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Beauty

3 Chic Hairstyles That Look Great With Any Face Shape

Is it time for a new look?

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Looking to make a hair change? It’s always fun to look to celebrities for inspiration pics you can bring to the salon. We found three amazing hair cuts you can style in 12 face-flattering ways!

First, here’s how to tell what shape of face you have:

Your face is OVAL if: The length from hairline to chin divided by 3 is shorter than the length from the tip of your nose to your chin

Your face is a HEART if: The width of your forehead from temple to temple is longer than the width of your jaw from ear to ear

Your face is SQUARE if: The width of your forehead from temple to temple is equal to the width of your jaw from ear to ear

Your face is ROUND if: The length from hairline to chin divided by 3 is longer than the length from your nose’s tip to your chin

Keep reading to see which cut and style will make you happy.

1. The Modern Midi

“This mid-length cut is the shorter, edgier version of the once ubiquitous long bob,” says hairstylist Nelson Chan, who’s worked with stars like Sharon Stone and Sarah Michelle Gellar. “It’s elegant with minimal effort, and so versatile that it wows with all hair textures.” Whether adding waves or defining the ends, it’s easy to create a fresh look that fits your face shape in seconds.” Here, the one that’s right for you!

Michelle Williams
Getty Images

Best for Round Faces: Blunt ends on a chin-skimming crop create a linear focal point that offsets the fullness of a round face and gives the illusion of a more angular jawline, says Chan. And slight tapering toward the back keeps the eye moving vertically to “stretch” the face.

ASK YOUR STYLIST FOR: A blunt cut that is slightly shorter in the back than in the front, hits just below the chin and has light layering through the ends.

Vivica A. Fox
Getty Images

Best for Oval Faces: “The fullness from a heavily textured collarbone-length bob adds visual width, which balances out the narrow ness of an oval face,” says Chan. “This effect is enhanced when infusing tresses with medium-sized waves that ‘plump’ the diameter of strands.” Plus, creating a deep side part directs the eye over to one side to “reshape” the face so it appears fuller.

ASK YOUR STYLIST FOR: A bob that hits right above the collarbone with blended graduating layers and angled ends throughout.

Alicia Witt
Getty Images

Best for Heart Faces: Voluminous layers in “tiers” around the face take focus away from a wider forehead, while a lifted swoop in the center directs the eye up so the brow appears more long than wide. What’s more, flipped ends that curve outward fill in the open area around a small chin while softening any harsh angles.

ASK YOUR STYLIST FOR: A cut that sits at the base of the neck with defined graduating layers and “point cut” ends.

Leslie Bibb
Getty Images

Best for Square Faces: A style with a spherical silhouette instantly counteracts and softens the harsh angles of a square jawline, explains Chan. Also flattering: Curling a front tendril beautifully rounds out the face and adds a touch of sophisticated sass to tresses.

ASK YOUR STYLIST FOR: A bob that has a rounded shape along its perimeter with long layers throughout.

2. The Playful Pixie

“Infusing the short cut with layers and bangs ensures today’s pixie looks anything but matronly,” says hairstylist Carrie Butterworth, who’s worked with stars like Sigourney Weaver and Mena Suvari. The modern touches also give the ear-length style tons of volume.” Best of all, the low-maintenance crop is a cinch to style!”

Tamron Hall
Getty Images

Best for Oval Faces: The combination of a crop with wispy texture from layers along the top and tightly cut strands along the sides causes the eye to scan from side to side, adding visual width to a longer face, says Butterworth. “The layering also adds feminine flair to the edgier style!”

ASK YOUR STYLIST FOR: A pixie that’s shorter on the sides and longer on top with piecey, heavily textured layers through the crown.

Annie Potts
Getty Images

Best for Square Faces: “Long layers up top create a ‘halo of hair’ that draws attention up and away from a strong jawline,” explains Butterworth. “Plus, side-swept bangs keep the focus on the upper half of the face to help detract from the more rigid facial features below.” Styling tip: Work a dollop of mouse through damp hair before blow-drying for an added boost of volume around the crown.

ASK YOUR STYLIST FOR: A long pixie with blended layers through the top and soft side-swept fringe in front.

Rita Moreno
Getty Images

Best for Round Faces: The centered height of a pixie with a variety of layer lengths concentrated at the crown tricks the eye into seeing a longer, slimmer and more angular face, says Butterworth. Bonus: Brow-skimming, full bangs help mask forehead furrows as well as any thinning along the hairline and at the temples.

ASK YOUR STYLIST FOR: An ear-length cut with feathery layers up top and wispy, full eyebrow-length fringe that blend seamlessly with slightly longer sides.

Maggie Gyllenhaal
Getty Images

Best for Heart Faces: “Soft, long layers draw attention away from a more angular jaw while a deep side part visually slices the forehead so it appears more narrow,” says Butterworth. “And, an asymmetrical cut creates an angle that mimics the curve of the jaw optically filling the sides of a pointier chin.”

ASK YOUR STYLIST FOR: A pixie that’s slightly longer on one side with long layers throughout.

3. The Stunning Sweep

“Collarbone-skimming hair is feminine and chic and beautifully plays up features like a gorgeous neckline and a long neck,” says hairstylist Frank Friscioni, who’s worked with stars like Renée Zellweger and Katherine Heigl. What makes the standard crop stun on you? “Switching up the part or the direction of bangs.”

Courtney Thorne Smith
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Best for Square Faces: The wispy texture from face-framing layers and sideswept fringe gives hair bounce and movement that softens the sharp lines of a square jaw, says Friscioni. Plus, by sweeping gently across shoulders, the style directs eyes down to a dazzling décolletage.

ASK YOUR STYLIST FOR: A cut that sits right at the shoulders with graduating layers from the cheeks down and soft sideswept fringe.

Patricia Clarkson
Getty Images

Best for Heart Faces: “The combination of long bangs with a deep side part helps ‘shrink’ the size of the forehead,” says Friscioni. And the less-contrived look of effortless beachy waves that fall in different directions (one section is curled toward the face and the other away from the face) helps round out the chin for a less pointy appearance.

ASK YOUR STYLIST FOR: A shoulder- skimming cut that has long, blended and feather-like layers throughout.

Tina Fey
Getty Images

Best for Round Faces: Full bangs that cross the forehead in an almost 90-degree angle square off the top half of the face to counteract any fullness, says Friscioni. “And styling in springy curls creates a contour that visually chisels cheekbones, giving the face a more angular appearance.”

ASK YOUR STYLIST FOR: A collarbone-length cut that’s heavily textured from various-length layers throughout with bold, thick side fringe.

Julia Roberts
Getty Images

Best for Oval Faces: Parting hair down the middle of a cut with heavy layering creates face-flattering bulk on the sides that optically widens a narrow face. What’s more, curtain-like fringe that hits at the cheeks adds visual plumpness mid-face to balances its length.

ASK YOUR STYLIST FOR: A middle-parted shag that combines graduating layers around the face with ends that are “point cut” at an angle.

This story originally appeared in our print magazine.

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