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Hairstylists Reveal 10 Haircuts for Every Face Shape — And How To Maintain Them

There's a haircut for square, round, long, and heart-shaped faces.

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A haircut can dramatically change your look and improve your overall confidence. Sure, taking some inches off of your hair may seem daunting at first. But, it’s worth it as you’ll likely spend less time doing your hair in the morning. Plus, a haircut gives your neck and shoulders a chance to experience the warm spring breeze. When choosing a haircut, pick one that complements your face shape. Why? Because it accentuates your features and gives you a naturally youthful look. Here’s a list of 10 haircuts for every face shape, and easy tips for maintaining these short styles all season long.

Best for Square Faces: The Polished Pixie

Glenn Close
Getty Images

The rounded silhouette of a long pixie softens the rigid angles of a square face, according to hairstylist Ursula Stephen, who’s worked with Mary J. Blige and Kerry Washington. What to ask for: A rounded, ear-length pixie with stacked, graduating layers and side bangs. Cut-prolonging style tip: After blowdrying, wrap 2-inch sections of hair around Velcro rollers like Drybar High Tops Self-Grip Rollers (Buy from Sephora, $12); let sit for 15 minutes, then remove. The rollers create oversize curls that keep the cut looking rounded and structured as it transitions to a longer crop over time.

Best for Heart Faces: The Flirty Flip

Katie Couric
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“The ‘kick’ of flipped, angled ends directs the eye out and away from a pointy chin,” hairstylist Carrie Butterworth, who has worked with Sigourney Weaver and Mena Suvari, says. Also flattering: long side bangs that swoop over and take focus away from a wider forehead. What to ask for: A shoulder-length bob with sideswept fringe, long, blended layers, and “sharp” razor-cut ends. Cut-prolonging style tip: Dry hair while using a paddle brush, pulling strands down and out toward the ends to create flippy texture. When all of hair is dry, lightly mist with a spray-on wax like Redken Wax Blast 10 Finishing Hairspray Wax (Buy from Ulta Beauty, $23). The spray sets the style while offering grip that allows you to manipulate strands-especially great for holding shape when in need of a trim.

Best for Round Faces: The Beveled Bob

Taraji P. Henson
Getty Images

An uneven bob’s angular style “contours” cheeks while directing focus down to “slim” the face. “And infusing the cut with volume and texture further detracts from any facial fullness,” Butterworth says. What to ask for: A blunt-cut, jaw-length bob that’s slightly longer on one side and tapered in the back. Cut-prolonging style tip: Work a nickel-size amount of a curl cream, like Pantene Curl Affair Curl ReShaping Cream (Buy from Walmart, $10.90), through damp locks, then dry hair with a blow-dryer’s diffuser attachment. This creates soft curls that slightly diffuse the rigid lines of an uneven cut as it grows out.

Best for Heart Faces: The Fringed Shag

Sara Rue
Getty Images

“Bold eyebrow-skimming fringe brings attention up to eyes and away from a sharp jawline,” hairstylist Anthony Cole, who’s worked with Christie Brinkley and Karolína Kurková, says. “They also act like Botox because they cleverly cover fine lines on the forehead.” And wavy strands that skim past shoulders visually fill in an angular chin. What to ask for: A cut that rests just above the bust with full, brow-length bangs and long, blended layers throughout. Cut-prolonging style tip: Wrap 2-inch sections of dry hair around a 1 ½-inch curling iron, then brush through with fingers. Set with a sea salt spray like Wella Professionals EIMI Ocean Spritz (Buy from Walmart, $16.95) to give waves more longevity. And when bangs become too long, try parting them down the middle or sweeping them to one side.

Best for Round Faces: The Layered Lob

Malin Akerman
Getty Images

The linear structure of a long, blunt bob gives the jawline a chiseled, angular appearance, says hairstylist Julien Farel, who’s worked with Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Rachel Weisz. It also pulls the eye up and down, “stretching” the face so it appears longer and leaner overall. What to ask for: A long, shoulder-length bob with side bangs, blended layers and textured ends. Cut-prolonging style tip: Work a dollop of a volumizing mousse like Dove Style + Care Volume and Fullness Mousse (Buy from Walmart, $14.99) evenly from roots to ends of damp hair as it lifts hair up at the roots and creates flattering body. Then, blow-dry with a medium-size round brush. Once all of hair is dry, gently tease strands at the crown for added volume. As hair becomes longer, use a hair mask like Hask Argan Oil Repairing Deep Conditioner Packette (Buy from CVS, $1.97) once a week to nourish strands and reduce the split ends that can look more apparent when hair grows.

