Last Updated on January 18, 2023 by Morah Rose
You probably have wondered many times what hairstyle looks good on your face. No worries, I’ve got you covered!
As an image consultant and a fashion stylist with years of experience, I can tell you for sure that having the right hairstyle for your face shape is an important ingredient for your overall look.
However, it is important to also note that having the right hairstyle for your face is not just about your face shape. There’s more to styling.
In this article, we will be discussing hair styling tips to help you find the best hairstyle for your face shape.
Additionally, we’ll also detail the parts of the face you should highlight more, hide, and so on.
But first, let’s take a look at the different types of face shapes in women.
Different types of face shapes in women
The table below gives you the common face shapes and their features:
| Face Shape | Common Features | |
| 1. | Round shape face | Have a similar length and width. People with round faces also tend to gain weight around the face. |
| 2. | Square shape face | Their face tends to be almost similar to a round face (similar length and width). However, the difference between a round face and a square face is that the lower jawline of a square shape face is more defined (have a strong angled jawline). |
| 3. | Heart shape face | They normally have a wider forehead that is wider than the jawline. Additionally, they often have pointed chins. |
| 4. | Diamond shape face | Have wider cheekbones, the forehead looks narrow, and have a strong jaw chisel line. This face shape looks almost like a heart shape face but the corners of the forehead are cut making the upper jaw bone to be the largest part of the face. |
| 5. | Oblong shape face | They have a longer vertical face line. |
| 6. | Oval shape face | This face shape tends to have the most balanced length and width. The upper half of the face is similar to your bottom half. It looks very balanced from top to bottom. |
The image below shows examples of women’s facial shapes as described above:
Best hairstyle for your face shape
In order to figure out the best hairstyle for your face, you need to know whether your face needs more width or length.
For example, if you have an oblong face shape, then you need more width because your face is already long and you don’t want to stretch it out further.
On the other hand, if you are a round face, you need more length because if you add more width the face will look even more round.
| NOTE: Curls or waves add width to your face because they go horizontal. Straight hair adds more length because it goes verticle. |
The table below shows the best hairstyles for your face shape, and the hairstyles to avoid.
| Face Shape | Best hairstyle | Hairstyles to avoid | |
| 1. | Round shape face | Straight hair will look fabulous on round face women. A longer bob or long straight hair balances your round face, making it look naturally slimmer. However, if you would like to go with a wavy or curly hairstyle then don’t let it be too curly. | Avoid bob haircuts because it makes the face look even rounder. Avoid hairstyles that go inwards and are very curly or wavy. That’s because they make the face look even rounder. |
| 2. | Square shape face | Straight hair will really flatter a square face shape. That’s because it tends to add a vertical line to balance out the squareness. If you do not want your low jawline to be very noticeable, go for shoulder-length or longer hairstyles This will make it less noticeable. | Avoid haircuts that have chin length if you don’t want the low jawline to be more noticeable. That’s because this type of hairstyle will accentuate the low jawline even more. |
| 3. | Heart shape face | If you want to show off your chin, then I recommend hairstyles that are shorter than the chin. I’d also recommend styling your hair inwards. Additionally, curly or wavy hair will look good on your face shape. However, you might want to consider getting bangs if you have a wider forehead. N/B: Most ladies with heart shape faces do not usually come across as too wide or too long. | |
| 4. | Diamond shape face | This face shape normally looks great with hairstyles that add volume to the top of the head. That’s because it balances out the lower and the upper part of the face. Additionally, both curly and straight hair will look good on you and your face will not be noticeably wide or long. | |
| 5. | Oblong shape face | Curly or wavy hair, whether small curls or big waves, will look fabulous on an oblong face shape. That’s because the long vertical face line will balance out with the horizontal line. I’d also recommend hairstyles with thick bangs because they make your face look shorter. | Avoid very long sleek/straight hair without layers. That’s because it makes your face look even longer. |
| 6. | Oval shape face | Oval shape faces tend to look good in most hairstyles, whether long or short, straight or curly because they have the most balanced width and length. However, it all depends on what look you want to achieve from your hairstyle. For example, if you want to look like you have an oblong shape face I’d recommend you wear long straight hair that is parted right in the middle. This will emphasize the length of the face thus making you look like you have an oblong shape face On the other hand, if you want to look like you have a rounded face, I’d recommend wearing really big wavy hair. That’s because it is going to emphasize the width of the face and make you look like you have a rounded face. |
You may also like:
How To Find The Best Jeans For Your Body Type (With Pictures).
