The best hairstyles for your face shape

No matter what your face shape - round, oval, square, heart or long - there will be styles that look great on you, and a few that aren’t so crash hot. You see, just as a one-piece cossie suits those more buxom, a lob is great for concealing roundness and making your face appear thinner. It’s all about proportion: finding what’s best for you and totally rocking it.

It’s not magic, it’s just a really good haircut.

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So with that in mind, consider what your strong attributes are, and what could benefit from a little adjustment. Owner of Valonz hair salon and celebrity stylist Renya Xydis says research is key for choosing a flattering haircut. “Look to celebrities with similar face shapes and features for inspiration and take your top three picks into the salon for reference. Your hairdresser can then advise and work with you on how to make that look work for you and your lifestyle”.

The easiest way to identify your face shape? Just smile - it accentuates your natural bone structure. Look into a mirror (oh hey, reflection) and smiling, use a liner or lipstick to copy your outline onto the mirror. Got an idea of your face shape now? Good. Now come on, let’s show off some seriously good locks. 

If you’re a heart-shaped sweetheart, you’ll benefit most from a little side action. Soft, side-sweeping bangs are most flattering, because they’ll balance out wider foreheads and draw focus away from a pointy chin. They also accentuate the eyes, and play up your amazing cheekbones. It’s all in the bangs, baby.

Go for old Hollywood glamour and create cascading curls with a thick curling wand like the ghd curve creative curl wand, then use hairspray to keep them in place. The Aveda Air Control Hair Spray is great for giving a light, workable hold. 

The aim is to soften the more angular structures in your face. Whether you’ve got short or long hair, or something in between, keep it layered and try adding waves and curls to your locks to diffuse from the top and bottom corners. A centre part will conceal the top corners, and make your tresses fall along the jawline to tone down the edges.

Rocking longer locks? These are prone to split ends, so try to treat them to a weekly mask. Garnier’s Goodbye Damage Split Ends Serum will instantly seal and bind those suckers.

The key is to create the illusion of length without losing that sweet, youthful appeal by camouflaging just some of the roundness. Layers are great for girls with rounder faces, so ask your stylist for some loose, face-framing ones. If you want to accentuate your face-shape, crop it! A pixie cut not only looks great, but is fuss-free. Two thumbs up.

To give your style a longer lifespan, try working a flexible styling product through wet hair before blow-drying. We love the Kerastase Paris Densifique Densimorphose Mousse Absolu. For a really summery look, create relaxed waves using a curling wand and then brush through them with a bristle brush like the Moroccanoil Boar Bristle Paddle Brush.

Oval is the most versatile face shape, so if you’re lucky enough to fall into this category, get ready to experiment - because it’s going to pay off! From a super short bob to long, sweeping layers, feel free to pick any hairstyle you like. If you’d like an expert opinion, Renya says a layered and more textured look will give you optimum definition.

Create movement and texture by spritzing a texturising product like the Wella Professionals Create Character Texture Spray onto dry hair, then scrunching it up with your fingers. Quick, easy, and oh-so-effective. 

“Full bangs or a side fringe will balance a longer face and larger forehead”, explains Renya. A fringe that falls a third of the way down will work to balance your features and draw attention to the middle of your face. For bangin’ bangs, blow-dry your hair using a round brush (such as VS Sassoon Eco Boar Bristle Medium Round Brush), and finish with a strong hold hairspray. John Frieda’s Frizz-Ease Moisture Barrier Hairspray combats flyaways and has a UV filter that shields hair - talk about a winner! 

Do you know your face shape? What's your go-to hairstyle?