Sebastian International Design Artist, Anthony Cole and System Professional, India-Master Alchemist, Swati Gupta speak from experience
If you've ever walked away from a salon with a terrible hair cut, simply because you were not quite sure what you wanted, here's a chance to smooth out the basics of what hair silhouette will work best with the shape of your face.
First things first—what shape is your face? “Tie your hair back. Look in the mirror and outline your face. This is the best way to figure out its shape,” says Swati Gupta. If mental measurements is not something that you're comfortable with, outline your face in the mirror (preferably with a non-permanent marker). “Oval faces are the ideal shape and can carry off just about any style. When cutting hair for people with other shapes, the idea is always to cut of the edges or make adjustments to make the face look oval,” explains Swati.
Do you have strong square/rectangular lines?
Avoid fullness on the sides
Cut to Fit
“Avoid fullness on the sides. Focus on fullness on the top,” recommends Anthony Cole.
“The fullness on top helps create the oval shape that is the aesthetic ideal,” explains Bangalore-based hair expert Swati Gupta. “Here, we need to cut the square to create an oval shape, make space on the forehead and round it up".
If left to Swati, she would, "begin at the forehead and go down to the sides, creating layers that start at eyebrow level; shaping down to chin level and going further down in a forward-graduation shape, like a very old Jennifer Aniston hair cut. We create a lot of texture framing the face and coming through down the front. Even the hair from the nape area needs to come down to the front. Longer lengths tend to work better. If you're determined to have a bob, go asymmetric and longer on the front to cut off the corners.
Styling Cues
“Keep the cut very close along the sides with a little height on the top. This is applicable even when doing up dos,” insists Anthony.
“Create sharper shapes on the sides,” advises Swati.
Have a round face?
Try fringes and disconnected layers
Cut to Fit
“You need to be careful of too much volume on the sides. Try square layers or square shapes, which tend to work well with round faces. These faces look beautiful with square fringes,” shares Anthony.
“A side-sweeping fringe works well with a round face,” suggests Swati.
“Create layers on top, perhaps with a bouffant to make the face look more oval. Let the layers on top be shorter and more disconnected. Go sharper and more whispy on the sides. Anything which cuts the jawline will work. Avoid mid-lengths or you'll look podgy. Also avoids lengths between your shoulder and neck. Keep your hair chin level or let it grow beyond your shoulders.”
Styling Cues
“Fullness should be maintained on the top to elongate the shape of the face and make it appear oval,” says Anthony.
“Sharper angles at the sides will give you better definition,” recommends Swati.
Do you have a heart -shaped face?
Try a shoulder-length bob
Cut to Fit
“More volume should be maintained on the sides and less volume on the top. Shoulder-length bobs work really well for heart-shaped faces,” advises Anthony.
“This face shape is the closest we have to an oval (though with a slightly protuding chin) and is very easy to work with. The idea is not to have too much sharpness around the jawline, whilst building a little volume around the sides of the face. All lengths work well with this face shape”.
Styling Cues
“Maintain a lot of fullness and texture on the sides under the cheekbone,” recommends Anthony.
“Soft curls offer natural movement and work well for this face shape,” says Swati.
Is your face oval?
You can carry off just about anything
Cut to Fit: “For oval-shaped faces, it is ideal to maintain a lot of fullness on the
sides and no fullness on the top as you do not want to elongate the face anymore. People with this face type
can opt for long layers with a lot of texture on the sides,” says Anthony.
“They can carry off pretty much anything–short crops, bobs...” says Swati.
Styling Cues: "Opt for very textured sides and flatness on the top of the head," advises Anthony.
Ad told to Averil Nunes
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}