Have you ever gone into a hair salon with a photo of your favorite celebrity and asked for their exact haircut, only to leave the salon wondering why those bangs that looked so beautiful on Gigi Hadid or that long bob Kendall rocks don't give your own face that supermodel vibe?
It's not just because Gigi and Kendall have the world's best glam squads available at their beck and call, it's likely also because the hairstyle you chose just don't suit your face shape. Although confidence is all you need to wear a new cut proudly, there's nothing wrong with consulting your face shape and angles to ensure that you choose the best hairstyle suited for your unique facial features. We're here to help you figure out the best hairstyles for your face shape, so you can rock runway-worthy 'dos every day even without your own personal glam squad.
At this point, you may be asking, 'what is my face shape?' The most common mistake most people make when trying to determine their face shape is thinking that their faces are simply round. If we asked you to draw a picture of your face, the head shape will likely be either round or oval, but there's so much more to it than that. When determining your face shape, you should be looking at your hairline, width and length of your face, and jawline.
The easiest way to know what face shape you have is to pull your hair back, take an eyeliner or lip pencil, look in the mirror, and trace the outline of your face. Your face shape should fall within one of the following categories: long face, oval face, square face, round face, heart-shaped face, and diamond-shaped face,
A face shape is considered oval if the length is longer than the width, and the jawline is only slightly narrower than the hairline, which is gently rounded. An oval face shape has no prominent points or angles. Some celebrities you may recognize with an oval face include Kim Kardashian, Rihanna, and Bella Hadid. If you have an oval face shape, you're in luck! This face shape is considered to be the most versatile for hairstyles, as it is well-balanced and evenly proportioned, so feel free to experiment.
When choosing the right hairstyle for your oval face, the main goal is to avoid elongating your face. If you're looking to go shorter, try a blunt bob with face-framing pieces that clears the shoulder. Otherwise, choose a shoulder-length cut with subtle layers to add volume and keep your hair from falling flat. If you're looking to keep your hair long, a simple part change can make all the difference. Try side-swept bangs, which look great on oval faces to frame your face and achieve a balancing effect without having to cut your hair.
@kimkardashian's slicked back half-up hairstyle goes perfectly with her oval face shape, achieved with 220g Mocha Brown Luxy Hair extensions.
High-fashion, slicked-back looks and updos are also ideal to create on oval shaped faces, as you do not need to overcompensate a certain side or think too hard about softening certain features. Have short hair but want to try out a sleek high ponytail? Clipping in a few wefts of hair extensions will make all the difference. Remember, the best hairstyles for oval faces are styles that keep your hair away from your face, exposing your balanced features. If you're wearing your hair down, be sure to have either one or both sides of your hair tucked behind your ear showing off your cheekbones.
When styling an oval face shape, try to keep the face as clear as possible. Steer away from heavy bangs, as this could make your face appear shorter, and avoid hairstyles that are one length, as this could make your face appear longer.
Just like a heart that you would draw out, a heart-shaped face is wider at the hairline and temples and tapers to a small, narrow chin, that is slightly pointed. Your forehead may be a prominent feature, and if you have a heart-shaped face, you likely also have killer cheekbones. Think Tyra Banks, Kourtney Kardashian and Reese Witherspoon, who all have typical heart-shaped faces.
When choosing a hairstyle for your heart-shaped face, you can either choose to accentuate your tapered face shape, or to balance it out by making the bottom half of your face appear wider. If you choose to accentuate your face's heart shape, pull your hair up into a high top knot, or slicked-back high ponytail. Otherwise, opt for a lob that just clears the shoulder to add wideness around your jawline. If you would like to keep your hair longer, try a deep side part with loose waves that break at the collarbone to draw attention away from the forehead.
@daniellellombard's layers break at the collarbone, giving her heart-shaped face more width at the jawline. Create a similar look with our Dark Brown Balayage hair extensions.
With heart-shaped face shapes, shoulder length hair tends to look best, as this adds volume around the bottom of your face, creating the illusion of a wider jawline.
A "true" heart-shaped face has a widow's peak hairline. If you have one, try and avoid forcing a middle part. Chances are, one side of your hair will part as you would like it to and one side will have a mind of its own. Instead, part your hair slightly off center to whichever side your hair naturally falls over the widow's peak. Also, skip out on short bangs as these could make your chin look even narrower.
Square-shaped faces are wide, and the forehead, cheekbones, and jawline are almost the same width. The strong jawline is a prominent feature of square-shaped faces, like on Hailey Baldwin, Gwyneth Paltrow, Olivia Wilde.
