Has a client ever asked you what hairstyles would be best suited to their face shape? As a barber, suggesting the most flattering styles should be second nature. Wez Jones, owner of The HeartBreak Club and Andis Ambassador, explains: “We now push short hair, and a lot of creative haircuts eliminate the need to follow standard shapes. However, having an understanding that certain hair shapes will complement certain face shapes is very important.” Whether they want to soften a square face, elongate a round face, or something else entirely, here's how to find the right haircut for your clients' face shape.
Round Face Shape
“A round face shape is characterised by a circular appearance where width and length are roughly the same,” explains Emily Breen, Barber at Cresswell & Co. To avoid emphasising this, she advises steering clear of buzzcuts. Meanwhile, Rhys Whitehouse, Wahl Artistic Team Member, suggests: “Think of opting for a squarer finish; since round faces often do not have a distinct parietal ridge you need to create the illusion of shape with the hair. A style with height and faded sides will elongate your silhouette, also adding more shape.”
Diamond Face Shape
Diamond and rectangular face shapes often present with longer jaw lines and wide, high cheekbones, therefore you’ll want to recommend a haircut that will give the face balance. Jim Shaw, Director of Toni&Guy Billericay, shares: “Adding a fringe or layers to the haircut is a good choice, as these will help add softness to your clients face; longer hairstyles also work well and will add softness to the forehead.” His top suggestions? The textured crop, the pompadour and The Dean.
Square Face Shape
A square face shape is defined by angles of the forehead, cheekbones and jaw being close to the same width. Charlie Holmes, Barber at Cresswell & Com adds: “There aren’t many hairstyles that won’t suit a square face shape, although fringes are something that you can benefit from staying away from, as they can give the illusion of roundness. Buzzcuts compliment a square face - the sharp features such as the jawline are highlighted by the light texture and the cheeks will appear straight and narrow.” Emily shares some great examples of this combo in action, such as David Beckham, Jason Statham and Justin Timberlake.
Oval Face Shape
An oval face shape is similar to a round face shape, however the key difference to note is that as the former is naturally longer. As such, Kevin Luchmun, Andis International Artistic Team Lead explains that they key to a flattering style is to add volume without elongating the face shape. “Working with soft textured haircuts with a bit more volume on top will work in balance with the face shape,” he says. As for specific styles, Emily shares: “I would suggest taper fades or much longer styles. With long haircuts you can frame the face, texture where needed and add more definition.”
Triangle Face Shape (also referred to as Inverted Triangle)
A defined jawline is the broadest area of the face, usually with a pointed chin. This face shape is similar to diamond, however in that instance the focus tends to be the high cheekbones, whereas a triangle face shape places the emphasis on the more angular, lower part of the face. Emily cautions against anything high and tight, such as an undercut, as this will accentuate the jawline’s width. Instead, Charlie shares: “A perfect hairstyle for this particular face shape would be a side part with a lot of volume on top to fill out the narrow forehead, or even a pompadour. Having the length and volume on the top means it will level out the jawline.” Good examples include Ryan Gosling, Patrick Dempsey and Ryan Reynolds.
Still wondering about the different haircuts that could suit your clients' face shape? Why not check out these six haircuts to know right now.
