Face Shape - Knowing Your Face Shape

Square faces are generally full and feature equal or near-equal width at both the jaw line and hairline. The jaw line and hairline also have a squared line. The objective with a square face is to thin it a bit and soften the shape's blunt lines - easy to do with face-framing layers, soft waves, or large curls. Most hairdressers will advise you to keep locks well below the jaw to create the illusion of length. Stay away from blunt cuts, geometric lines, linear bangs, or anything severe.

The oblong, or rectangular, face is long and slender. To flatter an oblong face, a hairstyle must do two things: de-emphasize length and create width. Therefore, long, straight hair is a no-no, while short and medium-length cuts with curls or plenty of fullness are ideal. Layered bobs are good and shags can work if the hair is directed off the face - if it falls on the face it will only make the face appear slimmer.

A diamond-shaped face features a narrow forehead, a narrow chin, and width through the cheeks. To normalize this shape, you should choose a hairstyle with width at the top and bottom and sleekness where the face is wide. A good option is a chin-length style that features wispy, temple-to-temple bangs. You can experiment with looks that are cut to fall onto the cheeks or try styles that are created to move off the face - I have heard various hairdressers claim one or the other is the best option for diamond-shaped faces.

Heart-shaped faces are characterized by wide foreheads and small, delicate chins. The right hairstyle can create a feeling of balance by making the forehead appear narrower and the chin seem wider. Looks with width at the jaw - such as chin-length bobs - are perfect for this. When swept to the side, longer bangs break up a wide forehead without adding too much width to the top portion of the face. Is your face heart-shaped? Looking for something a bit different to give your hairstyle some oomph? Try sweeping hair to one side. It's an ideal way to de-emphasize the chin and make the forehead look narrower.

The triangular face is most narrow at the temples, slightly wider at the cheeks, and widest at the jaw line. Create balance with plenty of fullness in the bang area and at the temples, moderate width at the cheeks, and sleekness at the jaw. Does such a cut sound impossible? It isn't actually. Simply ask your stylist for a layered look with volume up top and tapering through the bottom. Plenty of short and medium-length cuts fit the bill, as do some shags.

The pear-shaped face is narrow at the forehead and flares out to great width at the cheeks and jaw line. Think symmetry by creating plenty of fullness at the temples and in the bang area, and sleekness at the cheeks and jaw. Full, layered looks that feature height at the crown are good, as are any kind of shag. Many hairdressers prescribe looks that fall well past the jaw. Use your hairstyle to make close-set eyes look farther apart: add width at and below the temples and keep the top flat.

Read more on Senegence lipsense and lipsense.