When choosing a hairstyle for a square-shaped face, you can either choose to accentuate the squareness of your face or soften your strong jawline. If you'd like to enhance your face shape, go for some blunt bangs or a short bob to really show off that strong jawline. If you'd like to de-enhance the squareness, try some soft, wispy bangs falling to the side to create diagonal lines and soften the lines on your face, or wear your hair straight and long with layers that start a few inches from the end to draw the eyes down and add length to your face. If you're brave enough to try bangs, go for shorter, subtler bangs that hit the cheekbone to highlight them.
@sofiajamora's square face is softened with loose waves and long layers, achieved with 220g Ombre Blonde Luxy Hair extensions
Avoid overly thick bangs or blunt hairstyles, as this could accentuate the angles on your face even more. Also, any severe, slicked back looks should also be avoided, if you are trying to soften your face shape. Curls could also widen your face, so opt to wear your hair in either loose waves or straight.
Round shaped faces are the same in width and length, with no prominent angles or corners. Round faces are usually "baby-faces," which means you look younger and can opt for more youthful hairstyles. Celebrities like Selena Gomez, Kirsten Dunst, and Ginnifer Goodwin, will be your hair-spiration here.
When styling a round face, your main goal is to elongate the face and make it appear more oval. A quick trick to doing this is to always leave a little piece of hair untucked on one side of your face. This will visually shorten the width of your face and tricks the eye into thinking your face is narrower.
Short hair is particularly flattering on round faces, if parted and styled the right way, so go ahead and make the chop to that trendy lob. Try a deep side part to also create more angles to a round face, or pull your hair up into a high ponytail to elongate the face. If you're feeling especially daring, a short pixie cut with volume at the top looks fabulous on round face shapes, as it adds texture and angles, without looking harsh.
@thejuliaoh_ wears her 220g Jet Black Luxy Hair extensions long and straight to balance out her round face shape
A common mistake for round-faced women is to hide their face behind lots of hair, which actually ends up accentuating the wide face. Instead, go for medium length hair with long, face-framing bangs, and keep the texture smooth and sleek. Avoid soft, wispy bangs, as this can further accentuate the softness of your features. Instead, opt for side swept bangs or bold bangs.
The easiest way to describe a long face shape is that it's an oval face shape...just longer—the length of the face noticeably longer than the width of the face. Think Sarah Jessica Parker, Liv Tyler, and Hilary Swank.
The main goal for long face shapes is to make your face appear wider than it is to balance out the longer length, so curls are an excellent option for you. Why do you think Carrie Bradshaw always looked so fabulous? In addition to her drool-worthy closet filled with clothes by couture designers, she let her natural curls run loose and wild, opening up her face shape.
Flat-iron waves are a great way to achieve loose curls and waves for a widening effect. You want the widest part of your waves to hit around the area of your cheekbone, to create the illusion of a wider face, so start curling the hair closer to the root to achieve this. A good salon-style blowout is also a quick, simple way to achieve more volume and width. Whatever hairstyle you go for, remember your looking for width rather than length.
Flat iron wave inspo by @lilliyakay, wearing Seamless Chocolate Brown Luxy Hair extensions
Keeping with the "wider not longer" rule, avoid hair that is too far past mid-length, as this lengthens the face. Also, avoid one-length hair or super sleek looks which can also make your face look longer.
You likely have a diamond face shape if your forehead and jawline are the same width and the widest part of your face is at your cheekbones with a narrow chin. Think of your face like the actual gem, narrowing at the top and bottom. Halle Berry, Vanessa Hudgens, and Ciara all have famously diamond face shapes.
Diamond face shapes are coveted because they are symmetrical and balanced, so your main objective is to accentuate your elegant face shape, rather than balance anything out. Opt for long, side-swept bangs to highlight your cheekbones with long layers, or go short with a textured lob. As well, try out a sleek middle part with your hair tucked behind your ears or a sleek high ponytail to show off your bone structure.
Side-swept bangs are a YES if you have a diamond-shaped face. @michaelainnis wears Seamless Blonde Balayage Luxy Hair extensions to achieve this look
With diamond faces, it's not so much what to do as what not to do. Diamond face shapes can pull off pretty much any hairstyle, however, there are a few styles to avoid. Because your face narrows at the chin, avoid heavy, rounded bangs, which shorten the face, making it look smaller than it is. On that note, try to avoid straight-across bangs as well, as these accentuate the widest part of your face, making your chin appear even narrower.
Your face shape is an important step when choosing the right hairstyle for you—one that many people skip. By determining your face shape and looking at celebrities with the same face for hair inspiration, you can be sure that your inspo photo will translate well onto you.
What face shape do you have? Do you have any go-to hairstyles or tricks? Comment below and let us know.
While it's definitely fun to change things up and go for the unexpected, there's something to be said for a classic, flattering cut. Think of it as your home base—the style you can return to time and time again.
