How to Choose the Right Haircut for Your Face Shape

Like your clothes, haircuts aren’t always standard. Getting the perfect haircut is more than just a few snips of your scissors! Before visiting your hair stylist, you should know your face shape so you’ll know exactly what to ask for.

This can help you achieve a good haircut that will look just right on you. Want to get a haircut but don’t know which style will fit your face? You’ll have the answers in a bit, ‘cos today we’re going to focus on the shape of your face and how it impacts your hairstyle.

Gentlemen!

Never underestimate the importance of a haircut. Your choice of hairstyle is of crucial importance when it comes to the way the world perceives you.

Here is a familiar scenario for most men – You get to the barber’s shop, and when it’s your turn to cut your hair, you sit and get the dreaded question: “What style of haircut do you want, sir?”

You know you’ve got two options –

(1) Go with your usual hairstyle or

(2) Pick a haircut from the hairstyle magazines lying on the table.

You choose Option (2) only to find out at the end that the haircut you’ve chosen doesn’t look good on you as it did on the model on the hairstyle magazine.

Don’t worry, you’re not alone in this dilemma!

A lot of men are in the same boat as you are, I can vividly remember the days I struggled with this before I finally found the right hairstyle for my face shape – or should I say, it found me.

Most men will look at a celebrity they admire and would want to copy the look as well. Unfortunately, it’s not always that simple. Just because you like a celebrity’s hair, doesn’t mean it will look good on you.

If you’re confused on what hairstyle to go for, I’d advise that you pick one that goes hand-in-hand with your face shape so it will look great on you.

It’s better to know which styles best suit your face shape before going to the barber shop or picking a style. However, you just need to do a little homework by figuring out your face shape before you pay a visit to the barber.

There are certain pointers you need to keep in mind while opting for a haircut that fits your face shape.  The way a haircut looks depends on a few factors.

• Your hair type
• The way your hair grows
• The shape of your face

But how can you actually determine what shape your face is?

How to Determine Your Face Shape

In order to determine your face shape, you will need a flexible tape measure. Then, follow the steps highlighted below.

• Beginning at your forehead, measure across your face from the peak of one eyebrow to the other eyebrow. Write the number down.
• Then, measure across your cheekbones from the pointiest part below the outer corner of each eye to the other, write the number down.
• Moving lower to the jaw, measure your jawline at its widest point. You guessed it: write it down.
• Next, measure your face length from your chin to the top of your forehead at the hairline write down the number.
• Then measure your jawline from the tip of your chin to below your ear, take note of the number and multiply it by two to get your jawline measurement.

Once you’re done, note which is the largest, use the measurements and compare it with the following shapes.

Types of Face Shape and Haircuts

Here’s a list of types of face shape and hairstyles that’ll help you flaunt your face shape with more grace and élan!

Note that the same hairstyle can go for different face shape, so don’t be afraid to try a different style that goes with the shape of your face. Plus, all the hairstyles below are befitting for a classy gentleman. 

Let’s go through the list without any further ado.

1. Diamond Face Shape

The diamond shaped face is long with a pointy chin and wide, high cheekbones and is one of the rarer face shapes. Your face is long with a defined chin, but your cheekbones, forehead, and jawlines are very wide. Here’s how to get the best out of your diamond face:

• The bald and bearded look is a great choice for this face shape, however, if you intend to grow your hair out, longer hairstyles will look good on you.
• You should avoid square cuts and keep your hair softened with a layered haircut.
• I recommend that you grow out your beard to enjoy different hairstyles that pronounce your bone structure.

Hairstyles for Diamond Faces

Buzzcut, crew cut, skinny, frohawk, side parting, and waves is a good look.  

2. Oblong Face Shape

The oblong face is also known as rectangular has cheekbones, jawline, and chin that are well-balanced. However, it is a longer version of the square face shape, all the facial features such as; the cheekbones, jawline, chin, and forehead are equal – but your face is long and narrow instead of short. Here are some tips below:

• Don’t choose hairstyles or long beards that will make your face look longer. Apart from that, you can pull off any hairstyles, lucky you!

Hairstyles for Oblong Faces

A clean-shaven head (skinny), twist with fade, taper fade, crew cut, side part or buzz cut will do just the trick. Here are some nice haircuts for the oblong face shaped man.

