We’ve all experienced the disappointment of bringing a photo of the ‘perfect’ haircut to the salon only to find the style doesn't quite suit us in the same way. Thankfully, J.Lo’s stylist Chris Appleton has the answer. The secret to a flattering haircut lies in understanding your face shape.
In a recent Instagram post, Chris shared a guide to choosing the best haircut for your face shape, saying: ‘I want to stop you from ever having a bad hair day again.’ Imagine that!
By taking a quick look in the mirror and determining your face shape, you’ll be one step closer to finding a haircut that enhances your features, rather than working against them.
We’ve made it simple and have broken down the expert advice on which hairstyles suit each face shape best. Be sure to bookmark this for your next trip to the salon…
OVAL
If you have an oval face shape, like Victoria Beckham, consider yourself lucky! According to Chris, ‘You won the lottery, because honestly, an oval face suits most styles. The best look is a sleek middle part, beachy-wave style. My top tip is to play with layers and volume, because your face can take it.’
Sean Nolan, technical director at Hobs Salons, says: ‘Oval faces can dare to go shorter as they don’t rely so much on the hairline to lengthen or thin the face. If you’re feeling brave and really want to accentuate your features, go for a crop.’
SQUARE
For a square face shape, the key is to create balance, Chris says. ‘It’s all about softening the jawline. So soft waves work really well, and so do side parts. For me, the best look is a shoulder-length cut. Avoid blunt cuts, especially at the jaw, because you want to go for more movement to take away the squareness of the face.’
HEART
If, like Halle Berry, you have a heart-shaped face, Chris explains that it’s all about balancing the forehead. ‘You want to go for more of a side-swept curtain bang, or chin-length bob. My top tip is to draw attention to the downward part of your face and add volume at the jaw.’
ROUND
If you have a round face, you’ll have a naturally soft and youthful appearance. Chris says: ‘The key is to add some length with styles like long layers, curtain bangs and high up-dos. My top tip is to go for height and length to elongate the face.’
Sean adds: ‘Avoid anything that adds width. It’s also harder to pull off a slicked-back look with a rounder face shape. Soft layering and a wavy texture will create dimensions around the face that aren’t naturally there.’
RECTANGLE
If you have an angular jawline and longer face, Chris advises that: ‘The key is to add some width. What works really well to do that is full bangs and curls, because they add volume. Or try layered shoulder haircuts. To create movement, you want to avoid too much length and go for volume at the sides.’
