze your cheekbones.
- Wavy hair will balance the face and be very pretty on the heart-shaped face if you keep them soft and loose.
- Try your best to avoid hairstyles that are sharp, blunt or choppy layers, especially when it comes to your bangs/fringe and layers.
- Whatever your hair type, don’t have your hair too long. Four inches below your shoulders is plenty.
- If you want fringe, a blunt fringe will work well. Keep it short and wispy, especially if your hair is quite thick.
Heart Face Celebrities:
Michelle Pfeiffer, Ashley Judd, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Claudia Schiffer, Emmanuaell Beart, Juliette Binoche, Lucy Lawless, Naomi Campbell
Oval Face Shape
The oval face shape is probably the most desired among most women today. There is almost no hairstyle that an oval face will detract from, and in fact, most hair stylists tend to help their clients choose hairstyles that will promote an oval face shape. It is characterized by features that include slightly wider cheekbones and a tapered chin.
Hair Styles for Oval Faces
As said before, oval-faced people tend to be able to wear almost any hairstyle, congratulations to you!
- Choose a hairstyle with layers ending either by your eyes, cheeks, or lips-pretty much whichever feature you would like to highlight.
- More petite women, however, will want to avoid long hair in the front, as this may make you look like a child. Other than that, though, almost anything goes!
- If you have long, thick hair, get it cut so the curls are looser.
- For short hair, a messy style is ideal.
- For thick hair, go with a sexy short fringe or one that’s long and blunt.
- For fine hair, a long wispy fringe will suit you.
- Avoid heavy fringe and wearing your hairstyle on your face.
- Be sure to avoid outdated haircuts, though. Because you look good in almost anything, keep your hairstyle fresh and you won’t regret it!
Oval Face Celebrities:
Jennifer Aniston, Cameron Diaz, Mariah Carey, Cindy Crawford, Heather Locklear, Sharon Stone, Uma Thurman, Pink, Halle Berry, Julia Roberts, Courtney Cox Arquette, Elle MacPherson, Tyra Banks.
Round Shape Face
Round faces have wider cheeks and are often softer around the hair and jaw lines. The most common hairstyles on women with round faces include minimal volume on the sides, and maximum volume on the top of the head to add length to the face. Layered hair styles help to achieve this look.
Hair Styles for Round Faces
People with round faces look great with long, straight hair, simply because long hair helps to elongate the face.
For a change from long hair, try layers that start around the jaw line. This will help to take some of the heaviness from the hair, but still keep the length that you need.
At all costs, avoid chin-length bobs, which will enhance the roundness of your face, instead of accentuating your better facial features.
Soft layers, longer hair, wispy ends, and long, side-swept fringe will all help to accentuate your best, while curly or short hair will only accentuate the roundness of your face.
Round Face Celebrities:
Ingrid Bergman, Roseanne Barr, Kate Winslet, Natalie Merchant, Drew Barrymore, Christina Ricci, Charlotte Church
Square Face Shape
Square faces are characterized by stronger jaw lines and wide foreheads. If the face is narrow, it will appear more rectangular, and if the face is wide, it will appear more square.
Depending on the width of the face, a hair stylist will choose different options: for more rectangular features, adding curls to the sides will soften the look, while for a more square face, hair stylists typically go with a hair style that adds height to the top, with a slight curl at the ends to soften the jaw line.
Hair Styles for Square Faces
Square faces can easily be soften with some long curls or long, wavy hair.
Add in some long, wavy fringe, as long as they are long.
Long, wavy hair is great to add length and volume, creating a soft, sexy look for any occasion.
If you have curly hair, be sure to keep the length long, so that it reaches below your chin. This way, if it scrunches or frizzes, it can still be long enough to soften your features.
Never get a cut that’s above your jaw line as it will exaggerate the squareness of your face shape.
Avoid long straight styles that accentuate your square jawbone.
Get some roundness to the hairstyle shape and some height at the crown or fringe.
Avoid blunt bangs/fringe and aim for long, sideswept fringe.
Consider layers around the face as it will soften the harsh angles of your jaw, nose and cheeks.
Square Face Celebrities:
Kristin Scott Thomas Holly Marie Combs Sandra Bullock Demi Moore Isabella Rosellini
Triangle Face Shapes
Triangle face shapes, also known as the pear shaped face, are composed of smaller foreheads with wider jaw lines. These face shapes can easily handle more voluminous hairstyles, including shorter, layered cuts with lots of curls.
Hair Styles for Triangle Faces
Triangular faces with a wide, dominant jaw, a round chin, wide cheekbones, and narrow foreheads need hair styles that soften the lower portion of the face while adding width to the top.
The classic "shag” look works best for this face shape-loose.
Go for free hair with some layers around the cheeks.
Triangular-shaped people should keep their hair at or above their shoulders to avoid emphasizing their chins.
Your hair should be wide and full at the top.
To make your forehead look wider, you can have side-swept fringe with a side part.
Avoid growing your hair past your shoulders.
Miscellaneous other Face Shapes
Long Faces
Try to create width on your face. You can do this by choosing a hairstyle with layers or curls; wavy hair would look really good on a person with a long face. You can also try a long loose fringe, and in general, stick with medium length to medium-long length hair.
Oblong Faces
These are faces that could be oval, if it weren’t for the length. People with oblong faces look great with bobs and layers, and any hair cut that does not add length to the face. Short bobs can either be worn with sassy flips and layers or soft curls along the jaw. Just be careful to keep the hairstyle at the appropriate length to avoid adding length to the face. A fringe that ends just above the eyebrows is a great accent to those with oblong faces.
Diamond Faces
Diamond faces with narrow foreheads and chins but wider cheekbones need to add both fullness and width to the top and bottom portions of the face. Shoulder length or longer hair with layers ending around the jaw line will be very attractive on those with diamond faces. Pulling the hair back from the face, or any other hairstyle which does not include a fringe, is not a good option for those with diamond-shaped faces
