Before you head to beauty shops downtown (or uptown), you must always assess your self. I recommend you to go in front of the mirror and look at your face’s structure. Is it oval-shaped, heart-shaped, diamond-shaped, oblong-shaped, square-faced or round-shaped?



The face shape is the most important consideration in getting a flattering hair style or hair cut that is why you need to know how you are shaped on the face.

Your Face Structure

Some women stands in front of the mirror, brings out a lipstick and tries to trace their facial structure. This is not as accurate as you seem. At some point, instead of seeing your face as rounded, it is rather diamond-shaped.

To find out your facial structure, bring out a measuring tape or a ruler and take down the following measurements:

• measure your face across the top of your cheekbones.

• measure across your jaw line from both widest point

• measure across your forehead at the widest point

• measure from the tip of your hairline to the bottom of your chin

* The widest point is somewhere about halfway between your eyebrows and your hairline

After taking down the measurements, if your face is a length equal to one and a half times width, then you are oval-faced. You’re round-shaped if your face is as wide as it is long. This may vary a little, but generally the measurement is close. If it is longer than it is wide, your face is oblong-shaped. You’ll know if you are heart-shaped if the measurement is narrow at the jaw line, wide at the cheekbones and/or forehead. If your face is about as wide as it is long with prominent emphasis from your jaw, you are a square-faced. And lastly, you are a diamond if the measurement is widest at cheekbones, while your forehead and jaw line is approximately equal widths.

Oval-shaped

Did you know that most celebrities and models alike are oval-shaped? The likes of Jennifer Aniston, Cameron Diaz, Mariah Carey and Cindy Crawford can sport any hair do simply because they are oval-shaped. And yes, if you are one, you are very lucky. If you are oval-shaped, the variety of hair cut designs or styles is limitless. However, it is a big no-no for you to have heavy bangs.

Oblong-shaped

Prominent features of an elongated face are having narrow chin or a very high forehead. If you’re face is oblong or rectangular, it is best that your hair cut style is from short to medium lengths, specifically a layered cut with soft wispy bangs that will shorten the appearance of your face. You can also opt for hair cut designs that is full at the sides or your cheeks as it will add width to the look of your face shape. It is important that you avoid too much hair length as the look elongates your face more. You should also avoid center parts as it brings out the oval-shaped face in you. For hair cut designs or styles you can sport, you can emulate the dos that Gwyneth Paltrow, Janet Jackson, and Nikki Taylor did.

Round-shaped

If your face is rounded, try styles with fullness and height at the crown, short hairstyles with a swept-back direction or styles longer than your chin length. The objective of such styles is to stay away to cuts and designs that add roundness to your already round shaped face. So avoid chin length haircuts with a rounded line that mirrors the face’s, short crops and straight “chopped" bangs that adds weight. For styles and cuts, you can look up past and present hair dos from celebrities like Kate Winslet or Christina Ricci.

Square-shaped

Haircuts and styles that will look best on you if you are square-shaped ranges from short crops to medium locks, waves or curls, or wispy bangs. Such looks will soften the square on your face. Hair weave styles will greatly look good on you as it balances the straight feats of your face shape. It is a must to avoid long straight cuts and styles as it accentuates your square jawbone, linear straight bangs, center parts, or a straight bob cut that ends on your jaw line. If you need to know more which styles and cuts are perfect for you, you can look up past and present dos from stars like Sandra Bullock and Demi Moore.

Heart-shaped

If you are heart-shaped, you can wear shorter hairstyles and hair cut designs. However, you need to leave weight at your nape area to achieve balance between your cheekbones and narrowing chin. Opt for chin-length or longer styles of haircuts, side-parted hairstyles, swept-forward layers, soft wispy bangs, apple cuts or chin length bob cuts. Short, full styles will emphasize your upper face. Stars like Michelle Pfeiffer, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Claudia Schiffer have heart-shaped faces.

Diamond-shaped

Having a diamond face is a cross between heart and a dramatic oval – widest at the cheekbones and narrow equally at the forehead and jaw line. If you’re a diamond, your face shape is balanced and dramatic and flexible to try a variety of hairstyles and haircuts. But avoid styles and cuts that put too much volume on your face like heavy bangs and unruly curves. Linda Evangelista, Sophia Loren and Katherine Hepburn are two prominent celebrities that have a diamond-shaped face.

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