How to choose the best hairstyle for your face shape

Coco Chanel once said, “A woman who cuts her hair is about to change her life.” A haircut can make or break your look. It is the most obvious aspect of a person, and a bad hair job can be completely off-putting to others. So choose the best hairstyle for your face shape and hairstyle adds to your beauty, complements your best features, and gives you confidence.

Choosing a haircut or a hairstyle is not easy as ABC. Having said that, it isn’t rocket science either. You need to keep certain pointers in mind when deciding the haircut or style to opt for. These pointers include natural hair texture, hair length, and your face shape. Different celebrities sport different hairstyles and cuts but while a particular style or cut may suit them, you need to figure out if those styles suit you. Do you like Deepika Padukone’s long waves or Kareena Kapoor Khan’s super sleek subtle waves? Or Taapsee Pannu’s shoulder-length bob? Or do you want Mandira Bedi’s short-crop?

You can take style inspo from these B’town divas for your hairstyle or haircut, but you need to get the style that suits you best. How? By finding out which hairstyle matches with your face shape. You’ll find that there are different hairstyles for different face shapes, and you need to know which suits you best. First, you need to determine your face shape. Every person has a certain face shape type depending on your face structure. You need to analyse and find your face shape to know which hairstyle matches that face shape, or which haircut suits your face shape.

Round face shape
Oval face shape
Oblong/Elongated face shape
Square face shape
Rectangle face shape
Diamond face shape
Heart face shape
A-Triangle face shape
V-Triangle face shape

Round face shape

Your face is fuller, and you need to reduce the roundness with your haircut. If you have curly hair, avoid short haircut for this face shape. Long straight hair looks good on this type of face shape. If you have sleek, straight hair and want to experiment with a short haircut, then a defined pixie cut with long, side-swept bangs that fall on your cheekbones is the one you should opt for. Aishwarya Rai, and Alia Bhatt have a round face, and they have their hair game on point, so check the haircuts they sport! The international celebs with this face shape are Kelly Clarkson and Emma Stone.

Problem area to take attention away from: Roundness in the cheek area

Hairstyles for round face shape ideas:

Short: Defined pixie cut or gamine with spiky layers sliced all around the crown
Medium: Choppy, layered bob
Long: Mid-back length hair with barely-there layers

Avoid: Hairstyles and cuts that end right at or above the chin line

Oval face shape

The women with this face shape are lucky as almost any hairstyle or haircut suits it. The only thing you need to ensure is to not add height to the hair as the face is already long. Try long wavy hair with a sweeping fringe that adds volume width-wise and frames the face well. A blunt cut is not suggested for this face shape. Sonam Kapoor and Kangana Ranaut have an oval face shape, and they are able to sport many different hairstyles and haircuts thanks to it. Both have sported either straight or wavy hair, at one point or the other, and each style suits them well. The international celebs with this face shape are Beyonce and Kate Middleton.

Oblong/Elongated face shape

This one is like an oval face shape but is longer. Any haircut or style that gives volume to the crown area is an absolute no-no as it adds height to the face and makes it look longer. Go for mega voluminous hairstyles that add roundness to the face. Beachy waves work best for this look. The B’town divas who have an oblong or elongated face shape are Katrina Kaif and Karisma Kapoor, and both look great with luscious wavy hair. The international celebs with this face shape are Sarah Jessica Parker and Liv Tyler.

Problem area to take attention away from: Face length

Hairstyles for oblong / elongated face shape ideas:

Short: Side-parted bob ending just below chin
Medium: Super-voluminous, bushy curls in shoulder-length
Long: Beachy waves

Avoid: Pixie cut, high updos, and heavy blunt bangs

Square face shape

In this face shape style, the face is very angular with the length and the width being almost equidistant. You need to take attention away from your strong jawline. To do so, opt for textured hair, either choppy or curly. Brush your hair inwards as the reach the jawline and beyond, to break the strong angular shape. A long layered hairstyle with a middle parting and the ends brushed inwards looks great for it. Kareena Kapoor Khan and Anushka Sharma have a square face shape, and you’ll find them sporting such hairstyles often. The international celebs with this face shape are Lily James and Rihanna.

Problem area to take attention away from: Sharp jawline

Hairstyles for square face shape ideas:

Short: Layered bob with subtle bangs
Medium: Shoulder-length feathery layered hair
Long: Layered hair with a middle parting and the ends brushed inwards

Avoid: Blunt, graphic, or rather a boxy haircut

Rectangle face shape

People with this face shape have a strong jawline, but the length of the face helps reduce how prominent the jawline is. Too long hair adds to the length of the face, so you need to avoid it. Give the illusion of width by having wavy hair till the shoulder. To add to the volume of the hair, blow-dry the curls in an outward motion i.e. blowout the curls. B’town divas Prachi Desai and Jacqueline Fernandez have a rectangle face shape. The international celebs with this face shape are Angelina Jolie and Meryl Streep.

Problem area to take attention away from: Length of face

Hairstyles for rectangle face shape ideas:

Short: Layered bob with side fringe
Medium: Shoulder length hair with blowout curls
Long: Bold wavy hair with lots of layers reaching the cheekbones and the chin

Diamond face shape

When you have this face shape, you’ll find that your cheekbones are the widest point in your face. The attention needs to be drawn away from the narrow hairline and the pointed chin. Curls are the best way to give the illusion of cutting down the width and balancing the sharp chin. Short to shoulder-length, curly or wavy hairstyles look good. Layered soft waves are the perfect haircut for this face shape. Malaika Arora and Shilpa Shetty are two Bollywood actors who have this face shape. While they sport long hair, the soft waves suit their face well. The international celebs with this face shape are Jennifer Lopez and Victoria Beckham.

