This is the best haircut for your face shape, says stylist
It’s a classic story: you’re in the hairdresser’s chair, the stylist reveals your new look, and your stomach drops. Instantly, you wish you could go back in time and tell yourself that this style just isn’t for you, no matter how great it looked on that celebrity.
Experiencing a bad haircut is almost a rite of passage – whether it’s the well-known “break up” haircut, or the impulsive fringe that you end up clipping out of the way until it grows out, we’ve all been there. But with hair only growing roughly half an inch in a month, it can take months, if not years, to get your old hairstyle back.
Finding the perfect haircut for you can be the ultimate confidence boost. Hair has the ability to balance and frame facial features, while also allowing you to show off your style.
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As Andy Heasman, Creative Director at RUSH HAIR, says: “Your hair is one of the first things that someone notices about you, so having the correct haircut for your face shape can make a big difference. It’s a part of our identity, playing a massive role in our self-expression”.
According to the “hair theory” trend, which has been circulating on social media for several years now, your hair may even affect how people view you. For example, wearing your hair down might make others see you as a relaxed person who favours a natural look.
One study even revealed that hairstyle influenced how old people thought others were, with straight hair being viewed as the most youthful.
So, if you want to feel your best and avoid any disastrous hair faux pas that will have you wearing a hat for weeks, read on – we reveal the best haircuts for every face shape.
Identifying your face shape
Although every face is unique, there are seven general face shapes: oval, rectangle, square, round, heart, diamond, and triangle.
To find your ideal haircut, the first step is to learn your face shape. If you don’t know which one you have, move your hair away from your face and identify the widest part. If you’re still unsure, use a measuring tape to determine the exact measurement.
If your face is slightly longer than it is wide, you have a soft, rounded jaw, and your cheekbones are the widest part of your face, you have an oval face shape.
If your face is visibly longer than it is wide, you have a squarer jaw, which is approximately the same width as your cheekbones and forehead, you have a rectangular face.
If you have an angular, square jaw, broad forehead and cheekbones, and the width and length of your face are the same, you have a square face.
However, if the length and width of your face are the same but you have softer features, including a rounded jaw and plump cheeks, you have a round face.
A face where the forehead is the widest part of the face, with high cheekbones and a narrow chin, is a heart face shape – some people also have a widow’s peak, which accentuates the shape.
If you have high, defined cheekbones which are broader than your forehead and chin, you have a diamond face shape.
Finally, if you have a narrow forehead and a broader jaw, you have a triangle face shape, also called a pear-shaped face.
The inverse of this – a broader forehead and narrow jaw – is sometimes referred to as an inverted triangle, with some people distinguishing it from the similar heart shape by its straight hairline, as opposed to the curved heart-shaped hairline.
Discover your perfect haircut
Oval
With balanced features and proportions, the oval face shape is generally considered the “ideal” shape, as it suits nearly every haircut and style. Celebrities with this face shape include Kim Kardashian, Bella Hadid, Rihanna and Beyonce, to name a few.
So if you have this face shape, the world is really your oyster when it comes to finding your dream cut.
You have the luxury of choosing a haircut that reflects your personality and style, rather than what will flatter your features, so as Fudge Professional Global Ambassador Jonathan Andrew encourages, seize the opportunity to play around with your look and get creative.
“From blunt bobs and sleek glass hair to long beachy waves or a soft shag, you can really experiment,” Jonathan says.
Rectangle
Two prime examples of celebrities with the rectangle face shape are Sarah Jessica Parker and Liv Tyler. With a square jaw and forehead, the best haircuts will soften these features and add definition to the cheekbones. They will also make the face look shorter.
“Avoid too much height and volume on top, to shorten your face shape,” advises Charlie Illi, Top Stylist and Advanced Technician at Brooks & Brooks.
Long, straight hair also draws attention to the length of the face and can create the illusion of it being dragged down, so steer clear of this style too.
Instead, opt for curtain bangs or a sweeping side fringe that will break up the square shape of the forehead. Wispy and sweeping bangs not only create the illusion of a softer forehead, and a more oval-shaped face, but they can also make the face look shorter and bring attention to the cheekbones.
Layered bobs are particularly flattering, as the layers will soften the angular jaw and add more volume, rather than emphasising the lines of the rectangle face shape. Shoulder-length hair with waves is another great option, also breaking up the angles of the face and creating texture.
Square
Like the rectangle face shape, the square face shape has a strong jawline and broad forehead. However, it differs in that the width and length are roughly the same, giving it a balanced, structured look – with Keira Knightley, Angelia Jolie and Sandra Bullock all exhibiting this shape.
As this is an angular face shape, the main goal is to soften the jaw and add more curve to the face: “Think collarbone-length cuts with soft layers, curtain fringes, or loose waves that break up the angles,” says Charlie. She also recommends a middle parting, as this emphasizes the symmetrical look of the square shape.
