The Right Hairstyle For Your Face Shape

If you have a round face shape, the object is to add length and avoid width. Hairstyles with height and fullness at the crown will give the illusion of a narrower face shape, particularly those short in length.

Top Hairstylists Have Spoken—These Are the Best Cuts for Every Face Shape

Within the ever-colliding stratospheres of fashion and beauty, “rules” have become a bit passé, if not obsolete altogether. Gone are the days when we’d refuse to wear white after Labor Day or dismiss navy and black as an ill-conceived color pairing. Currently, we feel inspired to dye our hair a demurely shocking shade of Chantilly lace or an audacious shade of citrus. A hot-pink, glittering eyelid is cooler than yesteryear’s smoked-out cat eye, and we’re even experimenting with crystal-studded manicures and taxi cab–inspired polish shades. Our point? It’s an exciting time to be in fashion and beauty, and more so than ever before, our hair, makeup, and fashion aesthetic reflect that.

Hair, especially, has been the comeback kid of 2020. Previously old-fashioned styles like the French twist have been artistically resurrected, and we currently own more pearl-, tortoiseshell-, and velvet-embellished hair accessories than we did butterflies, banana clips, and comb headbands circa 1999. Impressive. That said, one rule that hasn’t changed over the years is the importance (and confidence-boosting power) of having a truly amazing, ultra-flattering haircut. With the right cut, the rest of the hair gamut—color, styling, and accessories—is kind of your oyster. Sure, we 100% condone sporting any kind of haircut that makes you feel like the sh*t, but we also know certain haircuts look especially flattering with certain face shapes, going together like PB&J, Mary-Kate and Ashley, Dolce and Gabbana—you get the idea.

To help steer us in the right direction, and since spring is (thank God) a glowing orb of hope sitting in the not-so-distant future, we asked a handful of Hollywood’s most talented stylists (you know, the ones who cater to all of our favorite hair-blessed celebrites) which haircuts look best for which face shapes. Oval, diamond, square, heart, round, long, and unique variations between—the shape of our heads can dramatically influence the way certain cuts will flatter and fall. Thankfully, we have the best experts in the biz by our side to help point us in the right direction. Keep scrolling for 20 haircuts strategically suited to every kind of face shape.

Oval Face Shapes

Celebrity examples: Kate Middleton, Jessica Alba, Bella Hadid, Charlize Theron, Kim Kardashian West, Rihanna, Jessica Chastain, Rachel McAdams, Beyoncé

Don’t shoot the messenger, but if you have an oval-shaped face, you can stop reading, head to the salon, and ask for any haircut that tickles your fancy. Kidding—except not really. Every stylist I consulted during my research said those with oval face shapes are the lucky ones who can pretty much sport any type of cut with super-flattering results. That said, since you have quite a bit of freedom, celebrity hairstylist Cash Lawless recommends shifting your strategic focus to favorite facial features rather than your facial shape.

“Oval face shapes are often seen as the most balanced face shape with the most symmetry. Therefore, you can get creative,” Lawless iterates. “However, here is the caveat. You’ll want to find a cut that focuses on features over face shape. I recommend talking to your stylist about your favorite features so you can work together to create a cut that will accentuate those, while simultaneously minimizing anything you don’t want to draw attention to.”

According to Lawless, chic fringe can look great with wide-set eyes, a bold pixie cut can bring out high cheekbones and strong bone structure, and a sleek lob or bob will help draw focus to the center of the face and features like the nose and lips.

The Smooth and Sleek Bob

The Right Hairstyle For Your Face Shape

Why is this so important? Simply put, if the wrong hairstyle is created for the wrong face shape, the result is a disaster. In fact, even if a well executed, well cut hairstyle is performed on the wrong face shape, the result is still a disaster. Why again you ask? Because hairstyles are predominately about shape and geometry. It’s all about putting the perfect frame around a person’s face to balance and bring perspective to the overall shape.

• Minimize non pleasing attributes.
• Promote and compliment positive ones.

Once this important objective is achieved, then bringing the hairstyle to life with texture and colors should follow.

A good hairstylist will just know instinctively what shape will or won’t suit you. It is also very important and handy for you to understand face shape suitability as well as it will help you to understand what does and does not work for you and why. It will also help you to communicate better with your stylist and to keep them somewhat honest.

There is a general rule that applies to face shape balancing and it is that you should try to achieve an oval shape, which is the most perfect and pleasing shape to the human eye. To do this, long faces need shortening, just as wide faces need lengthening. It’s quite simple really!

How To Choose Your Face Shape

Look at a photo of yourself that has the hair off your face and find the best match from the following descriptions and pictures.

It’s important to remember that even though your face may not be an exact match of any single shape, it will resemble one shape over all. Need help to determine your face shape? Try our Face Shape Quiz.

Oval Face Shape

• Curvilinear shape.
• Length is equal to one and a half times width.
• The forehead and jaw are the same width.

Hairstyles

Round Face Shape

• Circular shaped.
• Length is approximately equal to width.

Hairstyles

Oblong Face Shape

• Face is longer than it is wide.
• Long, straight cheek line.

Hairstyles

Square Face Shape

• Strong and broad forehead.
• Angular jaw.

Hairstyles

Heart Face Shape

• Wide at the forehead and cheekbones.
• Narrow at the jawline.

Hairstyles

Triangular Face Shape

• Forehead and cheekbones are narrow.
• Jawline is wide.

Hairstyles

Diamond Face Shape

• Forehead and jawline are narrow.
• Cheekbones are wide and high.

Hairstyles

Once you have determined what your face shape is, please click on the links below to see images and examples which will show and explain how shape and geometry make all the difference in hairstyling design.

Still don’t know your face shape? Try our Face Shape Quiz.

Now that you know your face shape and how to choose the right hairstyle, why not take a look through TheHairStyler.com’s range of hairstyles to suit face shapes?

We have 1,000s of different hairstyles for you to choose from which can be viewed on your own photo or on one of our models. You can even use our Find Your Perfect Style hair consultation to find the hairstyles that match your face shape!

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If you find that you have an oval face shape, then you’re in luck! Having an oval face shape means that you can wear your hair in almost any style. The main thing to consider is to not choose hairstyles that hang in your face, eyes, or that just cover over your beautiful face shape.

With a square face shape, your main aim should be to soften your strong jawline. Avoid blunt bobs, especially sitting at chin length with straight heavy bangs as this will accentuate your jaw line and squareness.

Heart face shapes need to add some length to their shape and to create width around narrow chins. Any textured chin-length hairstyles will suit best. If bangs are wanted make sure that they are side swept not straight across.

With a triangular face shape the object is to narrow your chin and widen your forehead. Shorter is generally better than longer. Avoid any hairstyle which will draw too much attention to your chin area such as straight solid bob cuts.

Diamond face shapes need to balance a narrow chin, minimize wider cheek bones and shorten the overall length. Hairstyles with straight across bangs will work to shorten long faces, as will side parts.

If you have a round face shape, the object is to add length and avoid width. Hairstyles with height and fullness at the crown will give the illusion of a narrower face shape, particularly those short in length.

If you have an oblong face shape, the object is to add width to minimize vertical length. The worst thing that oblong face shapes can do is to make their faces appear even longer.

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