Need help determining face shape to choose haircut

DisneyLovingMama

DIS Cast Member<br><font color=teal>I'll be your E
Joined
Jan 5, 2005
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I think I have either an oval or oblong face shape. How do I know for sure, without writing on my mirror (as I read somewhere online).

I'm cutting my hair short and trying to find a good style before I go to the salon.
 
Try this :sunny: :

There are lots of suggestions on how to figure out your shape, from outlining your face shape on a mirror with lipstick to draping it with a towel and asking others to help you guess the shape. But, there is actually a scientific way to determine your face shape once and for all.
To find out the shape of your face, measure it with a tape measure or ruler. You will take the following measurements.
1. Measure your face across the top of your cheekbones. Write down the measurement on a piece of paper.
2. Measure across your jaw line from the widest point to the widest point. Write down the measurement.
3. Measure across your forehead at the widest point. Generally the widest point will be somewhere about halfway between your eyebrows and your hairline. Write down the measurement.
4. Measure from the tip of your hairline to the bottom of your chin.
Oval Face - Length equal to one and a half times width.
Round Face - Your face is as wide as it is long. This may vary a little but generally the measurement is close.
Oblong - Longer than it is wide.
Heart - Narrow at jaw line, wide at cheekbones/and or forehead.
Square - your face is about as wide as it is long.
Diamond - Widest at cheekbones, narrow forehead and jaw line of approximately equal widths.

For styling:

Oval
Only slightly narrower at the jaw line than at the temples, with a gently rounded hairline.
Try
A variety of styles . . . most any hair shape looks good on you. Your "perfect" features allow you to wear more styles than any other face shape. Have you ever noticed the majority of models fall into this shape? Have you noticed how many different hair styles they can wear?

You can wear short, medium and long hair styles. Your face shape is well "balanced" or in even proportion. You will look best when styling your hair off your face. Most oval face shapes can wear slicked-backed looks as well.

Rectangular or oblong
Long and slender, about the same width at forehead and just below cheekbones. May have a very narrow chin or a very high forehead.
Try
Short to medium lengths. Fullness at the sides of your face. Soft wispy bangs. You'll want to balance the look of a long and slender face. Soft wispy bangs will shorten the appearance of the length. Fullness at the sides of your face will add width to the look of your face shape.

By cutting the hair into a short or medium length, the outline of the cut will also shorten the look of the length of the face. Layers work great with your face shape, as they will add softness to the straight lines in your face. Try side parts, and you may be able to wear straight back styles.

Round
Full-looking face with a round chin and hairline. Widest point is at the cheeks and ears.
Try
hair styles with fullness and height at the crown. Off center parts. Short hair styles with a swept-back direction or hair styles that are longer than chin length. By layering the top to achieve fullness and keeping the rest of the cut relatively close to the face, your face shape will appear longer and narrower.

Square
A strong, square jaw line and usually an equally square hairline.
Try
Short-to-medium length hair, especially with wave or roundness around the face. Wispy bangs. Off-center parts, height at the crown. You want to soften the square look of your face with layers and wispy looks around the face. Height at the crown will elongate your symmetrical shape. If your hair is straight you may want to consider a body wave, as some curl or wave to the hair will achieve a nice balance to the straight features of your face shape.

Heart
Face is wide at the temples and hairline, narrowing to a small delicate chin.
Try
Chin-length or longer styles. Side-parted hair styles. Swept-forward layers around the upper face, gently wispy bangs. A chin length bob is great on your face shape! This creates a balanced look by giving fullness where you need it. You can wear shorter styles, however, if you are a dramatic heart shape you need to leave weight in the back nape area. This will achieve more balance between your dramatic cheekbones and more narrowing chin.

Triangular
Reverse of the heart-shape . . . a dominant jaw line with narrowing at the cheek bone and temples.
Try
Shorter hair that balances prominent jaw line. Styles that are full at the temples, taper at the jaw. Off center parts. Wedges and shags look great on you. You need lots of layers to achieve fullness through the upper part of your face. By wearing styles which are full at the temples and taper at the jaw line, you achieve a balance which can be remarkable, in accenting features otherwise understated. Try tucking hair behind your ears as this will draw attention to your eyes and add width in this area.

Diamond
A cross between heart and a dramatic oval. Widest at the cheekbones, and narrow equally at the forehead and jaw line.
Try
Your face shape is balanced and dramatic. Try a variety of styles. Almost everything works with your face (as long as you are a true diamond). You can wear shorter styles, however if you are a dramatic diamond shape you need to leave weight in the back nape area like a heart shaped face. This will achieve more balance between your dramatic cheekbones and more delicate chin line.

**********
I went REALLY short with mine the last time, and my DH absolutely hates it :guilty: So I'm growing it out again, and of course even though my hair usually grows really fast it's taking forever - the funny thing was, I kept complaining about it before I cut it and he never mentioned he liked it longer then, only AFTER I cut it! Men! :furious:
 
Thanks for the info! That helped a bunch.

Looks like I'm a cross between oval and oblong. Since I'm no model, I'll go with and oblong-appropriate cut.

I'm going to do a "long-short" cut, then gradually get it cut shorter each time. Don't want to go too drastic this time around - I remember my teenage years of hair experimentation. :teeth:
 












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