Finding the right haircut can feel like slipping into your favourite pair of jeans. It lifts your mood, sharpens your features, and feels like it was made just for you. However, what makes one cut feel perfect and another fall flat?
Instead of following the latest trend, begin with something that never changes: your face shape. If you’re blessed with full cheeks or a strong jaw, there’s a style out there that will enhance your bone structure and bring forward the best features of your beautiful face.
We’re breaking down everything you need to know in this face shape guide for haircuts. In the following, you’ll find our hairstyling tips and the top hairstyles that you should try if you’re gifted with any of these unique facial structures. First, though, let’s start with the basics on haircuts for face shapes.
Before you pick a cut, you need to know what you’re working with. Your face shape determines which hairstyles will enhance your bone structure and which ones may compete with it.
To work out your face shape, stand in front of a mirror with your hair pulled back. Use a soft measuring tape to take four measurements: your forehead width, cheekbone width, jawline width, and face length from hairline to chin.
Then, compare your results to the following key points in our face shape guide:
Now that you know your shape, it’s time to explore what styles suit it best.
An oval face is a hairstylist’s dream. It can carry nearly any look with ease. Even among endless options, however, some styles shine brighter with haircuts for oval face shapes.
One of the top hairstyles that you should try if you’re born with an oval face shape is the butterfly cut. With long, graduated layers and bounce at the crown, it creates movement without taking away from your features.
A Farah Fawcett-inspired cut, flaring away from the face, adds glamour and width. Additionally, a blunt bob can add body and polish while maintaining a balanced look. You could try a wavy long bob with a centre part, and the result would also be sleek and flattering.
Round faces radiate softness. Their even width and height create a youthful, gentle appearance. If you’re wary of making your cheeks appear wider, choose cuts that lengthen the look of your face.
A windswept bob is a great place to start. With volume at the crown and layers that sweep to one side, it pulls attention upward and slims the face. By styling your hair this way, you work against the roundness and toward vertical lift.
If you want something longer, voluminous layers beginning at the jawline work wonders to balance out the lower face. A textured shag, especially one with wispy face-framing pieces, can build the illusion of a more angular profile.
If your face is defined by strong angles, you have an ideal canvas for contrast. With a square face, softening those edges becomes key.
Try a framing cut that lands just below the chin. Layers here soften the jaw and forehead. Wavy textures also help build roundness where it counts. You’ll often find that hair falling to one side can balance the symmetry more than a straight-down-the-middle approach.
For something a little bolder, a hairstyling tip to consider is a shoulder-length cut with long layers that begin just below the chin. The shape draws attention from the jaw and toward the soft movement in the lower half of the hair. Curtain bangs also do wonders. They fall gently along the temples and shift attention toward your eyes.
Heart-shaped faces are eye-catching. With wide cheekbones and a narrow chin, they invite softness in all the right places.
Long shags with layers near the collarbone bring fullness to the lower face. A centre part, although subtle, creates equilibrium. Shoulder-length waves paired with side-swept bangs highlight the eyes and ease the width and sharpness of the forehead.
If you’re wary of sharp jawlines, try a flipped bob. The outward curve near the chin brings a graceful contour to your profile.
Dramatic cheekbones deserve a spotlight, but they also need balance. If your face narrows at the top and bottom, layers can help spread the visual focus.
A shaggy lob is a fantastic option for this face shape. By styling your hair this way, you can create texture and width across the cheeks. Long, sweeping layers will keep the shape fluid and the jawline soft.
Do you prefer length? Ask for layers that start below the cheekbones. These will lift the face and allow the chin to appear more balanced.
Long faces need cuts that interrupt length. A hairstyling tip our experts recommend is to bring visual width across the midface and upper face.
Curtain bangs are a go-to solution. They break up the vertical space while keeping the flow natural. A longer bob, also known as a lob, with layers will help maintain softness and add volume exactly where it’s needed.
If you favour short styles, the French bob adds boldness and bounce, especially when the ends are styled outward. If you prefer something more subtle, a chin-length cut with soft waves offers the same benefit with a little less edge.
Triangle-shaped faces are wider at the jaw and narrower at the temples. That inverted pyramid shape can be balanced beautifully with lift and lightness.
Curtain bangs and long layers that begin at the eyes work well. They direct focus upward while softening the jaw. Graduated lobs with a subtle flip at the bottom can also create elegance and structure.
If you’re wary of a drastic cut, a soft side part with tapered ends can also make a dramatic difference. It won’t take much to shift the focus from the jaw to the upper face.
Somewhere in between what you want and what suits you, the right haircut is waiting. Whether your face is soft and rounded or long and angular, whether your hair is thick or barely holds a wave, the right shape can transform more than just how you look. These haircuts for different face shapes are meant to enhance your bone structure and bring your natural features forward.
Have you searched for something that works, only to feel unsure once it’s done? Do you ever wonder how it would feel to finally see a style that fits you perfectly? Our stylists at First Choice Hair can help guide you toward the cut that complements your face, your vibe, and your lifestyle.
Call us at 905-791-4545 or contact us here to schedule your consultation today for professional haircuts for face shapes of all kinds. Let’s discover the style that works wonders to balance out your shape and draw attention to your most refined features.