Hair That Suits Your Facial Shape

The two things people notice first are your face and hair. That's just logical since these two attributes are at eye level. But what this means is that having a bad hair day may skew your one chance at a first impression. That's not a good thing when you have a blind date and the guy turns out to be a George Clooney look-alike or when you have a job interview for the job of your dreams.

No Gel?

But a bad hair day is more than just the sum total of humidity and running out of hair gel. A girl needs to start out with a flattering cut and style. The way to get there is to assess the shape of your face and choose a cut and style that complements your own unique facial shape. Here we give you some tips on choosing a hair cut and style that plays up your natural beauty.

*Oval—If you have an oval face, you're in luck. Oval shaped faces are the most versatile of all when choosing a hairstyle. You can pick just about any style you like. But it's a good idea to choose a hairstyle that plays up a specific facial feature such as lips or eyes by drawing the eyes to that feature. Think of Liza Minnelli in Cabaret: Her pixie cut with the bangs that draw to a point somewhere between her eyes make her eyes seem huge and luminous.

Balancing Act

*Long—The trick to balancing a longish face is to add width through hair length. Keep your hair medium-length. Hair that is very long or cut very short will just make your face seem longer.

*Round—Go for a blunt cut with tapered ends. It's best to avoid a full hairstyle since this will make your face appear fat rather than just round. A short pixie cut works well as does a short and tousled style that adds height rather than bulk.

*Square—If you have a square jaw you can soften your angular lines with curls or waves. If you like smooth and sleek, you can go for a blunt cut as long as your hair hits somewhere below your jaw line. But stay away from chin-length styles which draw the eyes to the line of your jaw and avoid long, straight hair unless you have thick, very full hair.

*Heart—Aim for a hairstyle that draws the eyes upward and away from a pointy chin. Long bangs are a good bet.