3. Oval Face Shape

Unlike the round face shape, the oval face is longer than the width of your cheekbones and your forehead is wider than your jawline.

But there is no sharpness along your chin, cheeks, and forehead which makes your face longer than your cheekbones, your forehead is wider than your jaw, and your head shape is generally curved without sharp corners. Here are some tips for this face shape:

• Do whatever you like and you’ll look great.
• Create some volume at the top as it will help to elongate your features.

Haircuts for Oval Faces

Shorter haircuts are best suited for this type of face shape. Examples of haircuts are the buzz cut, crew cut, waves, faded undercut or a skinny haircut. You can also grow your beard with an oval face, but a thick stubble or a clean-shaven face is ideal. See some examples below:

4. Round Face Shape

A round face is similar to a square face but it has a smaller forehead with a small rounded jawline. However, there are no sharp lines of the jaw but rather a gentle curve. Here are a few tips for this face shape:

• Style your hair upwards to elongate your rounder face,
• Opt for hairstyles that will elongate your head and give you a more masculine, and angled appearance.

Hairstyles for Round Faces

For a more defined and longer jawline, go for hairstyles with height at the top like side partings, crew cut, clean-shaven head, fauxhawks and, afro fade.

5. Triangle Face Shape

A triangle head shape has a wider jawline with thinner cheekbones and temple area. Here are some tips below:

• Go for longer hairstyles to balance out your jaw and also add width and volume to the top of your head.
• No hairstyles with high fades to avoid narrowing the forehead even further.
• A well-groomed and full beard will cover the strong angles of your jawline.

Hairstyles for Triangular Faces

A long hair longer at the sides and longer on top on will create volume at the top. We recommend low fades, line up, or taper fade, short afro, curly tops, undercut, buzz cut, crew cut, and a clean-shaven head. 

6. Square Face

A square face is mostly sharp and masculine with a wide jaw and high cheekbones. You have sharp corners instead of rounded edges at the jaw. See some tips below:

• Go for short hair or medium-length hair on top to create volume – to elongate your face.
• For facial hair, go for a longer beard to lengthen your square jaw.

Hairstyles for Square Faces

Go for clean and close cut hairstyles such as a buzz cut, crew cut, skinny, waves, mohawk, or a taper fade.

7. Heart Face

Heart shaped faces look like inverted triangles with a fairly pointed chin, a noticeable wider forehead, and cheek measurements. Your face is slightly longer than it is wide at the cheeks by about an inch or so. Tips:

• Avoid cuts that are very firm, as these will pronounce the narrowness of the chin and the width of the forehead
• Avoid hairstyles with shaved sides and aggressive fades
• For facial hair, add some bulk to your narrow chin and jawline

Hairstyles for Heart Faces

A medium length cut is an ideal look. Medium length hairstyles like short afro will soften the heart shape’s strong forehead. Short twist, mohawk, buzz cut, crew cut and skinny will look great on you. 

FINAL THOUGHTS

Finding the perfect haircut that suits your style and face shape can take some time and experimentation. Now that you know what hairstyle suits the shape of your face, you can pick the right hairstyles for your face shape. You can also ask your barber or have an expert which hairstyles suit you perfectly.

In the end, it all comes down to the type of hair you have and how it grows.

What face shape and hairstyle do you have?

Until you hear from me again, continue to do well, live well and dress really well. Be Classy.

Yours in Style,

Kobi O. Mbagwu [Mr. Kobi]

Founder, KOBI KOACHMAN
Editor-In-Chief, MrKoachman.com

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KOBI KOACHMAN

My name is Kobi O. Mbagwu, a professional image consultant, menswear expert, and entrepreneur who uses fashion to change people’s lives. My personal goal is to help gentlemen dress better, live well, do well and develop a unique personal style that matches their lifestyle and goals. I believe that success can be built through style. I believe that fashion is a tool that can be used to change people’s lives positively. I strongly believe that if you dress well, you look good, and if you look good, you feel good and when you feel good, you worry less, and the less you worry the more you are able to stay motivated and focused on your goals pursuit and by so doing you are able to live a more fulfilling and successful life.

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