If your face is round…
Work the layered look. If you’ve got wide cheeks and soft, nonangular features—aka a round face—longer, layered cuts look best. Stylist Rodney Cutler says, “Although a bob can work, the length should be slightly A-line.” Translation? Shorter layers up front to longer in back, like Gwyneth Paltrow’s current ‘do. “With long hair, make sure that you angle the front, as one-length hair is too severe and can accentuate the roundness of the face.” And skip full bangs and choppy cuts entirely, which can make you look like a Suri clone.
Other famous round faces: Kirsten Dunst, Kate Bosworth, Kate Winslet
If your face is oval…
Feel free to be a hair chameleon. “Oval faces can wear just about any type of hairstyle, and they look great with short hair,” says stylist Frederic Fekkai. “Bangs can also help to balance out a long face or soften facial features.” If you want to camouflage the length of your face, though (or just draw extra attention to killer cheekbones), try a style with a bit of width to it, like waves or layers. The only place oval-face gals don’t want width, or any kind of volume for that matter, is on top of the head.
Other famous oval faces: Sarah Jessica Parker, Rihanna
If your face is heart-shaped…
Experiment with bangs. Ladies with heart-shaped faces—as the name implies, your face is wider at the top, coming to a point at the chin—can, according to Fekkai, play around with a variety of lengths. “Those with a heart-shaped face, regardless of whether the rest of the hair is long or short, can carry off full bangs that are cut straight across the face…Reese Witherspoon is a good example,” says Fekkai. Longer side-swept bangs and layers that fall around the cheeks also work wonders on heart-shaped-face ladies.
Other famous heart faces: hair is long, Victoria Beckham, Jennifer Aniston
If your face is square…
To make it hip to be square (sorry, couldn’t help it)—if you have a wide face and angular features, specifically jaw line, you qualify—go for a cut that is both soft and layered. “If you choose bangs, create movement in a sweeping effect or definitely round the corners,” says Cutler. “Shapes that have lots of layers accentuate the movement.” Steer clear of straight-across bangs and sharp-edged bobs, which can make a square-shaped face look boxy.
Other famous square faces: Jessica Simpson, Demi Moore, Jennifer Connelly
If you have a big forehead…
“If you have a large forehead, bangs are a very flattering and feminine choice,” advises Fekkai. “Of course, your hair thickness and texture should be considered first! Bangs are hard to pull off for women with thick or very curly hair. If that is the case for you, try a style with shorter layers at about chin length instead; it will take some of the weight off your hair and give your hair a great shape.”
If you want the focus to be on your eyes, not your nose…
Skip the strict center part. “To draw attention away from the nose, avoid severe looks like a center part,” warns Cutler. “Create volume at the hairline away from the face and with a side part instead.”
If you’re tempted to get a super-short cut—but not sure if you can pull it off…
Size up your nose, lips, eyes and cheeks; short ‘dos tend to work best with small features. “A pixie is generally the most difficult style to pull off,” says Fekkai. “The hair is worn so short that it places a huge emphasis on facial features. This is a cut that works for women who have small features; if you have anything that you might want to deemphasize, then the pixie cut is not right for you.”
