Best Cut For Your Face Shape

So, here’s how the story goes: your favorite celebrity is sporting a killer hair-do and you’re in an adventurous mood. You call up your stylist to make an appointment. Once appointment day rolls around, you assemble your “hairspiration” for your stylist, and the transformation begins. Finally, the chair turns, and you look in the mirror. You look fabulous, but at the same time, something’s not quite right. You realize the hairdo looks better on the inspiration than it does on you. We’ve all been there at least once!

One of the most common reasons for this dilemma all boils down to something as simple as your face shape. Most cuts and styles are designed to go hand-in-hand with the shape of your face. With that being said, picking the best cut for your face shape can actually be somewhat of a miracle-worker! It has the power to enhance certain features and play them up, and also minimize the less pleasant ones, creating somewhat of an illusion. With the following tips, we can tune you into these hair secrets so that you can discover your best look!

 ROUND

Kirsten Dunst is a classic round-shape

Definition: Equal length and width of face

Famous Round Faces: Kirsten Dunst, Lauren Conrad, Ginnifer Goodwin, Emma Stone

The Rundown: A good rule of thumb for round faces is: the longer, the better. You want to try to elongate the face as much as possible, and having a longer cut gives that illusion. Too much volume around the sides of the head and face will only accentuate roundness, so you want to steer clear of shorter cuts and intense curls in those areas. For longer hair, it’s best to aim for something below the chin or longer, and that goes for overall length and layers. For thicker hair, avoid just one length. The more layers around the face, the more definition it will add. For short hair, a bob or pixie cut can draw attention to the roundness of your face, but you can definitely still make it work! Layers add definition, and volume at the top of the head adds length to the face. Also, the center part shines with this face shape because it draws attention to the center of your hair rather than the roundness of your cheeks.

Best Cuts: Long layers, long bob, uneven, long bangs

Best Styles: Gentle waves, straight/flat-ironed, curls below the lips, side-swept bangs, center part

Avoid: Short layers, short bobs, extreme curls, one hair length, super short cuts

 OVAL

Rihanna has proven that her oval-shaped face goes good with any cut or style

Definition: Length of the face is longer than the width

Famous Oval Faces: Rihanna, Kristin Stewart, Jessica Alba, Carrie Underwood

The Rundown: One word for all you oval faces: LUCKY! This is the most versatile face shape, as it works well with almost all cuts and styles. Because there are very few drawbacks, you really want to focus on playing up your features. For example, an angled bob that’s short in the back and long in the front can make your facial features pop. The only things to really avoid are too much length or height in the hair, as it will elongate your shape more. If you do opt for a longer style (which definitely still works great!), balance it out with some bangs. Any kind of bang works great with this face shape! (Bangs that are in-style, of course) Other than that, take full advantage of the fact that you can pull off almost any cut or style and have fun with it!

Best Cuts: Short cuts and any kind of bang

Best Styles: Have fun with any style you please, and remember to go for something that makes your features pop! 

Avoid: Too much length, height on short haircuts

 HEART 

Reese’s bangs and long layers really help balance out a heart-shape

Definition: Wide cheekbones and forehead, narrow jawline and pronounced chin

Famous Heart Faces: Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Garner, Scarlett Johannsen, Rachel McAdams

The Rundown: Heart-shaped faces are typically wider on top and narrow at the bottom, with a pointed chin. With this shape you can do one of two things based on personal preference: tone down the pointiness or embrace it. For those who want to tone it down, it’s best to stick with a longer hairstyle. Specifically, a long bob which can help to soften the jawline. If you want longer, face-framing layers help highlight your features without being too harsh on them. Also, in terms of styling, long waves can help soften the chin. If you want to embrace your shape, heart-shaped faces look great with pixie & crop cuts! Another major pointer is bangs. Heart-shapes have wider foreheads which can make you look a bit top-heavy. That’s where bangs come in. Long bangs have the power to not only cover a wide forehead, but to draw attention downward towards the eyes and away from a pointy chin.

Best Cuts: Pixies, crops, bobs, face-framing layers, long bangs

Best Styles: Deep side part, side-swept bangs, long waves

Avoid: Short/blunt bangs, top-heavy styles/height

 SQUARE

Demi Moore flatters her square shape with face-framing layers

Definition: Broad forehead and cheekbones, angular jawline

Famous Square Faces: Demi Moore, Kiera Knightley, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jessica Biel

The Rundown: With square faces, the trick is to soften the broad and angular shape of the face as much as possible. That’s why soft curls and waves look best on this face shape, it makes it look more delicate. Also, just like the heart-shaped faces, longer hair and layers really help soften the broad jawline as well. The biggest things to avoid with this shape is bluntness of any kind. This includes bangs, ends, and bobs, or any other cut that would make the face appear even more boxy and square than it already is. Another thing to avoid is pulling the hair back into a tight, slick ponytail or bun, as this can accentuate the boxiness as well.

Best Cuts: Soft bobs, pixies, long layers

Best Styles: Curls and waves

Avoid: Bluntness (bobs, ends, bangs), hair pulled back from the face

Need a quick and easy tutorial on how to determine your face shape? Start by pulling or pinning your hair back. From there you can either grab your camera and snap a close up, or trace the outline of your face in the mirror with a dry-erase marker, or something that can easily be washed off. Try to consider all details of the shape of your face when narrowing it down.

Round: Length and width of face are equal in size

Oval: Face is longer than it is wide

Heart: Wide forehead and cheekbones, narrow jawline and pointed chin

Square: Broad forehead and cheeks, angular jawline

Now that you have your face shape and the best cuts and styles for it down pat, it’s time to get that appointment scheduled! No doubt you and your stylist are going to work some serious hair magic with these pointers in mind. Best of luck, and if you love your stylist’s work, leave a review! We want to hear about it!