It may come as a beauty revelation, but length isn’t the only thing to consider when you’re getting a haircut. According to our go-to hair expert Korina Stratton, the SF hair stylist who’s on speed dial for many a staffer here at Brit + Co, the most important detail to consider before you take to the chair is your face shape. Yep, the height of your cheekbones and the structure of your jaw drastically play into what haircuts will flatter your face best. That’s why we’ve asked Korina to break down what’s best for each face shape. Below, she dishes out the need-to-know details concerning the cuts you should stay away from + the ‘dos that are destined to become the best haircut of your life.
“Heart-shaped faces tend to be more petite and soft along the jawline,” Korina says. The most pronounced feature for girls with this face shape is the chin, so to keep your features feeling proportionate, Korina suggests you opt for soft cuts that are chin-length or longer. “Let’s use Reese Witherspoon as a prime example: if you search back through photos you’ll notice Reese has never had her hair shorter than her chin because it would not flatter her heart-shaped face.” (Even Sweet Home Alabama Reese had choppy layers that dropped to her jawline.) Here, Reese’s long layerd bob creates a softer face shape, especially with her just-curled waves and side part. (Photo via Valerie Macon/Getty)
ROUND SHAPE
“Careful not to go too short, round shapers!” Korina tells us. “Often, round-shaped faces tend to have fuller cheeks, and it’s more flattering to keep those cheeks warm, ladies.” According to Korina, lengthier cuts will help elongate your face shape, especially if you break up your cut with layers. “[They] create balance,” she says. “Longer layers work best, but if you choose to go a bit shorter, make sure not to start them any shorter than the bottom of your chin.” Notice how Kate Bosworth’s layers lengthen the appearance of her face — this is a style she kept even when she cut it all off. (Photo via Angela Weiss/Getty)
OVAL SHAPE
“Oval-shaped faces tend to look better with mid-length to longer-length styles. Shorter hair styles don’t usually work for the oval shape because they make facial features appear longer,” Korina says. To balance your features, Korina encourages cuts with all lengths of layers. That means bangs too, like Kerry Washington’s dense, choppy fringe that flatteringly frames her face. Longer bangs work for this face shape too. Be sure to use Kerry’s growing-out technique and sweep them elegantly to the side to make your forehead appear smaller. (Photo via Kevin Winter/Getty)
SQUARE SHAPE
“Square shape-faced gals usually tend to have wider jawlines,” Korina says, which means flattering cuts come in two extreme options. “Either cut the hair very short to expose the unique shape of the jaw or wear a longer hairstyle — it’s exciting to be able to pull off and shock others with two completely different looks!” Demi Moore was the square shaped hair muse of the ’90s-’00s (remember her buzzcut?), so now that we’re in the ’10s, we’re nominating Keira Knightly as our do-no-wrong hair icon. (Photo via Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty)
What’s been the best haircut *you’ve* ever had? Did you follow these guidelines or are you a rule breaker in the beauty department? Tell us in the comments below.
