Determine Face Shape

      "How do I know if a hairstyle will look good on me?"

      Sounds like a straight-forward question, and it is. If you understand the rules behind
selecting a flattering hairstyle, then you can look at any style and know if it would suit
your features. These rules have a common goal: to give the appearance of an oval
shape and proportioned balance to the face.

      To start, have a seat in front of a mirror and pull your hair back from your face with
a headband or turban. Now, really look at your face as a whole. Ask yourself these
questions:

     - Following my hairline and jaw-line as the outer perimeter of my face, what is the
       overall shape?
     - How wide is my forehead when compared to my jaw-line?
     - Is my jaw-line wider than my forehead?
     - When looking at myself straight on do I appear to have more space between my
       eyes than between the outer corner of my eyes and my hairline at the temples?
     - How prominent and rounded are my cheekbones?

      By asking these questions, you can determine the shape of your face. The most
common facial shapes are as follows:

        Oval - Oval faces are characterized by being slightly wider at the
cheekbones than the forehead or jaw-line. The oval face appears slightly
wider at the cheek-line and tapers slightly to the chin. The oval face is
generally considered the ideal, and an oval face is flattered by virtually
every type of style.

        Square - The square face has a wide forehead and strong, wide
jaw-line. It can appear more rectangular if the face is narrow and more
traditionally square if the face is wide. When the square face is wide, a
style that adds height to the top and length with low volume on the sides
is more flattering, and tends to make the best impression. You also want
to consider adding bangs/fringe at the forehead and a gentle curl inward at the jaw to
soften the "corners" of the square. When the square face is narrow, consider adding curls
to the style on the side to "widen" the look.

        Triangle - The triangle shaped face has a narrower forehead and a prominent or
wide jaw-line. This face shape lends itself to shorter more voluminous hairstyles. Short,
layered cuts with lots of curl and lift on top will add the needed balance to this shape.

        Inverted Triangle - This shape is characterized by a wide forehead and narrow jaw-
line and chin. Generally, a style with fringe/bangs on the forehead and blunt cut at or
just below chin length (as well as some wave to widen the style) will bring balance to
the face.

        Round - This shape is what it says, a face without sharp angles and tending to be
wider at the cheeks and having softer "corners" along the jaw-line and forehead. The
goal with a round face is to add height, making the face appear longer. Generally,
layered styles with maximum lift on top and minimum volume on the side are a good
choice to lengthen the rounder face.

        Knowing the general shape of your face can help keep you from making bad
choices regarding your hairstyles. A good stylist takes the shape of your face into
consideration when advising you. A great stylist will stop you from choosing a cut or style
that would be unflattering to you, and will suggest alternatives that will make you happy
and keep you looking your best.

Stacy McCurdy - Stylist                                                                      ©Hairfinder.com

Dealing with Specific Facial Features
Matching Your Hairstyle to Your Body Type
Hair FAQs

Determine the Shape of your Face