9 Face Shapes for Women and Best Hairstyles for Each

While your face shape doesn’t entirely dictate the hairstyle or cut you get, it is a factor.

This is why we include a menu for face type so you can check out many galleries and hundreds of hairstyles by face shape.

At the end of the day, there are 9 main face shapes.  That said, many people have a combination of types; in other words not everyone can be pigeonholed entirely into one shape.

The above illustration showcases all 9 very well.

Below we get into more detail including more illustrations and examples.

1. Round Face Shape Example

See our women’s round face hairstyles gallery here.

Here’s a detailed illustration of the round face with different haircuts.

As you can see, a round face nicely accommodates all hair lengths and many different styles.

This type is widest half-way up the face and rounds out at top and bottom of the head.

Good haircuts:

• Center parts:  This helps give appearance of a longer face.
• Side-sweep:  This draws the eyes across and down which minimizes roundness.
• Around the face:  cuts that fall around the face can emphasize the round face which can look good in some instance.

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2. Oval Face Example

Visit our oval faces hairstyles gallery here.

Above is an illustration of an oval face accompanied with examples of different hairstyles for an oval face.

Good haircuts/hairstyles:

• Waves:  Waves provide width to an otherwise narrow face.
• Curved bangs:  Again, the curve in hair widens the look of the face.
• Side sweep:  A side-sweep widens the face.

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3. Inverted Triangle Face Shape Example

Above is our illustration showcasing an inverted triangle face shape along with how different hairstyles look on this face shape.  This shape is similar to the heart-shaped face (except heart-shaped has a widow’s peak), but it’s not as soft.  The wider upper facial area is more pronounced.

Characteristics include:

• Narrower jaw and chin;
• Wider upper face; and
• Flattish top of head.

Great hair features/styles: 

The goal is to minimize the wider forehead.  The following achieves.

• Bangs are great; and
• Half-Ups.

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4. Diamond Face Shape Example

Above is an illustration of a diamond face shape along with how different hairstyles and lengths look on this face type.

The diamond shaped face is another longish face type (like oval and oblong shapes).  The best hairstyles are those that slightly widen the face.  Those include:

• Side-sweep;
• Medium bangs;
• Wavy styles; and/or
• Layers.

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5. Triangle Face Type Example (#2)

Here’s an example of an upright triangle face shape.

Great hairstyles for this type strive to add width to forehead and slim down the jawline include:

• Off-center parts;
• Short cuts;
• Cuts with plenty of texture;

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6. Rectangle Face Type Example

Above is an illustrated example of a woman with a rectangular face type along with examples of how different haircuts look on this shape.

The aim of your hairstyle is to minimize the four corners of your head and reduce appearance of the longer face.  These styles include:

• Layers;
• Shorter with fringe;
• Waves and curls;

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7. Square Face Type Example

See our extensive gallery of hairstyles for women with a square face shape.

Here’s an example of what a square face type looks like along with examples of different hairstyles on this shape of face.

Like a round face, the goal of a hairstyle for a square face is to minimize the width.  Hairstyles or cuts that do this include:

• Longer styles including long layers;
• Center parts;
• long bob (lob);

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8. Heart-Shaped Face Example

See our extensive hairstyles gallery for women with a heart-shaped face

The heart-shaped face is a curvier version of the inverted triangle type.

The heart shaped face is distinguished from inverted triangle by the fact the heart-shaped has a widow’s peak.

Great hairstyles for this type are:

• Pixie cut;
• Long bangs;
• Long bob;
• Deep side part.

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9. Oblong Face Shape Example

The oblong face is the longest of the face shapes – tall and narrow.

Being the narrowest face shape, a good cut will widen the face.  This includes:

• Waves and curls;
• Layers and textures;
• Bangs;
• Side sweeps.