Face Shapes and Hair Styles

Face Shapes and Hair Styles . . . The Tutorial

How to measure and determine your face shape, and even more importantly how to choose the right hair style to fit your face shape.

Your face shape is the starting point to choosing a new hair style. Your hair type is the next consideration. Is your hair naturally straight, wavy, curly or kinky? Is your hair texture fine, medium or thick? Lastly, take hair volume into consideration.“The Face Shapes and Hair Styles Tutorial”

It’s hard to be objective about your own face shape, but here’s a sure-fire way to be sure your not letting bias influence your own analysis. Your Hairdresser should be the ultimate judges of your face shape, but if you need a little help try these tips.

There are lots of suggestions on how to figure out your face shape. These include everything from outlining your face shape on a mirror with lipstick to draping your face shape with a towel and asking others to help you guess the face shape. But, there is actually a scientific way to determine your face shape with great accuracy.

To find your face shape, measure it with a tape measure or ruler. You will take the following measurements:

1. Measure your face shape across the top of your cheekbones. Write down the measurement on a piece of paper.
2. Measure across your jaw line from the widest point to the widest point. Write down the measurement.
3. Measure across your forehead at the widest point. Generally the widest point will be somewhere about halfway between your eyebrows and your hairline. Write down the measurement.
4. Measure from the tip of your hairline to the bottom of your chin.

How To Determine What Face Shape You Are

• You are a Oval Face Shape if: Length will be equal to one and a half times the width.
• You are a Round Face Shape if: Your face shape is as wide as it is long. This may vary a little but generally the measurement is close.
• You are a Rectangular Face Shape if: Your Face Shape is longer than it is wide.
• You are a Heart Face Shape if:Your face shape is narrow at jaw line, wide at cheekbones/and or forehead.
• You are a Square Face Shape if: Your face shape is about as wide as it is long.
• You are a Triangular Face Shape if: Your face shape is narrower at the temples and is wider at the jaw bone.
• You are a Diamond Face Shape if: Your face shape is widest at cheekbones, and if narrow forehead and jaw line of approximately equal widths.

The oval face shape is only slightly narrower at the jaw line than at the temples, with a gently rounded hairline.

The oval face shapes can wear the widest variety of hair styles of any of the face shapes. Just about any hair shape looks good on you. Your “perfect” features allow you to wear a wider range of hair styles so have fun and experiment. Have you ever noticed the majority of models have oval face shapes? Have you noticed how many different hair styles they can wear?

Oval face shapes can wear short, medium and long hair styles. Your face shape is well-balanced, or in even proportion. You will look best when styling your hair off your face. Most oval face shapes can wear slicked-backed looks as well.

Oval face shapes should avoid hair styles that cover up your “perfect” features with heavy bangs, or too forward-directed hair styles.
In wearing your hair style on your face, you’ll lose your face shape behind the hair. This may appear to add weight to your face. I have an article dedicated solely to keeping hair off of the face you might want to check it out.

Celebrities with oval face shapes: Jennifer Aniston | Cameron Diaz | Mariah Carey | Cindy Crawford | Jewel | Heather Locklear | Sharon Stone | Uma Thurman | Julia Roberts | Courtney Cox Arquette | Elle MacPherson | Tyra Banks

The rectangular face shape is long and slender, about the same width at forehead and just below cheekbones. Rectangular face shapes may have a very narrow chin or a very high forehead.

If you have a rectangular face shape you might want to try hair styles with short to medium lengths. Fullness at the sides of your face and wispy bangs soften the look of longer face shapes. You’ll want to balance the look of a long and slender face. Soft wispy bangs will shorten the appearance of the length. Fullness at the sides of your face will add width to the look of your rectangular face shape.

By cutting the your hair into a short or medium length, the outline of the hair cut will also shorten the look of the length of the face. Layers work great with rectangular face shapes, as they will add softness to the straight lines in your face. Try side parts, and you may be able to wear straight back styles.

Rectangular face shapes should avoid too much hair length . . . this will make your face will look even longer! Too much height lengthens your face. Center parts look great on people with a rectangular face shape. When your hair grows past your shoulders, there is a good chance it is doing you more harm than good.

The models with rectangular face shapes and long hair get by with it only because they have an “on call” hairdresser. This professional is at the models disposal and can usually be found busily primping and teasing, setting and styling to add fullness to the hair. Since most of us don’t have this luxury, my suggestion is keep it above shoulder length if you’ve got a rectangular face shape.
Celebrities with rectangular faces: Gwyneth Paltrow | Kirstie Alley Janet Jackson | Gabrielle Reece | Niki Taylor | Stephanie Seymour

The round face shape is full-looking face with a round chin and hairline. Widest point is at the cheeks and ears on women with round face shapes.

If you have a round face shape you’ll want to try hair styles with fullness and height at the crown. Off center parts help reduce the roundness of a round face shape. Short hair styles with a swept-back direction or hair styles that are longer than chin length will look good on you if you have a round face shape. By layering the top to achieve fullness and keeping the rest of the hair cut relatively close to the face, your round face shape will appear longer and narrower.

