In the same way that certain clothing works better with particular body shapes, some haircuts are naturally going to better suit certain cranial configurations. The key, of course, is to know your face shape before you can make a decision.
For men, there are four key face shapes – oval, round, square and heart – take a long, hard look at yourself in the mirror and try to identify which one you are. If you start crying, you’ve looked too hard, take a step back.
Hair advice for round faces
Round characteristics: a circular shaped face with a rounded chin.
As round faces are lacking in angles, you need to select a hairstyle that gives an impression of structure. To that end, square hair cuts with weight built up in the corners and on top – and less on the sides – are your best option. To give the appearance of a stronger jaw line, you could always add a beard too.
Hair advice for square faces
Square characteristics: a face that’s similar in width to length, with a strong, defined jaw.
You lucky bloke you’ve got the face shape that most of us are after – the square face is traditionally associated with masculinity and attractiveness. This shape will work with most hairstyles, but to soften it up go for a neatly-textured, rounded cut in a short length.
Hair advice for heart shaped faces
Heart shaped characteristics: with a pointed chin, your forehead is larger than your cheekbones and jaw line.
For men with heart shaped faces, the trick is to steer clear of very short, buzz cut type styles as these will only exaggerate the width of your forehead and the relative narrowness of your jaw. Instead, try a mid-length sweep or a soft quiff, making sure that the sides aren’t cut too severely short.
Hair advice for oval faces
Oval characteristics: essentially, your face is longer than it is wide.
If you’re a man with an oval face, the key is to wear your hair a little weightier on the sides – allowing your hair’s natural texture to come to the fore. By opting for a slick 50’s style that’s layered at the sides you’re preventing your face from appearing too long or stretched, whilst adding an additional dose of symmetry to your look.
Thanks to our pals over at London School of Barbering for their sage advice. LSB are the UK’s leading barber trainers – they have two branches and offer free haircuts to all who walk through their door. We recommend you check them out.
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