Problem area to take attention away from: Cheekbones

Hairstyles for diamond face shape ideas:

Short: Curly hair not swept away from the face
Medium: Shoulder-sweeping wavy hair with straight bangs that give the illusion of a wider forehead
Long: Soft waves cascading down the back

Avoid: One length bob with blunt fringe

Heart face shape

If you have this face shape, your forehead is the focal point. You need to draw attention to your eyes and cheekbones instead. To do so, a fringe works best. A side-swept wispy fringe masks the wide forehead without completely hiding it. Flowy wavy hair reaching your chin frames your face well. Avoid crown-heavy hairstyles. Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra, both have a heart shape face. The international celebs with this face shape are Katy Perry and Blake Lively.

Problem area to take attention away from: Forehead

Hairstyles for heart face shape ideas:

Short: Evenly clipped pixie cut, chin-length wavy hair with side-swept wispy fringe
Medium: Collarbone-length crop hair with uniform layers and sweeping bangs
Long: Long layered hair with layers breaking at cheekbones and chin

Avoid: Heavy, short bangs and angular bobs

A-Triangle face shape

If you have an A-Triangle face, your jawline is wider than the forehead. You need to draw attention away from your jawline. You can do so by having fringes and bangs. Wavy hair that reaches the shoulders or is longer, with side-swept bangs looks good on this face shape. Dia Mirza and Konkana Sen Sharma are two of the gorgeous ladies who have this face shape. You will see them with wavy hair more often than not. The international celebs with this face shape are Jennifer Aniston and Kelly Osbourne.

Problem area to take attention away from: Wide jawline

Hairstyles for A-Triangle face shape ideas:

Short: Textured, short bob
Medium: Just-below-chin length curly hair with the crown area having heavy curls
Long: Wavy hair with side-swept bangs

Avoid:Chin-length bobs

V-Triangle face shape

If you have a V-Triangle face, the forehead is the focal point of the face. You need to take the attention away from there and give the illusion of wider cheekbones and jawline. Never opt for straight bangs with this face shape as that will draw more attention to the forehead. Side bangs help to narrow the forehead. A bob cut works well with this face shape, especially the long bob aka the lob. It has soft, flattering, and balancing cuts that frame the face well. Diana Penty and Nargis Fakhri have a V-Triangle face shape. The international celebs with this face shape are Scarlett Johansson and Reese Witherspoon.

Problem area to take attention away from: Big forehead and angular chin

Hairstyles for V-Triangle face shape ideas:

Short: Wavy Lob with side bangs
Medium: Minimal layered straight hair with center-parted bang
Long: Long wavy hair with fullness and texture below the cheekbones, and less volume at the crown

Avoid: Straight bangs

What type of face do bangs look best on?

Depending on your face shape, you can go for different types of bangs. If you have an oval shape, then you can go for any kind of bangs. Heavy or blunt bangs make the face look rounder, so they look good on the face like oblong or rectangle. Top heavy face shapes like the heart shape and the inverted triangle shape need side-swept bangs. Opt for asymmetric bangs if you have a small forehead like in a triangle shape.

Which haircut makes face look slimmer?

These hairstyles can make your face look slimmer: lob, long layers, and side bangs. A long bob aka lob ending just below the chin makes your face look thinner. Long layers help soften the face and give the illusion of a slim face. Remember though, to maintain volume in the lower part of your hair, and not on the sides, to balance your face. Side bangs that are not shorter than halfway down your nose make your face look slim as they draw the eyes vertically.

What haircut looks good on a round chubby face?

The haircuts and styles that look good on a round chubby face are sleek straight hair with a side parting, side fringes with feathered waves, and a bob cut with a side fringe. You need cuts and styles that help you give the illusion of cutting down the roundness and making your face look a little longer instead.

How to find face shape?

The first thing you need to do is stand in front of the mirror, tie back your hair in a ponytail. Wear a headband to make sure all the hair is away from your face. Ensure your hairline is clearly seen. Use our handy guide below to figure out your face shape, and then check out our list of ideal haircuts and choose the best hairstyle for your face shapes. It is imperative that a great haircut for your face shape never highlights your problem area.

Round face shape: If you have rounded prominent cheeks and the width and the length of the face are equal, then you have a round face shape.

Oval face shape: If your forehead is slightly wider than your chin, and your face length is one and a half times the face width, then you have an oval face shape.

Oblong / Elongated face shape: This is like an oval face shape, but the face width is lesser, and the chin is narrower.

Square face shape: If you have a square chin, a prominent jaw and your face length, forehead and the jawline are of the same width roughly, then you have a square face shape.

Rectangle face shape: Just like in a square face shape, your jawline is prominent and the forehead and the jawline are of the same width roughly in a rectangle face shape. But the length of the face is more than the width here.

Diamond face shape: If the cheekbones are wide, and the forehead and jawline are narrow, then you have a diamond face shape.

Heart face shape: If you have a wider forehead and narrow chin, and rounder cheeks, you have a heart face shape.

A-Triangle face shape: If your forehead is narrower than your jawline, then you have an A-Triangle face shape.

V-Triangle face shape: This is like a heart face shape, but the cheekbones are not rounded. So, it looks like a V or an inverted triangle.

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How to choose the best hairstyle for your face shape | Femina.in (2024)