Going to the hairdresser can be a nerve-wracking experience, especially if you are not sure what you want. Ease your nerves by doing some research ahead of time, browse women's magazines or the internet for examples of the style you're looking for, and don't be afraid to bring a few pictures into the salon with you. Sharing these pictures with your hairdresser will give he or she a visual idea of what type of cut you're interested in.
However…it's important to keep in mind that just because a particular haircut looks good on Jennifer Aniston does not mean it will look good on you. Different cuts are flattering for different face shapes. Determining what shape you have can help guide you in the right direction. Tie your hair back away from your face and look straight ahead into a mirror. Focusing mainly on your jawline, see if your face is round, oval, heart-shaped or square. Your jawline is the most important factor in deciding what length your new cut should be. Look at your profile in the mirror. If you have a sharp angle where your jaw turns to meet your ear, you're lucky…you can pull off almost any length of hair. If your jaw is long and sloping, avoid wearing your hair up or pulling it back, and stay away from really short styles as they will expose your jawline.
Before selecting a style, it is VERY important to let your hairdresser know what type of routine you keep and how much time you have to spend on your hair each morning. Choppy, layered cuts, for example, require much more prep time than straight cuts. Very few women have exact, ideal proportions, but read on and you'll learn ways you can use your hair as a frame to fool the eye into thinking you do:-)
ROUND FACE
Soft, choppy styles such as layers cut around the cheeks work better for round faces than pin-straight, flat or sleek styles do. Layers that fall just around the cheekbones will shade them and cause the face to look more narrow. Volume on top of the crown will create a domed look that adds height and thus elongates the roundness of the face. If you like bangs, graduated bangs cut on an angle that also fall just around the cheeks are your best bet. If your neck is also round, choppy layers that fall around the neckline will also downplay the plumpness. (Ex: Kirsten Dunst & Christina Ricci)
OVAL FACE
The oval is considered to be the "perfect" face shape due to it's popularity and versatility. This is the shape that all haircuts seek to achieve, and people who already have this shape can get away with almost any haircut. The only thing you'll want to be careful about is if you're going for an uber-short look. Your face may be a "classic oval", but if your scalp isn't beautifully shaped a short cut can look misshapen. (Ex: Megan Fox, Jessica Alba)
LONG/OBLONG FACE
The solution for a long face is to make it look shorter. This can be achieved by wispy, see-through bangs and chin length cuts. Longer, shapeless styles and straight bobs serve only to further elongate. The fullest, thickest part of the hair should rest behind the ears and be soft and low on the crown. If your chin is pointy, make sure your hair doesn't curve in towards it, but sweeps up and away instead. (Ex: Sarah Jessica Parker & Lisa Kudrow)
SQUARE FACE
Square faces need to avoid short crops, symmetry, or anything geometric which will enhance the squareness; instead, go for soft curves which will soften the severity of the square jawline. If you can get a slightly voluminous point at the crown, this will also detract from the square outline. Light, wispy, see-through bangs can also soften the features. Stay away from blunt cuts and hard, sleek lines as these will exagerate the square shape. A cut with soft curves, slight bangs would be best for this face type. (Ex: Angelina Jolie & Demi Moore)
HEART-SHAPED FACE
Faces that are narrow at the bottom and wide at the top need a cut that hides the hairline with graduated bangs and a choppy style that flips out on the ends. When the hair turns outwards rather than inwards, it equalizes the shape by giving volume around the narrow bottom of the face. If, on the other hand, your face is an upside-down heart (narrow at the top, heavier at the jaw) make sure there is fullness at the top of the head instead to balance out the chin. (Ex: Reese Witherspoon & Victoria Beckham)
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