Best for Long Faces: The Cheeky Chop

Charlize Theron
Getty Images

Wispy layers that fan out mid-cheek add optical width to balance the length of a long face, says Cole. Even better? Because the shorter cut pulls focus up to the fullest part of the face, it helps further counteract its more narrow appearance. What to ask for: A razored crop that hits at the neck’s nape in back with long, choppy layers and diagonal bangs in front. Cut-prolonging style tip: Loosely wrap one-inch sections of hair around a 1 ½-inch curling iron, then gently brush through and mist with a texturizing spray like Sebastian Professional Shaper (Buy from Amazon, $18.45) to add bounce to the style. Once the cut starts to lose its structure, tuck hair behind ears or pin back with bobby pins.

Best for Round Faces: The Piecey Pixie

Rita Moreno
Getty Images

A pixie with voluminous layers bulks up hair so the fuller face shape looks slimmer in comparison, says celebrity hairstylist Ursula Stephen. Plus, layers give hair depth so even the thinnest of tresses appear two times thicker. What to ask for: An ear-skimming pixie with feathery layers and full fringe that blends in subtly with sides. Cut-prolonging style tip: Blow-dry hair, then apply a pea-size amount of pomade like Kenra Professional Clear Paste 20 (Buy from Ulta Beauty, $16.99) onto the ends of layers to help them stay in place no matter how long they get.

Best for Long Faces: The Silky Swing

Kelly Rowland
Getty Images

Brow-skimming bangs and a jaw-length bob direct focus up, tricking the eye into seeing a shorter, less narrow face. What to ask for: A blunt bob that hugs the jawline with beveled edges and full bangs that hit just above eyebrows. Cut-prolonging style tip: Run one-inch sections of dry hair through a flatiron, and when toward the ends, pull hair slightly in toward the face to create a subtle curve. This keeps the style looking sleek and sharp, even as it grows out. Once all hair is straightened, set with a strong-hold hair spray.

Best for Heart Faces: The Angled A-Line

Claire Danes
Getty Images

“The slant of an asymmetrical style that swings above the shoulders takes the focus off a smaller chin,” celebrity hairstylist Julien Farel says. And paired with a deep side part, the uneven silhouette creates the illusion of a smaller forehead. What to ask for: A beveled bob that’s 2-inch longer on one side with blended layers and angled ends. Cut-prolonging styling tip: Make a deep side part, then loosely wrap a 2-inch section of dry hair around a 1 ½-inch curling iron, leaving ends out for beachy texture and bends. Continue until all of hair is curled; gently tousle and break up curls with fingertips to avoid overly contrived coils. Set the look with dry shampoo like Love Beauty and Planet Coconut Water & Mimosa Flower Oil Absorbing Volumizing Dry Shampoo (Buy from Target, $14.99), which adds grit that helps lock in waves. And once the cut begins to grow out noticeably, try swapping the part to the other side of the face. This will help keep the style looking fresh for at least another month.

Best for Square Faces: The Tousled Crop

Jessica Lange
Jessica LangeGetty Images

When a crop has equal volume throughout, it creates the illusion of more rounded cheeks and draws attention up and away from a square jaw, says celebrity hairstylist Anthony Cole. What to ask for: A short bob that skims the cheeks and is slightly “cut into” to give movement and fullness to the one-length style. Cut-prolonging style tip: Use a one-inch curling iron on one-inch sections of hair so that curls fall away from the face. This creates maximum volume as they stack on top of each other. Then, once all hair is curled, gently brush through with fingers and set with hair spray. Also smart: As hair becomes longer, switch to a curling iron with a larger barrel like 1 ½-inch, to create soft yet less-compact curls that won’t overwhelm the face.

This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always consult your physician before pursuing any treatment plan.

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