The Shape of Your Face Shapes Your Hair

The shape of your face shapes your hair/InStyle.com

The same hairstyle – whether it’s a bob, a long bob (the “Lob”), a shag, layers, short hair, or bangs – is going to be differently shaped and cut depending on the shape of the face under that hair. 

Being an expert on recognizing your face shape, a good stylist can  tailor the perfect haircut or color for you that makes a whole world of difference. They can accentuate and bring out your best features with the right cut and color for your face; if a stylist does not to this, they can actually distort and make you look awkward by exaggerating rather than camouflaging. You can get the best cut ever, but on the wrong face shape, or the best cut ever that is perfectly right for your face shape.  

Kate Beckinsale, oval shape/InStyle.com

Please know that there is no “right” or “wrong” facial shape; the knowledge of facial shapes gives savvy stylists the ability to select better cuts and colors that will make the most of your natural contours. You can’t fight what you were born with – but we can create a look that brings out the best and minimizes areas that need softening, contouring, or re-shaping.

Zoe Saldana, oval shape/InStyle.com

There are four basic facial shapes, with some overlap:

1. Round/Oval
2. Rectangular/Long
3. Square
4. Triangular/Heart-Shaped

Christina Ricci, round shape/InStyle.com

The classic oval face shape (Kate Beckinsale and Zoe Saldana, for example)  offers the widest array of opportunities because it has equal dimensions (the brow, cheekbones and jaw are the same width) and therefore the hair can be worn in almost any variation on or off the face. To best enhance an oval-to-round face is to add volume on top, and if you like fringes, comb them to one side or the other. 

Ginnifer Goodwin, round shape/InStyle.com

The rounder face (like Christina Ricci and Ginnifer Goodwin) has nearly the same proportions, but is as wide as it is long, and the forehead and jaw curve at the corners. 

Claudia Schiffer, rectangular shape/InStyle.com

The rectangular/long face is the rarest facial shape (like Claudia Schiffer or Selma Blair), and it is best accented by long hair with layers, and a fringe or bang to help break the length and frame the face. 

Selma Blair, rectangular shape/InStyle.com

If you want shorter hair, the pixie bob is the perfect shape, making the face appear rounder and softer. Your stylist can also achieve the same effect with haircolor by creating darker shadows at the four “corners” of the face with a deeper haircolor.  

Salma Hayek, square shape/InStyle.com

A woman with a square face (like Salma Hayek-Pinault and Cameron Diaz) has some of the same issues as those with a rectangular face. 

Cameron Diaz, square shape/InStyle.com

The best options with a square face are hair with a lot of movement, soft waves, softened angles, soft curls, and the hair should move to cover the sides of the face, again minimizing the “corners.” The goal is adding softness around the fringe and along the jawline. 

Reese Witherspoon,heart-shaped/InStyle.com

The triangular or heart-shaped face has a wide brow and a narrow chin (think Reese Witherspoon and Victoria Beckham). The best styles for this face shape include a fringe on the forehead to even up the proportions, with either a full bang or a fringe combed to the side. 

Victoria Beckham, heart-shaped/InStyle.com

We want to emphasize a heavier bang on this face and then add volume at the jaw to create more even proportions. Again, a good stylist can achieve this effect using haircolor, this time adding light at the four “corners” of the face and in the fringe. This face shape also looks wonderful with a thick headband above the fringe; the proportions are perfect!

Ciao until next week!