But selecting a signature haircut out of a sea of curly pixies and long waves can feel daunting. To make the task easier to navigate, we tapped top hairstylists George Papanikolas and Lorna Pollack, asking them to address all the factors that come into play when selecting a haircut, from face shape to maintenance. Read on for what they told us.
Meet the Expert
The Six Main Face Shapes
Before diving into haircuts based on your face shape, you'll want to identify your face shape. The determining factors for this will be your forehead, cheekbones, and jaw.
Oval
Mason Poole/Parkwood Media / Contributor
If you have an oval-shaped face, the length of your face is usually a bit more than the width, with the forehead being your widest part.
Square
Joe Maher / Getty Images
In square faces, the length to width is nearly one to one, equal horizontally and vertically with a strong, angled jaw and minimal curve at the chin.
Round
Jon Kopaloff / Getty Images
In round faces, the length and width ratio is about equal. The features are soft and rounded, with flatter cheekbones that stand out as the widest part of the face. Think of it as similar to a square face shape but with softer angles.
Heart
Gregg DeGuire / Stringer
The heart-shaped face is characterized by a pointed, slim chin and wider forehead. It could also be considered an inverted triangle.
Oblong/Rectangle
Theo Wargo / Getty Images
When the width of the forehead, cheeks, and jawline are nearly the same—or the distance from forehead to chin is a bit longer than the distance ear to ear—you've got an oblong/rectangular-shaped face.
Diamond
Cindy Ord/MG23 / Getty Images
Diamond-shaped faces are usually defined by high cheekbones, a pointy chin, and a narrower forehead.
Your Best Cuts, According to Face Shape
When it comes to the actual cut, both experts agree there isn't one definitive way to go—rather, there are a few flattering and standard tips to accentuate some features and, as Pollack says, "move the eye away from other points of the face."
Remember: You're allowed to break the rules. You're not taking an oath here. It's all about finding your balance.
Oval
Monica Schipper / Getty Images
Oval face shapes can wear almost any style, but according to Papanikolas, the most flattering tend to be long layers, shoulder-length waves, full fringe, a layered bob, or a side-swept pixie. Pollack is partial to a strong, square bob, which brings focus to your balanced jawline.
Square
Daniele Venturelli / Contributor
Square face shapes may consider softening the edges around the forehead and strong jawlines; if that's what you're after, wavy shags with wispy fringe, soft side-swept bangs, or long layers with fringe work best. If you want to go short, Papanikolas recommends creating softer angles.
Round
Karwai Tang / Getty Images
Pollack says round face shapes work well with a long bob, which draws the eyes down to visually lengthen the face. Papanikolas echos this, saying round faces do well with cuts that elongate, like long straight hair, long voluminous waves, shaggy bobs, and swoopy bangs with cropped sides.
Heart
Samir Hussein / Getty Images
Heart-shaped faces look best with blunt bangs and wavy layers or a chin-length bob with bangs. Soft angles in the front that start below the face help balance out the forehead, Pollack says. The key, according to Papanikolas, is to keep bangs narrow so that you can create the illusion of less width at the top.
Oblong/Rectangle
Stephane Cardinale - Corbis / Getty Images
Oblong/rectangular face shapes can take a similar approach to square faces: Soften the edges and strong jawlines with layers, volume, and side-swept or feathered fringe. Long layers and angles add movement and texture to the hair.
Diamond
Steve Granitz / Getty Images
Diamond shapes can show off their high cheekbones with short-cropped hair or keep it long with face-framing layers. Bangs that hit around the cheekbone also accentuate this shape.
Byrdie Tip
Bring in images of what you want your hair to look like. This gives the stylist a clear picture (pun intended) of what you're looking for, and together you can customize the look to a style that works with your features.
All About Bangs: Cut, Texture, and Your Forehead
The debate is eternal: Supporters champion how fringe can transform your look, while naysayers harken back to childhood photos and ill-advised at-home chops. While we don't recommend impulse bangs (yes, the fleeting urge does overtake us every once in a while), if you are considering adding them to your look, there are some things to consider:
Face Shape
Again: These aren't hard-and-fast rules. But in general, these are the bang styles the pros would recommend based on face shape:
Forehead Size
Byrdie Tip
Growing out bangs can be a long process, depending on how fast your hair grows. If you've gone for a fringe and regret it, try to be patient. Try cute hair accessories to distract during the in-between stage.
What Else Should I Keep in Mind?
Hair Texture
Hair texture and type play a big role in finding your ideal style, Pollack says. Understanding what your hair does naturally—and what you're willing to do to maintain a desired look—is of the utmost importance.
Lifestyle
Styling and maintenance should be top of mind, especially if you are doing something against your natural texture, Papanikolas says.
Is There a Universally Flattering Style?
If you're a little overwhelmed by everything we've outlined above, a) remember, there are no rules, and b) there are a few haircuts that come as close to universally flattering as possible.