How to Choose a Short Hairstyle That Suits Your Face Shape

Last Updated: March 29, 2023

Short hairstyles have gained a lot of popularity among women over the past couple of decades. While there is a common belief that short hairstyles are suitable only for certain faces, the truth is that you can opt for a short hairstyle regardless of the shape of your face. The key is to highlight the best parts of your face while camouflaging the unflattering parts.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Knowing Your Face Shape

1
Determine your face shape. The first step is to observe your facial shape intently and identify the key aspects and features that make your face stand out. To do this, stand in front of a mirror with your head tied back and an expressionless face. Take note of your key features to assess your shape. Even if your face shape doesn’t exactly match these guidelines, stick to what’s the closest to your face shape:
- An oval shaped face is slightly long and has well defined cheekbones. It gets widest at the forehead and resembles the shape of an egg. Oval is the most versatile face shape.
- A round face isn’t always pudgy. It is widest at the cheekbones and curves smoothly towards the top and bottom, forming a circular shape.
- A square-shaped face is almost proportionate in height and width and has a chiseled jaw line.
- A heart-shaped face is broadest at the forehead and greatly narrows down towards the chin.
- A diamond-shaped face has a narrow forehead and a narrow chin. The cheekbones are the widest part of the face and the hairline is the narrowest as compared to any of the other face shapes.
2
Know the pros and cons. Before choosing your hairstyle, you must identify those areas of your face that you should highlight and those that you should camouflage. Doing this will add just the right zing to your look.
- Oval face: The perfect hairstyle for your oval face will help reduce the length of your face.
- Round face: If you have a round face, you should opt for short hairstyles that make your face look slimmer and longer.
- Square-shaped face: A hairstyle that complements a square-shaped face is one that softens the jaw line and enhances the cheekbones.
- Heart-shaped face: The ideal hairstyle for your heart-shaped face should be able to divert attention from your broad forehead and add width to your tapered chin.
- Diamond-shaped face: For your diamond-shaped face, your hairstyle must add an illusion of width near your chin.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Selecting a Hairstyle

1
Experiment with edgy hairstyles if you have an oval face. You could try the following styles:
- A funky style like a razored pixie will look great on your face structure and will define your cheekbones.
- Layered and messy bobs that add volume to your hair, take the attention away from the length of your face. They also help highlight your cheekbones.
- If you are conscious of the length of your face and your broad forehead, you can opt for rounded bangs that will give your face a softer look.
- Avoid short hairstyles with elements of height like bouffant and pompadour, as they are heavy on the crown and can make your face seem longer.
2
Consider the following looks if you have a round face:
- A wavy and voluminous lob (long bob) is a great hairstyle for a round shaped face as the curls help soften the roundness of your face while the length makes your face appear longer.
- If you want to try out a pixie cut, make sure to ask your stylist to give your hair volume at the crown, with tapered edges and softness around the ears. A bigger crown will give the impression of a longer face.
- Opt for side swept bangs rather than letting them fall on your forehead. These bangs help define your cheekbones and make your face seem longer and thinner.
- Avoid blunt hairstyles that end at the jaw as they accentuate the roundness of your face.
3
Try the following styles if you have a square-faced shape:
- A graduated bob which is shorter in the front and longer at the back will look excellent if you have a square shaped face as it will conceal the width of your face and make it look longer.
- Wavy and layered shag with soft edges will help soften the impact of your well defined jaw line. Ensure you ask your stylist to cut the shortest layer in line with your chin.
- Opt for side swept bangs over blunt bangs to minimize the emphasis on your forehead. Go for side parting instead of middle parting
- Avoid sharp cuts like the classic bob which will only further highlight your strong jaw.
4
Try these short hairstyles to highlight your best feature if you have a heart-shaped face:
- A long bob works best for a heart shaped face as it falls beyond the chin taking away the attention from your slender jaw line. Adding bouncy waves to this hairstyle is even better as it will give the illusion of width.
- An experimental yet stylish hairstyle that you can try if you dare is a sleek crop with side swept bangs. If you are willing to show off your pointed chin, this style is perfect for you.
- Settle for long and side-swept bangs that cover your broad forehead.
- Avoid hairstyles that add height at the crown as this may increase focus to your slender jaw line.
5
Keep these tips in mind if you have a diamond-shaped face:
- Angled bobs work well with diamond shaped faces. Adding texture and waves to this hairstyle will help camouflage the narrowness of your face.
- Opt for a side parting as the diagonal direction emphasizes the cheekbones and creates the illusion of an oval shape.
- Bardot bangs work beautifully for diamond shaped faces as they help add some width to your narrow hairline.
- Avoid hairstyles with too much volume at the crown.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Getting the Haircut

1
Be certain of your choice. Before choosing any short hairstyle that suits your face shape, make sure it blends well with your personality and doesn’t hinder your professional standing.
2
Get expert help. Reach out to a good hairstylist if you are opting for a drastic change of hairstyle. Remember, a haircut gone wrong takes a long time to outgrow.
3
Get your hair cut. Once you have weighed all the pros and cons, get a haircut and flaunt your edgy new look.
4
Finished.

Expert Q&A

Question

What is the best haircut for very thin and fine hair?

Matt King
Director of Education, Fox and Jane Salon Group
Matt King is the Director of Education at Fox and Jane Salon Group. With over 15 years of experience and expertise in cutting and coloring hair, he specializes in crafting trend-forward and technically savvy training and development materials for hairstylists. Matt received his cosmetology education from The Blaine Beauty School.

Matt King

Director of Education, Fox and Jane Salon Group

Expert Answer

Shorter cuts are better, like a pixie cut or a sleek bob. Using the natural volume that your hair creates is a really great idea—and if you're open to doing it with some sort of texturizing powder or dry shampoo, that's awesome. Try using salt spray and dry shampoo on your wet hair before blow-drying it to give yourself more lift and volume.
Question

I want to cut my hair short, but I'm afraid it won't look good, how can I find a way to be sure about my cut?

Community Answer

Try a wig. It might give you an idea of what your face will look like with short hair.
Question

I have a long face, do you think a bob would flatter me?

Community Answer

Yes! Bobs are great for long faces.