As any good stylist will tell you, uncovering your ideal haircut takes much more than clipping a picture out of a magazine and asking him or her to re-create it. The three key considerations—texture, face shape, and facial features (both those you want to highlight and those you’d rather hide)—can turn a simple trim into a tricky proposition. Here’s how to navigate the nuances to end up with as few bad hair days as possible.
Click categories to expand.
If Your Hair Is Fine
And your face is round
Large forehead: short to medium length, shorter layers at the crown (add curls or
waves to create fullness), face framing at jaw, side part, eye-level sweeping bangs
Prominent jaw: medium length, short to medium layers at the crown, curve hair in
at jawline, side part, side bangs at eye level
Prominent nose: Short to medium length, medium layers, center part, soft fringe at brow level, no
bangs (style away and off the cheekbone or the sides to draw the attention away from
nose)
And your face is oval
Large forehead: medium length is ideal, medium or long layers, soft fringe or bangs
at brow level, side part
Prominent jaw: medium length is ideal, medium layers, need volume for fullness and
height, side part, soft fringe at brow level to cover forehead
Prominent nose: short to medium length, short to medium layers, center part, soft
fringe at brow level, no bangs, draw hair away from face
And your face is square
Large forehead: short to medium length, soft curl or wave, short to medium layers,
side part or asymmetrical style, half bang or soft fringe sweep to the sides at brow
level
Prominent jaw: short to medium length, soft curl or wave, short to medium layers,
side part or asymmetrical style, half bang above brow level
Prominent nose: short to medium length, soft curl or wave, short to medium layers,
center part, fringe bangs above brow level, frame jawline with soft feather layers
And your face is heart-shaped
Large forehead: medium length, short to medium layers, center part with bangs that
flip up and slant to the sides, soft curl or wave is ideal
Prominent jaw: medium length, short to medium layers, side part, bangs at brow level
Prominent nose: medium length, short to medium layers, soft wave or curl is ideal,
center part with bangs flipped up or slanted to the sides at brow level
If Your Hair Is Thick
And your face is round
Large forehead: medium to long length, medium to long layers, sweeping long bangs
start at nose level down, side part (one side over the ear to create the illusion
of length in the face)
Prominent jaw: long hair, medium to long layers, side part, no bangs, frame the face
at jawline with layers to counteract squareness, asymmetrical style
Prominent nose: medium to long length, medium to long layers, no bangs, center part,
draw hair away from face, create height at crown to elongate the face
And your face is oval
Large forehead: great for a variety of styles (pixie, mid-length bob, long layers,
etc.), side part, asymmetrical style, medium to long flipped up or slanted sweeping
bangs
Prominent jaw: medium length, short to medium layers, side part, soft bangs to partially
cover forehead at brow level
Prominent nose: medium to long length, center part, no bangs, short to medium layers
And your face is square
Large forehead: medium to long length, medium to long layers, center or side part,
soft fringe at brow level, no bangs, frame the face and jaw with soft layers from
jaw level down
Large eyes: medium to long length, medium to long layers, center part, soft fringe
at brow level, no bangs, frame the face with soft layers from jaw level down
Prominent jaw: medium to long length, medium to long layers, side part, soft sweeping
bangs at nose level, frame face with some soft layers at jawline
Prominent nose: medium to long length, medium to long layers, center part, soft bangs
at nose level, frame the jaw with soft layers from jawline down to the length of hair
And your face is heart-shaped
Large forehead: medium to long length, medium to long layers or one length, center
part with bangs that slant to sides at brow level
Prominent jaw: medium to long length, medium to long layers, or one length, side
part asymmetrical style, soft layers at jawline
Prominent nose: medium to long length, medium to long layers, center part, bangs
that slant to sides at brow level
If Your Hair Is Curly
And your face is round
Large forehead: medium to long length, long layers to add volume at crown, side part,
soft straight fringe above brow level, one side tucked behind the ear, asymmetrical
style
Prominent jaw: medium to long length, medium-length layers add volume at crown, center
part, no bangs or fringe, layers around the face to soften the jawline
Prominent nose: medium to long length, medium or long layers, soft bangs that hit
at brow, center part, hair tucked behind both ears
And your face is oval
Large forehead: great for a variety of styles (pixie, mid-length bob, long layers,
etc.), side part, asymmetrical style, medium to long flipped up or slanted sweeping
bangs
Prominent jaw: medium length, short to medium layers, side part, soft bangs to partially
cover forehead at brow level
Prominent nose: medium to long length, center part, no bangs, short to medium layers
And your face is square
Large forehead: medium to long length, medium to long layers, center or side part,
soft fringe at brow level, no bangs, frame the face and jaw with soft layers from
jaw level down
Large eyes: medium to long length, medium to long layers, center part, soft fringe
at brow level, no bangs, frame the face with soft layers from jaw level down
Prominent jaw: medium to long length, medium to long layers, side part, soft sweeping
bangs at nose level, frame face with some soft layers at jawline
Prominent nose: medium to long length, medium to long layers, center part, soft bangs
at nose level, frame the jaw with soft layers from jawline down to the length of hair
And your face is heart-shaped
Large forehead: medium to long length, medium to long layers or one length, center
part with bangs that slant to sides at brow level
Prominent jaw: medium to long length, medium to long layers, or one length, side
part asymmetrical style, soft layers at jawline
Prominent nose: medium to long length, medium to long layers, center part, bangs
that slant to sides at brow level
This chart was compiled with the help of Nuri Yurt of Toka Salon & Day Spa and Timo
Nguyen of George at the Four Seasons Salon.
