3 Ways to Identify Your Face Shape (The Correct Method)

When it comes to your hairstyle, the shape of your face plays a crucial role in achieving the most flattering look for you. Should you go for long waves or a close-cropped style? How about embracing a gamine vibe? This typically requires some consideration for most of us to ensure the style enhances our face shape. From center parts to side parts to daring a new set of bangs: How do you know if the style you desire for 2025 is the right one for you? It’s all about beginning with your face type.

3 Steps to Identify Your Face Shape

To determine your face shape, you’ll want to consider three essential criteria:

#1. Begin with the widest part of your face: your forehead, cheeks, and jaw.
#2. Is your jawline rounded, square, or pointed?
#3. The length of your face—is it short or long? There’s further information in the breakdown below.

I’ve also asked some of my favorite hairstylists to share their insights on various hairstyles to assess how they flatter the six common face shapes and the reasons behind it.

Oblong Face Shape

Oblong faces are similar to square-shaped faces, but are longer than they are wide. Your cheeks, forehead and jawline are about the same width and your chin has a subtle curve to it. Oblong face shapes may also be referred to as rectangular face shapes.

Celebs with your face shape: Sarah Jessica Parker, Alexa Chung

Top Hairstyles for Oblong Face Shapes:

Oblong face shape tends to be longer, with sharper cheekbones, Fabian says. “At any length having more of a full fringe can help soften the angles for long to medium hair,” Fabian notes. “I would definitely recommend adding layers to add movement and help lift the face so it doesn’t appear as long,” he adds.

Fugate says the oblong face shape typically “goes hand-in-hand with a larger forehead, so [his] go-to style is always bangs.” He specifies that you want the kind of bangs that are a bit more fun and versatile for this face length. “They can be totally Brooklyn vibes-blunt, or longer, eyelash ticklers, but as long as they create the illusion of a smaller, slimmer face, it all works.”

Those with oblong facial features can add any style to the haircut at that point, once you have figured out the bangs, he explains. “Even a super-long look, a jawline bob, short hair, or anything in between can work once you set in place a beautiful focal point over the eyes.”

The Diamond Facial Structure

Here’s how you can identify a diamond facial structure. If you draw lines connecting the center point of your hairline to your cheekbones and then down to your chin, it would form a diamond shape. The characteristics of those with diamond faces are a pointed chin and elevated cheekbones. It differs from a heart-shaped face in the hairline. Individuals with a diamond-shaped face have narrower hairlines compared to those with a heart-shaped face.

Celebrities sharing your facial structure: Jennifer Lopez, Megan Fox

Ideal Hairstyles for Diamond Facial Structures: 

Sally Hershberger NOMAD hairstylist Scott Fabian suggests that those with a diamond structure and long hair “try rocking a middle part or playing with curtain bangs to help create the illusion of a wider forehead.” Diamond facial structures have a more narrow forehead, he explains. For those with medium-length hair, “definitely add layers as well to highlight the cheekbones and open up the face in all the right areas,” Fabian notes. This provides the appearance of a more broad forehead, as well. If you choose short hair, Fabian recommends chin-length bobs or an angled textured pixie with a longer fringe.

Serge Normant John Frieda hair stylist Matt Fugate mentions that diamond-shaped faces are somewhat more uncommon. “They’re like oval and round, and are less tricky, but what you want to do is build strength at the jaw to make the face appear less ‘pointed’.” For long hair, Fugate says to select a cut with some facial framing right at the jaw. “A crisp, sharp smart bob like Lucy Hale’s can enhance the jawline’s prominence, even if the client lacks a defined one,” he explains.

Understanding the Oval Face Shape

Those with oval faces typically have foreheads that are slightly wider than their gently curved chin. Imagine an egg positioned upside down. If you have a tall forehead, your cheekbones are the widest part of your face, and your face is longer than it is wide, it’s likely that your face is oval-shaped.

Celebrities with your face shape: Constance Wu, Bella Hadid

Ideal Hairstyles for Oval Face Shapes:

Fabian suggests that those with long hair and an oval face shape incorporate face-framing layers to truly highlight their bone structure. “Oval face shapes can manage pretty much any hairstyle, but the longer the layers are, the higher the chance that they can elongate your face,” he explains. “A medium-length hairstyle is ideal for an oval face,” he says. However, if long hair isn’t your preference, explore our pixie cuts and other short hairstyles.