Discover the Perfect Hairstyle For Your Face
A few weeks ago, we shared with you some tips from master hairstylists on choosing the perfect style for the shape of your face.
And, to be perfectly honest…
...your reaction to their insights was simply overwhelming!
From all over the country, hundreds of comments...some thanking our experts for their wisdom... others with photos in which you showed off your new face-flattering styles!
Still, amidst all this excitement, the vast majority of messages asked us one question:
“WHAT ABOUT MY FACE?”
“When you look in the mirror...what picture-perfect style do you imagine framing your face?”
You see, in the original article, our stylists spoke about the three most common women’s faces:
...but that’s still just the tip of the iceberg!
There are a number of other familiar face shapes. And each one offers styling possibilities to enhance your best features, downplay your concerns…
...and leave you looking absolutely exquisite!
So, we returned to our crack team of stylists, and asked them:
“What are some more top styling choices for common women’s face shapes?”
Bring their suggestions along next time you consult with your own personal stylist.
They’re sure to help you create a style that will shine a radiant spotlight on your natural beauty!
HEART-SHAPED FACE: IT’S ALL ABOUT BALANCE
With a heart-shaped face, your features taper from a wide brow to a narrow, often pointed chin.
It’s a facial structure that usually rewards you with drop-dead gorgeous cheekbones…
...but it can also leave you struggling to keep your forehead from dominating your features.1
That’s why for Matt Fugate, a celebrity stylist whose clients include Lea Michele, Blake Lively, and Victoria’s Secret model Karlie Kloss, a style that beautifies a heart-shaped face is all about balance.
He suggests a mid-length cut, with heavy layers framing the face to offset the narrow chin.
And the broad forehead can be tamed by a deep side part that tapers into side-swept bangs.
For a heart-faced woman, says Fugate, “the cut sort of closes off her forehead...drawing more attention to her eyes and cute little chin.”
He also recommends sticking to oil-based styling products to enhance a cut like this.
“Using a spray oil is better than hairspray,” he says, “or else it looks dated and rigid.”
But what if you’re looking for a shorter style that won’t wipe out the lower half of your face?
Thankfully, there’s a great option for you, too...courtesy of Jimmy Paul of the famous New York salon Bumble and bumble.
Paul recommends a modified pixie cut, with soft-edged bangs pushed back off your forehead.
The bangs, says Paul, will diminish rather than boost your forehead area. And the extra volume the sweep gives your hair “softens any hard features.”
Paul recommends applying a light hair lotion before you style, then smoothing your locks with a round brush and a quality blow-dry.2
The result:
Supple, ultra-chic hair that’ll have everyone you know just seeing hearts!
DIAMOND-SHAPED FACE: LOVING YOUR LAYERS
The tricky thing about a diamond-shaped face is that it’s very easy to mistake for an oval shape.
The key difference:
A diamond-shaped face is always widest at the cheekbones...with a noticeably more narrow forehead and chin. (Victoria Beckham is one prominent diamond-faced glamour icon.)
So the goal here is a style that keeps your face open...without making you look like nothing but cheeks!
Thankfully, we’ve got some great ideas for you, from Randi Petersen, an LA-based stylist whose looks have graced Mariah Carey, Trisha Yearwood, and the girls of Fifth Harmony.
If you’re looking to keep your locks long, Petersen says layering will be your sharpest option.
“You need lots of layers,” she says, “texture that’s going to break up the widest part of the face at the cheekbones.”
She points out that flowing, loosely styled waves are also a dynamite way to add feature- flattering texture.
And for a shorter style, Petersen advises, “Angled bobs work really well with the diamond face shape.”
Petersen also has a tip about a common feature of diamond-faced hairlines: the widow’s peak.
If you have a peak, Petersen says, “do not try and force a bang - it’ll look silly, and pop up even more and look like a waterfall.”3
Sound suggestions for rocking a style that will truly make you sparkle like a diamond!
THE LOB: A STYLE FOR ALL SEASONS
Of course, you may find yourself dreaming that impossible dream:
A hairstyle that works well with every type of facial structure!
Well, guess what?
You don’t have to dream any more…
...because that fits-and-flatters-all hairstyle is a reality!
It’s known by two common names. Some people call it the lob, short for “long bob”... which is exactly what it sounds like!
Other stylists refer to it as the clavicut...because it grazes your clavicle, or collarbone, when you wear it down.
“If you’ve been searching for the Holy Grail of hairstyles...the ‘lob’ might be just what you’ve been looking for!”
Travis Speck, a stylist with New York’s Sally Hershberger Downtown salon, praises the lob’s ability to look amazing with any hair texture.
“It helps maintain volume in fine, straight hair,” says Speck, “But it’s long enough so curly hair won’t puff out, as it would with a more traditional-length bob.”
Speck also loves that a lob offers you enough length to still pull off cute, low-maintenance updos.
“I call it the short cut for long-haired girls,” he says.4
So, whether you’ve got oval features, a small, round face, or “diamond” cheekbones…
...the lob is a style that’s always ready to bring out your absolute best!
YOUR BEST FACE FORWARD
We hope this follow-up with our salon pros helps you find just the right hairstyle for your face.
Still, in a perfect world...this would be a 165-million-part series!
That’s because, according to the most recent statistics...there are almost 165 million women living in the US today.5
And every single one has a face that’s like none other!
Fortunately, all the looks in these articles have been approved by our authoritative stylists.
So you know, when you choose a style that’s recommended for your facial shape…
...the results will enrich all the beauty you carry with you…
...outside and in!
CITATIONS
- O'Neill, Catherine Q. “The Top 8 Haircuts for Heart-Shaped Faces.” Allure, Allure Magazine, 27 Jan. 2017, www.allure.com/gallery/haircuts-heart-shaped-faces.
- Abelman, Devon. “Here's How to Figure Out Which Haircut Is Best for Your Face Shape.” Allure, Allure Magazine, 24 July 2017, www.allure.com/gallery/find-the-best-haircut-for-your-face-shape.
- Teen, Julia. “Diamond-Shaped Face? These Haircuts Work Best.” Bustle, Bustle, 25 Apr. 2018, www.bustle.com/articles/12562-the-best-haircuts-for-diamond-shaped-faces.
- Percia, Jill. “A Low-Maintenance Hairstyle That's Flattering on EVERYONE Actually Exists.” Women's Health, Women's Health, 25 May 2018, www.womenshealthmag.com/beauty/a19921965/low-maintenance-haircut/.
- “United States Population 2018.” China Population 2018 (Demographics, Maps, Graphs), worldpopulationreview.com/countries/united-states-population/.