Forget about Botox or plastic surgery. If you’re looking for a quick fix for your face, try a new haircut to complement your face shape.
“I always tell my customers that bangs are cheaper than Botox, and a haircut can put you in a whole different state of mind,” says Maria De Los Angeles, senior stylist at New York City’s Valery Joseph Salon. “There are so many things that can be done with a haircut.”
Of course, getting the right haircut is crucial to truly transforming your look. One of the keys is to select the right cut for your face. Here, De Los Angeles gives recommendations for every facial shape.
Round (Cameron Diaz, Charlize Theron)
“A round face is considered a classic face,” says De Los Angeles. “In the 1940s, the popular look for this face shape was soft, natural waves. Now we do more of a beachy-wavy kind of feel.” The key is to keep the length below cheek level; tell your stylist not to make the layers too short.
Angular (Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Garner)
“If you have this face shape, you’ll look good in most hairstyles. But if your features are large, you also have to consider your comfort level with the length and the texture of your hair,” says De Los Angeles. “Angelina Jolie gets it right: She wears her hair long, and it balances out her features. If you put short hair on her, you’d just see her lips.”
Heart (Reese Witherspoon)
“This face looks best with sideswept bangs, because usually the width of the forehead is broader than the chin,” says De Los Angeles. “I like layers of hair to make the hair fuller toward the cheekbone line. I don’t like it when the hair is super-straight; it’s like a curtain that shows the point of the chin too much.”
Long (Lisa Rinna, Joy Behar)
“What you want to do is shorten the length of this face shape, so I find bangs really help,” says De Los Angeles. “Shorter layers around the face help too. The length should be longer than the chest. And I would stay away from blunt lines.” She also advises against super-straight hair, which can elongate an already-long face. Instead, opt for layers and more fullness in the crown.
For Anyone: Bangs
Another face-brightening look that works for any face shape: bangs! “Bangs just freshen the whole look around your face, especially if they’re eyebrow-length,” says De Los Angeles. “You get a little layering and add side-swept bangs, and it just does wonders for a lot of women. It makes you look so much cooler and modern.”
If you choose to go with bangs, keep in mind that they need regular trims to keep from going from fabulous to frumpy. “Straight-across bangs look cool, but can be hard to wear, and they take a real commitment to maintain them,” notes De Los Angeles.
Photo: @iStockphoto.com/gemenacom
