I have been hunting & gathering information on faceshapes and suitable hairstyles, as well as some current trends just for good measure. So as promised,(albeit a few days late) here are some tips on figuring out your faceshape once and for all, and choosing a shape-appropriate hairstyle to make YOU feel like a million smakaroo’s! So here is the lowdown.
Change is good. There are a few things to take into consideration when deciding to have a new cut. (And if your hairdresser is any good, s/he will take these factors into account. No harm in being armed with the facts though.)
Hair type, length and face shape are all determining factors:
Don’t go after a sleek straight haired look if you have uber curly hair, unless you are prepared to do hair admin and straighten it on a daily basis. And vise-versa. Learn to love what you hair (type) you have. Learn to get the most out of it. Just remember…someone else always wants what you have!
The length you decide on can change the way you feel about yourself. Short hair is a strong statement but can be fun and cheeky, mid-length is sophisticated and long is soft and romantic. It a nutshell of course. And who says you can’t have long hair after 40! Choose a length to suite your mood… In this day & age there is nothing stopping you change your mind regularly, except maybe the bank-balance.
There are five predominant face shapes, namely: round, oval, (ob)long, square & heart.
Now comes the fun part! You get to figure out what face shape you. Bare in mind, your face shape can vary. Mine sure does!
You will need: A mirror, clips or headband, eye pencil.
Now, pull your hair back so you can see your hairline. On the outer edges of your hairline make dots with your eye pencil. Next, mark the outer most edges of your cheek bones, now mark the outer most edges of your jawline. Next, make a dot at the bottom of your chin and the middle of your forehead. Mentally or physically connect the dots and your face shape will appear. ARE WE HAVING FUN YET? You must look silly with all those dots on your face! Haha OK, ok, so here are the possible outcomes: If the dots on your cheekbones are wider than the the ones at your hairline, you have an oval, oblong, round or heart shape face. If the all the dots are as wide as each other you probablly have a sqaure face shape.
Round faces are as wide as they are long. The cut needs to create the illusion of a narrower frame. Long flowing styles work nicely as they create the illusion of length to the face. Avoid chin length hairdo’s. Or it may just become a hairdon’t!
Oval faces are said to be ‘ideal’ as they are the most symetrical. The oval is slightly longer than it is wide, allowing the most versatility in hairstyles. Basically any hairstyle your heart desires suites your face. Wear you hair off your beautiful face as you are lucky enough to do so.
Oblong - Obviously, this face shape is a longer version of the oval shape. This face shape needs width to balance it. Width can be created with curls, or a good bob will do the trick. Soft layer around the face, and a slightly wide, fuller fringe also creates the illusion of width.
Heart shaped faces are wider at the eye and cheek area, and tend to have a small pointy chin and high forhead. Styles that create width at the jawline bring balance to this face shape.
Square faces need softening as they tend to look for hard and angular. You can create this ‘softness’ with curls or layers. Hairstyles should have some volume at the root to create length in the face. Keep the sides of the hair style narrow so the jawline is covered.
Check out these websites for some ideas and advise:Hair Style Design, Hair Factory, Hairstyles, UK Hairdressers,In Style Hair Make-over
- Haute Red
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