Hairstyles for Different Face Shapes: Find out which ones suit you best

“A woman who cuts her hair is about to change her life.” – Coco Chanel

Preach.

A hairstyle that never truly runs out of style is one that suits your face the best. 10 bucks says you’ve never read this piece of advice in a fashion magazine before. While trends may come and go, it is unlikely that you will get to fix a hair blunder (once made) and have a chance to grow out those impulsively-got-done fluffy bangs before it runs out of style from this year’s cosmopolitan and before you know it, you sit here looking like Helena Bonham Carter from the 2006 Oscars for months! *Sigh*

Your hair is your best accessory. I’ve seen women make plans to go partying with the sole excuse that they’re having a “good hair day”. It’s true.

Your haircut basically frames your entire face. It makes a world of difference to how you look and feel. Did you know that your hair can actually take off a few years from your age if you styled it right? Fascinating isn’t it? Of all your features, your hair is the only one you get to switch up every now and then, style it in accordance with your personality but more importantly -  in accordance with the shape of your face. 

Identifying your face

Before we get into different hairstyles that might work well with your face, it's important that you do a little test to identify your face shape. First, take a clear selfie of your face with your hair tied back in a ponytail. Trace around its outline to see what shape it most likely resembles: 

Another way to do this would be to measure your entire face. Pay attention to the widths of your brow, jawline and cheekbones and the overall length of your face from your forehead all the way to your chin and find it’s proportions. Too much of an effort? Simply download an app like hiface or pinkmirror that will do all the work for you.

Once you’ve got the identification process out of the way, here’s step 2: Sit back and read this blog on Hairstyles for Different Face Shapes - and those are all the steps. 

Haircuts for Face Shapes

Best Hairstyles for a Heart Face: 

If your conclusion notes a wider forehead and a tapered-down pointy chin - you officially belong to “team-I-got-lucky” AKA the heart-shaped face crew. Not everyone is blessed with well-defined cheekbones that accommodate almost every hairstyle. A narrow jawline must aim to balance itself with a cut that reduces your brow width while increasing the width of the lower part of your face. Say hello to side-parted pixie cuts with textured ends. If you’re not a fan of long hair, you can just as well pick a bob or a lob-cut - this will ensure that you have fullness around your jaw. 

To summarise, the best haircuts for heart shapes would be: 

1. Long Side Swept Bangs 
2. Long Hair with bangs
3. Short or Long Choppy Bob
4. A bouncy Pixie cut
5. A Straight Lob
6. A Long and Wavy Cut

Best Hairstyles for an Oval Face: 

An oval face is usually categorised by a well-balanced appearance - again, something you ought to take pride in. The fact that your face is equally wide as it is long leaves you with a sea of options to compliment those oh-so-symmetrical features. But if you’re trying to explore styles with impact, don’t ignore the power of long locks or short crops. Oval shaped faces tend to look the best with blunt bobs or lobs with subtle layers - if you’re someone who prefers to keep it short. Long hair will do you good too if you opt for minimal layers or waves. 

Essentially, here’s a list of best haircuts for you: 

1. Shoulder length waves
2. Full fringe
3. Polished Curls
4. Layered bob
5. Long waves
6. Sleek Lob

Best Hairstyles for a Square Face

Characterised by strong angular jawlines, some of our most beloved celebrities including Megan Fox, Mandy Moore and Priyanka Chopra are square-faced. When you’re deciding on what haircut to get, your goal must be to remove attention from the jawline and put it on the length of your hair. You’re really trying to soften some of those blade-sharp features that somehow also complement your bone structure. That’s why soft and layered hairstyles work the best for women under this category. 

Hairstyles most suitable for Square faces include: 

1. Wavy/Mid-length with bangs
2. Short, layered bob
3. Long soft bob
4. Tousled bob
5. Dramatic side part

Best Hairstyles for a Triangle Face 

If you’re one of the few people who belong to the triangle face category, it is likely that you have a long face, a narrow forehead and a squarish chin with chubby cheeks. Since this figure is sort of bottom-heavy, you need to find a style that a) doesn’t overwhelm your delicate forehead or b) add too much chunk at the sides of your face. For this reason, you might want to stay away from any hairstyle that will draw attention to your jaw. Bangs are your best friend. Avoid straight bob cuts.

Some hairstyles that would suit your face best:

1. Choppy Pixie Cut
2. Heavy/Rounded Fringe
3. Long Choppy Layers
4. Deep side part
5. Bangs!

Best Hairstyles for a Round Face 

Featuring an almost similar length and width, circular faces are attributed by rounded cheeks. Hence, many great hairstyles for this face type tend to be those that add more definition to one’s face. Long layered cuts and choppy pixie cuts tend to suit you best. Avoid bobs, full curls or single length haircuts that tend to balloon around your face and magnify the appearance of roundness. 

Chic hairstyles that stand out: 

1. Flowing Layers
2. Medium Wavy haircut
3. Extra Long Hair
4. Dramatic waves
5. Side-parted medium hair
6. Straight style with long angled bangs
7. Side bun with bangs 

Best Hairstyles for an Oblong Face 

The most flattering hairstyles for a face so sharp would ideally be one that works towards making your face appear shorter while also softening the appearance of your sharp jaw and forehead. How do you achieve this? Enter: Bangs, layers and lots of volume! Textured hair was made for your face type, so don't even think about using a straightener - unless it is to create texture, of course. Avoid long length - this will only make your face look even more elongated, and you don’t want that. 

Hairstyles that are sure to compliment your face: 

1. Sleek low pony
2. Long loose waves
3. Textured bob
4. Shoulder length with bangs
5. Long layers with short angles
6. Tousled With Bangs
7. Close-Cropped Pixie

Best Hairstyles for a Diamond Face 

Diamond faces are quite similar to oval and round face shapes but with the added twist of sharp cheekbones. Strong tell-tales of a diamond-shaped face (besides wide cheekbones) are a small, pointed chin and a hairline that peaks at the top centre of a narrow forehead. Think Halle Berry. Or Pixie cut with soft side-swept bangs

Popular Questions on Hairstyles: Answered

1. What hairstyle can make me look slimmer?

It’s winter, the holiday season has put you off with some excess weight that does little to keep your spirits high. We get it. But while you’re trying to get those last pounds off, you can simultaneously aim to get a hairstyle that does this for you (as a temporary fixture to feel good, of course). Asymmetrical bobs, wispy bangs, a side partition and up-dos with flyaways are some styles that could help you achieve this. 

2. I’m balding. I have always had scanty hair. What hairstyle should I get? 

First off, you are not alone. A lot of women are victims of thinning hair. That being said, your primary goal in such a scenario would be to boost volume with your hairstyle. A layered bob/lob, textured ends, long layers, natural waves and tousled curls are your best bets! 

3. Can a hairstyle make me look younger? 

While ageing is a natural process of life, you shouldn’t have to be restricted to look a certain age. People shell out large bills on skincare products but are oblivious to the magic of a good hairstylist. Some hairstyles that will do you good if you’re trying to de-age yourself include: 

i) Long Layers with Highlights

ii) Bob 

iii) Pixie cut with bangs

iv) Bangs done right

v) A shoulder-length cut (add random wispy layers for a playful touch) 

I hope you were successful in determining what hairstyle is right for you. Share the love and if you have any questions, you know the drill. 

Life is short -- You might as well live it with really great hair.