How To Match Your Face Shape With A Hairstyle
Understanding your face shape isn’t that easy, but it doesn’t need to be complicated. To simplify it, we’ve picked out the key features of 6 common face shapes, with hairstyles to match.
Understanding your face shape can be quite tricky. There is no exact science to it and our faces can actually change shape through our lifetime. Plus, it’s quite likely you won’t fit into one category.
If you want to really try to pinpoint your face shape, it’s important to ignore any facial hair and simply look at the physical outline and contours of your face. We’ve come up with a list of key features for 6 classic face shapes which will help you work out which shape you are.
Once you know your face shape you can find a suitable haircut to compliment your face shape.
The Square Face Shape
Key Facial Features:
• Prominent Forehead
• Strong Jaw Line
• Equal Length and Width
• Angular Chin
Due to its angular features, the square face shape is the most masculine of them all. The prominent forehead and strong jawline are the most distinguishing features of this face shape.
When it comes to finding the right haircut, you can go one of two ways. The first is to keep your hair short and cropped; opting for a military buzz cut. This look is truly ‘Alpha‘.
Alternatively, if you want to soften the style and your angles, then consider adding more length and weight around the face. Style up and over with a high quiff or keep it more casual with a textured side parting.
Best Hairstyles For A Square Face
The Rectangular Face Shape
Key Facial Features:
• Longer Face, Rather Than Wide
• Forehead, Cheekbones and Jawline Similar In Size
The rectangle face shape is similar to the square shape but you should notice that your face is more elongated.
For a hairstyle for this face shape, you might want to add width around your face. Going super-short or opting for a skin fade will only make your face look thinner and longer. The same goes for volume: if you style your hair with a quiff or pompadour you will elongate your face.
It’s all about balance. What you should do is to keep length on the sides and adding texture to the top. This can be easily done with a scissor cut. For variation, try a side-parting crew cut, keeping the sides long and the body of the hair messy and texturised.
Best Hairstyles For A Rectangular Face
The Diamond Face Shape
Key Facial Features:
• Chiselled Jaw
• Angular Cheekbones
• Cheekbones Are The Widest Part
The most obvious feature of diamond face shape is the chiselled jawline. Again, this is considered an extremely masculine face shape. It differs to a square shape as your whole face shape will be angular and defined.
When it comes to hair, you can opt to have more length on top to add shape around your face. Something like a high fade with a sweeping fringe will add more width to the top of the hair whilst accentuating your cheekbones.
Or, perhaps style your hair right back off your face in a faux hawk. Just don’t style your hair too high or it will start to feel boxy.
The trick is to add loads of texture to the hair, breaking up hard lines and adding more movement into the style.
Best Hairstyles For A Diamond Face
The Round Face Shape
Key Facial Features:
• Equal Length and Width
• Soft Angles
• Full Cheeks
• Delicate Features
Your facial features will be a lot softer, and less angular if you have a round face. Usually, people with a more rounded face will have quite full cheeks too.
To find the balance in a round face shape, you really want to be building up the height. You can go super-short on the back and sides but make sure you maintain the volume on top.
Something like a skin fade with a pomp would work well; but if that’s a little too severe for you then stick to the traditional fade and have all the texture centred around the top of the head.
Facial hair can also really help add a more chiselled effect on the jawline, should you want to achieve a more angled look. Ask your barber to square off your beard for you.
Best Hairstyles For A Round Face
The Oval Face Shape
Key Facial Features:
• Most Common and Versatile
• Chin Narrower Than Forehead
• Balanced Proportions
• High Cheekbones
The oval face shape can be confused with the round, and even the rectangle face shape. The most obvious points to notice is that your features will be a lot softer than a rectangle face and more elongated than a round face.
If you’re a guy with an oval face shape, you ideally want to be getting the hair up and off of your face.
Feel free to keep the length on top but avoid sweeping hair down across your face. If you go for a big fringe, you’ll lose the angles and make your face look a lot rounder than it is.
The key for this one (and a real failsafe) is to opt for the classic cut fade, keeping it tight on the sides and focussing the weight on top. You can then style with a quiff or a pompadour.
Best Hairstyles For An Oval Face
The Triangular Face Shape
Key Facial Features:
• Angular Features
• Jawline Wider Than Cheekbones
If you have a really prominent jawline with a more elongated chin, you will have a triangle face shape. This shape can crossover with the diamond, but here the emphasis will be on the more angular lower part of your face.
For your hair, the challenge is to balance out your wider jaw with a more narrow forehead. By adding a little more volume to the sides and top, you can ensure that this balance is met.
Be careful not to go too soft with the look as this will only draw attention to the jaw and the proportions of your face. The best thing for this one is to add loads of texture – really breaking the hair up and adding more shape to your face.
You can opt for more volume on the top of the hair with a textured quiff. For something more trend-led, go for a mid fade with a heavy, sweeping fringe.
Best Hairstyles For A Triangular Face
You can follow rules and instructions to get the ‘perfect’ on-trend hairstyle, but in reality, it all comes down to you. It’s important to note, neither one of the face shapes is more attractive than the other! So, just find what works best for you.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with different cuts and styles. Explore your own style and let your personality shine through.