Round face shapes should avoid chin length hair with a rounded line that mirrors your round face shape. Center parts tend to accentuate roundness, so stay away from them if possible. Also avoid hair styles with short-short crops, or straight “chopped” bangs. Fullness at side of ears also accentuates the round face shape.

A rounded hair cut ending at the chin will certainly add weight to your already round face shape. Because the widest part of your face is at the cheeks and ears, you need to avoid having the fullness of the cut here, as it will make your face appear wider. I’ve written more about round face shapes in my articles Round Face Shapes can be Slimmed, Hairstyles a round shape and Hairstyles for Round Face Shapes.

Celebrities with round face shapes: Ingrid Bergman | Roseanne Barr | Kate Winslet | Natalie Merchant | Drew Barrymore | Christina Ricci | Charlotte Church

A square face shape is strong, square jaw line and usually an equally square hairline.

If you have a square face shape you’ll want to try short-to-medium length hair, especially with wave or roundness around the face. Wispy bangs will soften your angular square face shape. Off-center parts with height at the crown look great on square face shapes. You want to soften the square look of your face with layers and wispy looks around the face. Height at the crown will elongate your symmetrical shape. If your hair is straight, you may want to consider a body wave perm, as some curl or wavy hair will achieve a nice balance to the straight features of your face shape.

If you have a square face shape you’ll want to avoid long straight hair styles that accentuate the square jawbone. “Linear” straight bangs or center parts aren’t the best choice for a square face shape. A straight bobbed hairstyle ending at the jaw line is the wrong thing to do for your square face shape. You can wear a layered bob hair style, however it should end above or below the jaw line, not at the jaw. Make sure in styling that you achieve some roundness to the shape and some height at the crown or bangs, and you will be on the right track. For more pictures see my article hair styles for square face.

Celebrities with square face shapes: Kristin Scott Thomas | Holly Marie Combs | Sandra Bullock | Demi Moore | Isabella Rosellini

The heart face shape is wide at the temples and hairline, narrowing to a small delicate chin.

If you have a heart face shape you’ll want to consider chin-length or longer hair styles, they will work well with a heart shaped face.
Other hair styles to try: side-parted hair styles or swept-forward layers around the upper face, with gently wispy bangs. A chin length bobbed hairstyle is great on your heart face shape! This creates a balanced look by giving fullness where you need it. You can wear shorter hair styles; however, if you are a dramatic heart face shape you need to leave weight in the back nape area. This will achieve more balance between your dramatic cheekbones and more narrow chin.

Heart face shapes should avoid short, full styles that emphasize the upper face. Stay away from hair styles with too much height at the crown. Severe, slicked back looks are too harsh for your heart face shape too. If you are a dramatic heart face shape, the short, full hair styles with tapered necklines, which emphasize the upper face will make you look top-heavy. Too much height at the crown will give the appearance of a longer and narrower chin. Just remember if you have a dramatic heart face shape, you have great cheekbones to emphasize! Don’t miss the boat by getting a hair cut which is too top-heavy.

Celebrities with heart faces: Michelle Pfeiffer | Ashley Judd | Jennifer Love Hewitt | Claudia Schiffer | Emmanuaell Beart | Juliette Binoche | Lisa Kudrow | Lucy Lawless | Naomi Campbell

The triangular face shape is the reverse of the heart-shape . . . a dominant jaw line with narrowing at the cheek bone and temples.

If you have a triangular face shape you’ll want to try shorter hair that balances your prominent jaw line. Hair styles that are full at the temples and taper at the jaw are perfect for triangular shapes. Off center parts, wedges and shags look great on you, too. You need lots of layers to achieve fullness through the upper part of your face. By wearing hair styles which are full at the temples and taper at the jaw line, you achieve a balance that can be striking in accenting features otherwise understated. Try tucking your hair behind your ears, as this will draw attention to your eyes and add the illusion of width in this area.

Triangular face shapes should avoid long, full hair styles that draw attention to jaw line. Center parts—off-center is more flattering to triangular shaped faces. Stay away from hair styles with too much height at the crown. You also want to avoid putting most of the weight of a hair cut at the jaw line and below. This will give the appearance of added weight to the face. If you’re going with long hair, it should be kept tight at the nape.

A celebrity with triangular shaped face: Kathy Ireland

The Diamond Face Shape

The diamond face shape is a cross between heart face shape and a dramatic oval face shape. A diamond face shape is widest at the cheekbones, and narrow equally at the forehead and jaw line. A diamond face shape is balanced and dramatic.

If you have a diamond face shape you’ll want to experiment with a variety of hair styles. Almost everything works with your face (as long as you are a true diamond face shape . . . the most misread face shape). You can wear shorter hair styles. However, if you are a dramatic diamond face shape, you need to leave weight in the back nape area like someone with a heart face shape. This will achieve more balance between your dramatic cheekbones and more delicate chin line.

Diamond face shapes should try not to wear too much hair on your face, thereby hiding your great features.

Celebrities with diamond shaped faces: Katherine Hepburn | Linda Evangelista | Sophia Loren

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• Face Shapes
• Hair Styles for a Square Face
• Face Shape and Hairstyles
• Hairstyles for Oval Faces
• Bangs or No Bangs
• Haircuts for Heart Shaped Faces
• Hair for Your Face Shape