While curtain fringes and side fringes break up a broad forehead, full fringes should generally be avoided as they add a harsh line across the forehead, potentially making the face shape look even more boxy. Plus, as a full fringe covers the forehead, it can also make the face look shorter.
Other styles that work well for square faces include wavy or curly long hair, or long cuts with long layers. Both of these styles add length to the face, soften the straight lines, and add more texture.
A wavy bob also works beautifully – creating movement around the face – but a blunt bob can draw attention the jaw, and so is less flattering.
Round
Famous faces with the classic round shape include Selena Gomez, Chrissy Teigen and Mila Kunis.
To elongate the face and make the shape appear less rounded, Charlie says it’s “always a good idea to keep some length and layers”. Both wavy and straight hair is flattering, just ensure your hair is falls past the chin, as this can frame the rounded shape.
Though a short bob with a blunt edge can exagerate the round face shape, that doesn’t mean you have to totally write off bobs. Long bobs with waves can add more dimension and counteract the round shape.
Jess Elbaum is a celebrity stylist who works in partnership with HASK and she recommends a low-maintenance bob for all face shapes, including round: “I feel that the low-maintenance bob is great for someone with a round or square face shape as it can accentuate the jawlines of those with these face shapes, but I think that anyone with any face shape can rock this style.”
So, with bobs being all over social media at the moment – and it looking like they’re here to stay – don’t be afraid to give this seriously in style cut a go.
Proving to be an extremely versatile haircut, curtain bangs are again a great choice for round faces because they break up the round shape and bring in some lines across the forehead and cheekbones. Pick this style over a full fringe, which can make round faces look wider and shorter.
Finally, for a stylish, modern look, a shag haircut or wolf cut with plenty of choppy layers will add dimension and can slim down round faces.
Heart
Naomi Campbell and Kourtney Kardashian demonstrate the heart face – with Kourtney’s widow’s peak accentuating the shape.
“Styles like a textured pixie, a soft jaw-length bob, or long layers with a side fringe work beautifully,” says Jonathan Andrew.
Pixie cuts can balance out a heart shaped face, because they typically feature a fringe, which will soften the wide forehead. Pixies also add more volume to the top of the head, making the tapered chin look in proportion, and the short sides make the cheekbones especially prominent. A side fringe similarly softens the broad forehead and accentuates the cheekbones.
Bobs of various lengths are perfect for people with heart-shaped faces, as a soft bob that grazes the jaw helps to balance out this feature. A long bob, especially one with loose waves, can also bring volume to the chin area and even out a heart-shaped face.
Long layers are another fantastic way to reduce the appearance of a wider forehead, framing the cheekbones and emphasising the narrower jaw and chin.
Diamond
The diamond face shape – seen on Jennifer Lopez, Vanessa Hudgens, and Ashley Greene – has a narrow forehead and chin. The cheekbones are the widest part of the face. Haircuts for this shape aim to balance the face by accentuating the forehead and jaw and softening the cheekbones.
Face-framing layers are great for softening the face and adding more movement around the cheekbones, helping it to look less angular. Long layers also bring fullness downwards and away from the cheekbones.
Bobs also complement this face shape, as chin-length bobs highlight the narrow chin, making it appear wider, and longer bobs add more body to the area. Curtain bangs and sweeping fringes can also help achieve balance by making the forehead look broader.
If you prefer shorter cuts, a soft pixie cut with a fringe will help define the forehead and add more fullness to the top of the head. However, super short pixie cuts, especially those with very short sides, can make the face look extra angular and draw attention to the strong cheekbones.
Triangle
And last but not least is triangle – Kate Moss and Kelly Osbourne both have this face shape. As the jaw is the widest part of the face, the most flattering haircuts will add volume at the temples and balance out the forehead.
To draw the eye upwards, pixie cuts with plenty of texture will add volume to the top of the head and work well for people with triangle face shapes.
Choppy and textured cuts such as shags and mullets with short layers are also perfect for adding more body around the temples. Plus, the textured ends will break up the strong jaw.
If you prefer a longer haircut, avoid a middle parting, as this can close up the forehead, or long, straight hair, which can draw the eye down and make the jawline appear even harsher. Instead, go for soft waves or curls, which also add fullness around the temples.
Side fringes are another good option for triangle faces, as they make the forehead appear wider, draw attention up to the eyes, and add an element of asymmetry to the face. Symmetrical styles – such as a middle parting – can emphasise the jaw, whereas a sweeping or wispy side fringe will soften the jaw.
Steer away from blunt chin-length bobs, which will also emphasise the jaw, and go for shoulder-length bobs with soft layers to accentuate the cheekbones and, again, create more volume around the temples.
The best style is the one that gives you confidence
Though certain styles are considered to be generally more flattering for each face shape, as Andy Heasman says, the most important thing is that it makes you feel good.
“The key to finding the ‘correct’ haircut is down to confidence and how you wear the style – if you find a haircut that makes you happy, then rock it no matter your face shape,” he says. We couldn’t agree more!
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