The Best Hairstyles for Your Face Shape

Our hairstyles are more than just passing fads or trends—they represent new changes and chapters in our lives. Every new haircut or color is a part of our self-expression. Although we all enjoy trying new styles and love to experiment with our look, some cuts have been shown to look best on certain face shapes. PJ’s College of Cosmetology offers salon services to help you get the hair color and cut that will fit you best. Contact your local PJ’s campus location to book an appointment.

Round Face

Round faces are idolized for their youthful appearance and ability to always carry long styles. Be sure to celebrate your round face with hairstyles that will highlight full cheeks or a rounded jawline. For those with a round face shape, selecting a hairstyle with angles, dimension, and movement will help accentuate your face structure and elongate your features. Avoid hairstyles that are too circular or have too much volume without length or layers. People often convince others that those with round faces can’t wear short or long hairstyles, but this isn’t the case. The styling of your hair can change your entire appearance.

Short hair recommendations: angled or layered pixie cut, blunt bob, twists, or a fringed crop

Medium-length hair recommendations: mid-length with beach waves or a medium shag style

Long hair recommendations: long layers, waves, or braids

Oval Face

Oval faces are those that also have a round shape but tend to be more elongated. Short and medium-length hairstyles with layers work especially well on those with an oval face shape. Avoid hairstyles that become too static and lack movement or volume. In general, oval faces have the most versatility when selecting a hairstyle, but a side-part can help those who want to shorten the look of their face. Bangs can highlight the eyes and cheekbones for those that want to reduce the visual length of their forehead.

Short hair recommendations: side-parted bob, chin-length loose curls, or short with an undercut

Medium-length hair recommendations : mid-length that frames the face or side-swept bangs

Long hair recommendations: long layers or long and sleek with bangs

Square Face

Square faces usually have strong cheek or jawbones that give them a more angled appearance. These face shapes have the natural angles and contours that beauty gurus often try to mimic with makeup. Long and medium looks pair especially well with this face type, along with loose waves and curls. Too many angled chops or a hair length set right at the chin can alter the perception of the jawline and even accentuate it in the wrong way. In other instances, cutting the hair very short or rocking no hair can show off all the angles of this face shape.

Short hair recommendations: a close-cut pixie, buzz cut, or pompadour

Medium-length hair recommendations: tousled waves and curls, long bob (between the chin and shoulders)

Long hair recommendations: long layers, curls, or a sleek style

Heart-Shaped Face

This romantic face shape is based on the image of the cartoon heart as we have come to know it, with a longer forehead, prominent cheekbones, and a narrow or angular chin. As with the square face shape a blunt hairstyle at the jawline can also pronounce the chin in an unwanted way. Bangs also do well with this face shape, balancing the visual ratio between the forehead and cheekbones.

Short hair recommendations: tousled pixie

Medium-length hair recommendations: collarbone-length bob

Long hair recommendations: long layers, wild curls, or large plaits

Once you are sitting in the barber’s chair, it is important to remember that there are no absolutes or hard rules when it comes to cutting or styling your hair. You can try new looks and make any hairstyle look phenomenal. Really, these tips are just guidelines hair experts have noticed to highlight certain features. Ultimately, how a look is pulled off has a lot to do with styling, so don’t be afraid to try any untraditional choices for your face shape.

Are you always on the lookout for new hair trends and styles? If so, a career in cosmetology is the perfect way to develop a profession out of your hobby. PJ’s College offers a cosmetology course that will lead you to a promising career as a hairstylist. To get started, fill out a contact form online or call today at 800-62-SALON (72566).