Choosing a hairstyle that complements your face shape can enhance your features and create a balanced, harmonious look. Here’s a guide to help you identify your face shape and find the most flattering styles.
Step 1: Identify Your Face Shape
First, pull your hair back and stand in front of a mirror. Use a lipstick or washable marker to trace the outline of your face on the mirror. Step back and compare your outline to the descriptions below.
- Oval: The forehead is slightly wider than the jawline, with a rounded chin. The length is about 1.5 times the width. This is considered the most versatile shape.
- Round: The width and length are nearly equal, with a rounded jawline and full cheeks. The goal is to add length and definition.
- Square: A strong, angular jawline with a forehead and cheekbones of similar width. The goal is to soften the angles.
- Heart: A wider forehead and cheekbones that taper down to a narrow, pointed chin. The goal is to add width at the jawline and minimize the forehead.
- Oblong/Rectangular: The face is longer than it is wide, often with a high forehead and a long chin. The goal is to add width and break up the length.
- Diamond: Narrow forehead and jawline with the widest point at the cheekbones. The goal is to add width at the forehead and jawline to balance the cheekbones.
Step 2: Best Hairstyles for Each Face Shape
1. Oval Face
Goal: Maintain natural balance.
- What to try: Almost anything. Pixie cuts, long layers, bobs, curtain bangs, sleek straight hair, or voluminous waves.
- Consideration: Avoid styles that add too much length (like extremely long, straight hair with no layers) if you want to maintain proportion, but even that can work.
2. Round Face
Goal: Create the illusion of length and angularity.
- What to try:
- Long, layered cuts that fall past the chin to elongate the face.
- High-volume styles with height at the crown (e.g., pompadour, voluminous blowout).
- Side parts to create asymmetry.
- Angular bobs (chin-length or longer) with a deep side part.
- Avoid: Blunt bangs, chin-length bobs with no angle, or styles that add width at the sides (like round, voluminous curls at ear-level).
3. Square Face
Goal: Soften a strong jawline.
- What to try:
- Soft, wispy layers that frame the face.
- Long, textured waves to add movement and round out the angles.
- Side-swept bangs to soften the forehead.
- Layered cuts starting at the jawline to blend the angularity.
- Pixie cuts with soft, textured pieces around the ears.
- Avoid: Blunt, heavy bangs; geometric cuts; or styles that end exactly at the jawline with a sharp, straight line.
4. Heart Face
Goal: Balance a wider forehead with a narrower chin.
- What to try:
- Side-swept bangs to reduce forehead width.
- Chin-length or longer bobs that add volume around the jawline.
- Layered styles that start at the cheekbones or jaw.
- Textured waves that add fullness to the lower half of the face.
- Avoid: Short, full styles that add volume at the crown or forehead (like very short pixies with height), or severe slicked-back styles that emphasize the narrow chin.
5. Oblong/Rectangular Face
Goal: Add width and break up the length.
- What to try:
- Blunt bangs (full or curtain) to visually shorten the forehead.
- Layered cuts with volume on the sides to add width.
- Shoulder-length styles with waves or curls to create horizontal movement.
- Chin-length bobs with fullness at the sides.
- Avoid: Extremely long, straight hair with no layers; styles with height on top that elongate further; middle parts (unless paired with bangs).
6. Diamond Face
Goal: Narrow the cheekbones and add width to the forehead and jawline.
- What to try:
- Side-swept bangs to create width at the forehead.
- Layered cuts that add volume around the jawline (like a textured bob or lob).
- Soft, wispy layers that start below the cheekbones.
- Pixie cuts with side volume or full, chin-length bobs.
- Avoid: Styles that add volume directly at the cheekbones (like middle-parted, ear-level fullness); slicked-back styles that emphasize the narrow hairline.
Step 3: Beyond Shape—Other Key Considerations
While face shape is a great starting point, your final choice should also account for:
- Hair Texture: A style that looks great in a photo may require daily styling that doesn’t suit your natural texture (e.g., a sleek bob on very curly hair requires significant maintenance).
- Lifestyle: Consider how much time you’re willing to spend on styling each day. A high-maintenance cut on a low-maintenance routine can lead to frustration.
- Features: Use hair to highlight your best features. Want to draw attention to your eyes? Try bangs. Want to highlight your cheekbones? Try face-framing layers.
- Consult a Professional: Bring photos of what you like (and what you don’t) to a stylist. A good stylist will assess your face shape, hair density, and texture in person and suggest modifications that will work best for you.
Pro Tip: When looking for inspiration, try to find celebrities or models with a similar face shape to yours. Their stylists have already done the work of finding what’s most flattering for that structure.
By starting with your face shape and layering in your personal style and practical needs, you’ll find a hairstyle that doesn’t just look good—it feels like you.