11 Things To Consider When Buying Clothes.
Do Face Yoga Exercises Make You Look Younger?
Best hair bangs for your face shape
| Face Shape | Best hair bangs | Hair bangs to avoid | |
| 1. | Round shape face | Will look great in side fringes that drip down on both sides of your face and don’t block your forehead. It is the best hair bang for a round shape because It adds vertical lines to your face thus lengthening it. | As mentioned earlier, I recommend staying away from hair bangs that shorten your face. |
| 2. | Square shape face | Most ladies with a square-shaped face will look great with no hair bangs. However, longer or wispy side hair bangs will look good on a square shape face. | Avoid hair bangs that completely block your forehead because they will shorten your face. |
| 3. | Heart shape face | Heart shape faces tend to look very beautiful with a hair bang because they have a wider forehead. | Avoid too short hair bangs because they will end up drawing more attention to your forehead. |
| 4. | Oblong shape face | The best hair bang for the oblong shape will depend on the following factors: Is the length of your face on your forehead or is it on the rest of the face (like a relatively long chin)? If your face is longer on the forehead, (Rihanna is a good example) then hair bangs will be extremely flattering because it shortens your face. N/B: If you don’t wear a head bang when your face is longer and with a forehead, all the focus usually goes to the forehead. | If your length is on the rest of your forehead (relatively long chin) then bangs that cover your forehead may not be recommended because they drive all the focus to the rest of the face. |
See also:
How to Get Curvy When You Are Skinny (6 Proven Ways).
How To Make Your Belly Look Flat In A Crop Top (With Pictures).
Hair up vs hair down: What would look good on your face?
Why do some women look very beautiful with their hair up than when down, and others look very beautiful with hair down than when up?
Well, will be discussing that shortly. But as I mentioned earlier, the best hairstyle is usually not just about your face shape but styling too!
| NOTE: This is not meant to discourage anyone from wearing whatever hairstyle that they want but it is to help you figure out what hairstyle would look great on you while focusing on your beautiful assets. |
Women who tend to look more beautiful with hair up
- Women who have pear-shaped faces
These are women who have narrow foreheads and wider jaws.
A pear shape face will look very beautiful with hair up because it tends to create volume on top of your head, thus balancing out your face shape, especially when done with a voluminous balm.
A pear-shaped face lady wearing her hair down will not look as great as when the hair is up because it emphasizes the bottom half of the face, thus giving you a different look.
- Women with high cheekbones and prominent eyes
These women look so beautiful with their hair up because it brings all the focus to their best facial features compared to when they wear their hair down.
However, if you have high cheekbones with a round-shaped face, wearing your hair down will look good on you than having it up.
That’s because wearing your hair up may end up making your face look rounder.
- Women whose shoulders are narrow relative to the head
If your shoulders are narrow relative to your head and would like to balance out the ratio of your head and shoulders, I’d recommend wearing your hair up.
That’s because wearing your hair up will give you a more vertical look, thus balancing it out.
However, if you wear your hair down that can make your shoulders look narrower.
- Women who are short and want to look taller
Wearing your hair up will add more inches to your height thus making you look taller.
Women who tend to look more beautiful with hair down
- Women who have broader shoulders (like the inverted triangle shape ladies)
Ladies who have broad shoulders look more beautiful with their hair down because it gives them a more balanced head-and-shoulder ratio.
That’s mainly because it adds more volume to the head thus balancing out with the shoulders.
On the other hand, wearing the hair up will make the shoulders look broader thus creating an imbalance.
- Women with round-shaped faces
Wearing your hair down if you have a round face will not make your face look rounder.
See also: Tops That Make Arms Look Slimmer (With Picture Examples).
Final word
We are all created differently. The hairstyle that looks good on you may not look good on another person.
When it comes to hairstyles I believe there are no specific rules because, at the end of the day, it is up to you to decide which part of your face you would like to highlight.
Additionally, you can wear any hairstyle and then use makeup to modify your look. For instance, you can use makeup to create an illusion of upper cheekbones, and so on.
