“Whatever the shape of eyes or nose – a joyful face is always a beautiful face.” YouTube guru Sadhguru certainly hit the nail on the head with that one, although he neglected to mention that a face is even more joyful and beautiful when paired with the right hairstyle!
Admit it: we’ve all, at some point in our lives, rushed to our hair stylist with a picture of our favorite celebrity and demanded the same style, even when he pleads with us that it won’t work for our face. Nope! If “The Rachel” worked for Jennifer Aniston, it will certainly work for me, right?
Well, not exactly… Knowing your face shape is crucial to choosing the perfect hairstyle and this guide will ensure you never have to hide your hair under a hat again.
First, Determine Your Face Shape
There are 7 common face shapes: Heart/Inverted Triangle, Diamond, Oval, Long/Oblong, Rectangle, Round, and Square.
- Pull your hair back and up so it doesn’t obstruct your view.
- Find the widest part of your face (use a tape measure if you don’t trust your eyes). A wide forehead indicates an oval face shape; wide cheekbones mean either a round or heart-shaped (see the next step to be sure). If your face is evenly proportioned in width, it’s probably square.
- Determine the shape of your jaw. If it’s short or rounder, your face is round. Pointy and narrow means heart-shaped. A strong jawline with sharp angles reinforces the idea of a square shape.
- Compare the length to the width, measuring from the center of your hairline to the tip of your chin, then from the left to the right side. Is your face longer than it is wider? Then you may be oval-shaped. Wider than it is long? That means a round or heart shape. Twice as long as it is wide? You’re a rectangle. Equally long and wide? You’re a diamond or a square.
1. Heart/Inverted Triangle
Features: A delicate, narrow chin, like the point of a heart (hence its name), a pointed hairline, and cheekbones as the widest part of the face.
Goals: To add fullness at your chin level, compensating for the difference between the broad forehead and the narrow jawline. Avoid adding any volume on top as this will make your forehead look bigger.
Celebrity Example: Julia Roberts
Best Hairstyles:
– Bouncy curls from lower cheeks to ends to avoid top volume.
– Messy shoulder-length bob with curtain bangs (bangs that frame the face on both sides), loose waves, and soft layers.
– Long, loose waves with curtain bangs.
2. Diamond Face Shape
Features: A version of the heart shape with a pointy chin, high cheekbones, and a smaller forehead.
Goals: To show off your high cheekbones with swept-back or side-swept styles that include lots of layers.
Celebrity Example: Madonna
Best Hairstyles:
– Textured lob: a longer version of a bob cut with layers for added body and volume.
– French bob: a shorter than chin-length bob with tons of texture.
– Medium-layered hair
3. Oval
Features: The forehead is the widest part and they are longer than they are wide, with a round jawline and chin.
Goals: Because this shape is so well-proportioned, almost any style will look good on you! Just pick whatever feature you want to play up and choose your hairstyle accordingly. For example, if you love your eyes, have fun with bangs down to your eyebrows.
Celebrity Example: Jamie Lee Curtis
Best Hairstyles:
– Long wavy hair with soft blunt bangs to accentuate your eyes.
– Curly bob for voluptuous volume.
– Short pixie cut. This has the added attraction of working just as well on fine, thin hair than on thicker, textured hair.
– Box braids or cornrows are the perfect braids to complement this shape.
4. Long/Oblong
Features: Similar to an oval face, but slightly longer and narrower.
Goals: The opposite of round and square shapes, the volume of your hairstyle should be concentrated at the sides of your face instead of at the top to visually break it into two equal halves.
Celebrity Example: Sarah Jessica Parker
Best Hairstyles:
– Long waves with added volume below your cheekbones.
– Long layered hair with thick bangs.
– Blunt bob with ghost layers (discreet layered texture in the hair without losing length).
– Havana twists worn loose, in a bun, or in a ponytail are a great braided option for this shape.
5. Rectangle
Features: A variation of the square shape, the rectangle is longer than it is wide and the forehead, cheekbones, and jawline are about the same width.
Goals: To balance the length by adding width.
Celebrity Examples: Sandra Bullock
Best Hairstyles:
– Beachy waves to create texture.
– Layers framing your face. If your hair is all one length, it can appear to be weighed down.
– ’70s bangs. Also known as curtain fringes, these are parted in the center and draped along the sides. Flip them out for even more width!
– Afros are also great styles for this face shape, as their roundness helps to soften its blunt edges.
6. Round
Features: Length and width are equal, no prominent jawline, fuller cheeks, and a wide hairline.
Goals: Minimize roundness with dramatic side parts and longer side bangs. Medium and long hairstyles are more flattering than shorter ones.
Celebrity Example: Queen Latifah
Best Hairstyles:
– Shaggy cut with curtain bangs
– Long hair with face-framing layers
– Long hair with defined waves, beginning at the chin. Add bangs to minimize your fuller forehead for an even more flattering look.
7. Square
Features: The forehead, cheekbones, and jawline are about the same width, the hairline is broad, and the jawline is strong and sharp-cornered.
Goals: To soften the sharp angles and add volume at the top. Avoid heavy, straight bangs, super-short bobs, and slicked-back styles. Afros are also great styles for this face shape, as their roundness helps to soften its blunt edges.
Celebrity Example: Diana Ross
Best Hairstyles:
– Long layers with soft curtain bangs for a delicate, feminine frame.
– Long wavy hair with highlights forming a triangle on the forehead and gentle waves below the chin.
– Messy lob with curtain bangs.
What hair horror stories do you have because of not knowing your face shape? Share them in the comments section below!
Hashtags: #faceshapes #ovalface #faceshapeguide #faceshapestips #hairstyles #hairstylist #hairgoals #longhair
Until next time…
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