How To Get The Right Hairstyle For Your Face Shape And Lifestyle 

For anyone (everyone) who’s been less than happy with their hairstyle, before you pick a new one, stop and think about what really suits you. 

You have to consider some basic physical characteristics and your current lifestyle choices like where you spend most of your time and what kind of climate you live in. Since these things change, you may be looking for a new style to go with a new lifestyle but you still need to consider the traits you inherited like: 

What your face shape is. Take a look and see: 

Is your face, when measured across your nose from ear-to-ear… 

 Wider than your jaw?

Average, or about the same as your jaw?  

or Narrow?

Which is widest… Your Forehead, your Cheekbones, or your Jaw?

What’s the shape of your jawline? 

Is your chin Rounded? Squared? Or kinda Pointy?

An easy way to see the basic shape is to outline your face with soap on a mirror. Whatever it is, unless you’re very obese or anorexic, it’s not going to change. So, instead of worrying about whether yours is perfect or not, let’s figure out the length and shape of hairstyles you’ll look best with. 

Face shape isn’t the only consideration.

Where you live (dry, humid, hot, cold) and what kind of lifestyle you live play an important role in your perfect style too. 

If your hair is long now, you have the option of going any length, but choose carefully. Once your hair is cut, it can take years to grow it back (unless you want to go through the expense of getting extensions). 

If your hair is short or medium, you may be working towards your perfect style over a year or more if you’re aiming for a long style. In the meantime, you want to keep your style looking tidy – nothing says unprofessional like a raggy, unkempt, growing out style. 

Just looking at the four main components: 

1. General Face Shape  
2. Jaw Shape  
3. Lifestyle and  
4. Climate  

we get 3 dozen possibilities!  

See if you can find where you belong on the chart below. We’ll do a basic overview for each type here and go into more detail for the most common types in other articles (search for “your” article using the code below that matches your face & lifestyle combo).

WIDE: People with wide faces tend to look best with longer hair, since it makes their face look longer too. 

WRxx: A wide face with a round jawline is just called round. With a round face you don’t want a hairstyle with much weight or bulk that brings attention to the roundness of your face. Try chin-length hairstyles or those with more volume at the top if you’ve already got short hair or want to keep it short to accommodate an active lifestyle. 

Stay away from anything that will make your face look rounder, such as chin length bobs or "big" hair. The best cut for a round face is something longer than chin length that is either straight or has very soft waves. This will lengthen the look of your face. Bangs are ok here. Kate Winslet and Natalie Merchant have round face shapes. 

WSxx: With a wide face and a square jaw, you’ll have an overall square look and want to de-emphasize the sides by either going longer with layers to get a sleek look or perhaps spiky to get the eyes moving up. 

With a square shape face, you'll want a cut and style to soften the angles. A long layer cut with waves or a short one above the jawline. Be careful not to have too much fringe or bangs. You want to keep most of the hair off of your forehead. Also stay away from chin length bobs, as this will just emphasize the squareness of your jaw. Square faces you may recognize include are Sandra Bullock and Demi Moore. 

WPxx: Wide faces with pointy chins are called heart-shaped. This face shape has the advantage of being pleasant to look at but there may be too much emphasis on the chin.

Hairstyles with windswept bangs left on the forehead so that the cheekbones and eyes are emphasized work well. Short-haired people with heart shaped faces should try soft, long top layers.

For the heart shape face, a chin length bob is a great choice. Wispy fringe bangs and layers around the face will balance out your face shape. Be careful to leave fullness around the neck area if you choose a shorter style, due to your narrow chin.

Be sure to avoid any style that emphasizes the upper part of your face. You don't want to make it appear wider. Harsh, angular haircuts are not attractive for this combination. Heart shape faces include Lisa Kudrow, Michelle Pfeiffer and Ashley Judd.

AVERAGE: Those with average width faces have more options, focusing more on the other three features to find a suitable style. 

ARxx:  Fullness and height at the top will give the effect of a more narrow face. Try a cut with layers with the sides just about your cheek to balance your jaw. Round faces can go with short styles swept back from the brow or hair that is below chin length. Wisplike bangs and side parts are also good.

Avoid chin length hair, middle parts, fullness at the slopes of ears, flat cut fringes - these emphasize the width of your jaw.

ASxx:   With a square jawline your hairstyle should downplay any squareness. Short to average length hair cuts, with delicate wisplike fringes and a curls or ringlets can help balance your face shape. If your hair is flat, consider a body curl. Side parts and fullness or more height at the top may add length to an angular face.

Avoid flat styles - longer flat hair, dull bangs, flat bobs and middle parts, because they'll accentuate your jawline.

APxx:   You have some heart shaped characteristics and short or chin length hair often looks good for heart shapes. The fullness counterbalances the narrow jaw and chin. Chin length bobs, short shags, layers brushed forward and wisplike fringes work well.

Avoid wide-cut styles that accentuate the upper face without balancing out your thin chin. Too much height at the top and narrowing necklines will cause you to look top-heavy.

NARROW: People with narrower faces need some curves in their hair to provide the illusion of width. Cuts and styles that are chin length or shorter, with some waves or curls usually work well. Too much length will make your face appear longer.  

Keep hair off of the sides of your face as this will also add to the "long" look by cutting off the sides. Fringe or bangs however, will work great! Janet Jackson, Niki Taylor, and Kirstie Alley have narrow faces. 

NRxx:  With a fuller chin that narrows down at the brow, you want a style that narrows your chin and extends the brow. Shorter hair may balance your large jaw line and styles that are wide-cut at the temples with off-centered parts, wedges and shags can be effective for you. Shorter layers will create volume near the top of your face.

NSxx:  Most of the advice for round jaws and narrow faces works for square jawed people as well.  

AND...

With any shape face, other facial features may come into play including:

1. A prominent nose, (stick to softer styles)   
2. A very pointed chin, (requires width at the jaw line) and   
3. Stick with bangs or some light fringe for:  
4. • a large forehead,
   • an uneven hairline, or   
   • a widow's peak.  

Other things you need to consider when choosing a new cut and style is how much time you have to work with your hair and how hard will it be to achieve this look everyday?

If you're a wash and go type of person, be sure and choose something that won't require anything more than maybe a little mousse and some scrunching.

If you want a sleek sophisticated look, be prepared to learn how to work your heated appliances and leave time in your day to work with your hair. 

And we haven’t even talked about how your hair type will factor in. You’ve got to consider: 

• Is your hair straight and coarse or fine and wavy?   
• Does it lay nice with layers?   
• Does it curl well?   
• Do you have cowlicks?  

Knowing your options is a good start. An experienced professional hairstylist can help get you the look you can live with.