The hairstyles you shouldn’t try
A new hairstyle can take years off your face and get you out of a style rut immediately. However, with a multitude of literally thousands of different haircuts and styles, it's hard to work out which will suit you best.
But certain haircuts are universally uncomplimentary on certain face shapes. Thankfully, Terri Kay of Mark Leeson Hair in Mansfield and also Eastern Hairdresser of the Year, is here to guide you through going for the chop.
Figuring out your face shape
Certain styles suit certain face shapes, but how do you work out what your face shape is in the first place? Kay says, "start in front of a mirror with your hair pulled back from your face and use the closest match to the guide below."
Heart: Your face is wider across the temple and hairline, narrowing to a small, delicate chin.
Square: Your jaw line is strong and your hairline has a square edge.
Diamond/Triangle: This shape is the reverse of the heart and features a dominant jaw line and narrows at the cheekbones and temple.
Round: Your face is full with a rounded chin and the widest point is at the cheeks and ears.
Oval: Your face is slightly narrower at the jaw than at the temple with a gently rounded hairline.
What styles to avoid and which ones will work for your face
Hearts: Kay advises that hearts don't go too short and says avoid cropped, full styles with too much height that emphasise the upper half of the face. What to try: "A wispy fringe will look great if you want to go shorter at the front but keep length through the body of your hair. A chic chin-length bob is the perfect style for a heart shaped face."
Square: Stay away from pin-straight locks says Kay: "Very long, straight hair accentuates squareness and should be avoided." What to try: "A mid-length bob or layers will look amazing," says Kay. "Short styles look great on squares, especially with some texture and movement, such as a seductive side sweep fringe or a full, blunt one."
Diamonds: Again, Kay suggests avoiding a harsh centre part and shapeless straight hair. What to try: "A messy crop looks brilliant on diamond/triangle shapes and will balance your jaw line, while a mid-length cut with lots of layers will balance and look gorgeous."
Round: They might be super trendy, but Kay suggests avoiding those blunt, heavy bangs or a rounded or short haircut if you've got a round face shape. What to try: "All mid-length styles will look great but keep them just past the chin in length, and short styles that sweep back off the face are great. You can get away with a severe side parting or a side fringe, too."
Oval: Again stay away from a heavy, blunt fringe, advises Kay.What to try: "Long, loose and tumbling waves look amazing, or a sleek bun pulled away from the face will enhance your features beautifully. Because almost any style looks great on ovals, you could be daring with a pixie crop or a sexy, textured bob."
