How To Choose The Best Hairstyle For Your Face Shape

Should you get bangs? Can you rock a pixie cut or a short bob? Are you thinking of adding layers to your long hair? There are many things to factor in when making these hair-changing decisions, not the least of which is the shape of your face. Details matter when it comes to choosing the hairstyle that will make the most of your unique face shape. Here are insights into helping you make the very best hairstyle choices!

Round, Square, Oval, Heart—What Is Your Face Shape?

The first step is to determine the actual shape of your face. According to Matrix Artistic Director Michael Albor, many people actually don’t know. Here’s an easy way to determine the shape of your face. Stand in front of a mirror. Tie your hair back so there is nothing on your face. With a dry erase marker held at arm’s length, draw the outline of your shape on the mirror. Step back and voila! You will see your face shape.

Hairstyles and face shapes are all about balance, and because of that an oval face shape is considered the ideal. That’s because every part of an oval face shape is proportionate—the width of the brow, cheekbones and jaw are almost equal. As a result, if you have an oval face, you can wear just about any hairstyle. If your face is round, your face will probably be nearly as long as it is wide, so the goal with a hairstyle is to minimize that width. If your hair is heart-shaped, your brow is wide, and your jaw is narrow, so the aim is to adjust your hairstyle to minimize the width of your brow. And if you have a square face, the length and width of your face are equal, and you will want a hairstyle that downplays the width of your jaw.

Best Hairstyles For A Round Face

If you have a round face, layers are your friend. The choppiness of layers will add angles to your facial features. If you like short hair, you can rock a pixie cut with lots of spiky layers throughout the crown. Use a hair styling paste to separate the layers and create interesting texture.

If you like medium-length hair, keep the length just below your jawline, which will elongate the roundness, and ask your stylist to layer the mid-lengths and ends to keep the silhouette streamlined.

And if you wear long hair, layers that start at the jawline will make your hair look fuller and your face look slimmer. In general, people with round faces are flattered with side parts that add asymmetry to the face. If you like to wear bangs, the best bangs for you are wispy and choppy and should hit your brows. Soft, side-sweep bangs are also a “win” for round faces.

Best Hairstyles For A Square Face

The best strategy for a square face shape is to emphasize your cheekbones rather than your jawline. If you like medium-length hair, try a bob haircut that dips below your jawline, with a side-swept bang that grazes your cheekbones. If you wear your hair long, ask your stylist to cut layers into the ends for an airy effect that will provide a nice counterbalance to your strong jaw. As with round faces, a side part will soften your square face shape. If you wear bangs, avoid a solid, squared-off shape. Long, feathery, soft bangs are best for you!

Best Hairstyles For A Heart Shape Face

If you have a heart shape face, the narrowest point is at your chin and jaw. Since balance is always the goal, go with hairstyles that are fuller at the bottom. Lobs are a great style option, especially if you curl or wave the mid-lengths and ends to create volume. Use a sea salt hair spray to create natural-looking hair texture. Avoid heavy, blunt bangs—opt instead for soft, side-sweeping bangs that will help narrow a wider forehead. If you wear your hair long, cut layers that stop at the cheekbone and jawline to fill out the narrow lower half of your face.

Best Hairstyles For An Oval Face

Because just about any hairstyle will suit your oval face shape, it’s more about the best hairstyle for your hair texture, as well as the look that best expresses your personal style. For example, if you’re Bohemian at heart, you can wear your hair parted down the center, and smoothed to sleek, “Cher” perfection or styled into tousled beach waves or wild curls. Deep, shiny, glamorous waves and a low side part will set your features off beautifully.

If you love short hair, any kind of cropped pixie cut—from a neat little cap of hair to a tousled, punky style, will be adorable. If you’re the edgy type, you can pull off mid-forehead micro-bangs or dramatic, eye-shading curtain bangs. And when it comes to bobs—anything from a strong, graphic, ‘20s-inspired shape to a loose, lived-in lob will suit your oval face shape.