What is your face shape? Here is a simple way to measure
STEP 1
The distance across your cheekbones
STEP 2
The distance across your forehead
STEP 3
The distance across across your jawline
STEP 4
Then measure downwards from the tip of your forehead to the middle of your chin.
We are going to tell you a secret. Hairdressers have been contouring for years. It may be all the rage now in makeup, but creating styles to accentuate our best features has always been at the heart of hairdressing. As a bride, knowing the shape of your own face and which styles are the most flattering will help you pick a wedding look that is stunning on you.
So what’s your face shape? Most people have oval faces (think Kim Kardashian) but you can have square (Angelina Jolie), round (Emma Stone) or heart-shaped (Reese Witherspoon). Which one are you?
A very simple way to determine this is to take some measurements: Namely, the distance across your cheekbones, across your forehead and across your jawline. Then measure downwards from the tip of your forehead to the middle of your chin.
If you have an oval face, the length of your face equals one and a half times the width. Face shapes nearly as wide as it is long are round. For anyone with a forehead roughly the same length as her jawline, the shape is considered square. A heart shaped face is widest at the cheekbones with a narrow forehead.
Now you know which one you are, follow our guide for the perfect style.
OVAL FACES
Side-swept bangs and a shoulder-length look will create width and softness. Soft waves further enhance this effect and are worn by oval-faced stars such as Beyoncé and Taylor Swift. To create the illusion of more width on longer faces, straight bangs across the forehead will do the job.
SQUARE
Women with square faces, such as Keira Knightley, look their best when their hair hits around the jawline in a textured or smooth bob. For longer hair, wear waves or curls that start below the ears to soften a strong jaw and add movement.
ROUND
A round face (think Miranda Kerr) really benefits from hair that creates some angles. Having pieces cut around the face and chin, or hanging down to highlight the cheekbones will create a more sculpted, slimmer look. Make sure hair is smooth, any volume or frizz will just add bulk. A sleek pony or severe up do will also add definition and offset the roundness of the face. Make sure no hair falls at the widest point of the face.
HEART
For a heart-shaped face (e.g. Zoey Deschanel), add volume around the chin with layers or waves to balance the face. Long side-swept bangs with an up-do or pieces falling below the ears will also have the same effect.
Expert Advice
When we spoke to local experts, we found out there’s more than the cut to consider when finding the perfect style:
Glenn Milliet, owner and lead stylist of Glenn Michael Salons advised: “A hairstyle is made up of three things: color, texture and cut. So when a bride comes to us, we spend time figuring out how to make each element work to achieve the most flattering look to suit her face, her dress and her style.”
Amber Buxton, owner an lead stylist of the Amber Buxton Salon says: “Hair is just like make-up, you can use darker and lighter colors to contour the face and accentuate features such as your eyes, lips and cheekbones. Just the right amount of highlights or lowlights can create dramatic effects.”
Shannon Diaz, owner and lead stylist of Up Sa Daisy Hair and Beauty Studio commented: “Most brides have a good idea of what they want to look like. Our job is to advise on how to adapt a style to suit them. It could be suggesting pieces to chisel out features or volume to soften; but in most cases brides are very good at knowing what works and what doesn’t.”
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