How to Part Your Hair Based on Your Face Shape

A hair parting can make all the difference in your looks, especially when you’ve consistently had the same one for years. A simple update can elongate your features, enhance your cheekbones, and soften sharp angles on your face.
Gen Z’ers recently canceled side parts by calling them tacky, but they probably haven’t experienced how wonderful it could be in hiding a hairstyle mistake. It’s also a part that can flatter most face shapes. However, depending on your hair type, a deep side part can elongate a face. This isn’t optimal for women with oblong or rectangular faces.

Common face shapes

To figure out what part would work best with your face, you must first determine the shape. In general, there are six different face shapes:
1. Round: These have soft features and a wide hairline set on a short face. The widest part of a round face is the cheekbones, with the forehead and jawline having similar width.
2. Oval: Oval faces are longer than they are wide, with a proportional balance along the vertical plane. The jawline and chin are usually round, while the forehead is the widest part of the face.
3. Square: Defined by a wide hairline and angular jawline, all the features have the same width. The face is as long as it is wide.
4. Rectangle: This is a variation of a square face. The differing factor is that it’s longer than it's wide.
5. Heart: People with heart-shaped faces usually have a narrow, delicate chin and a pointed hairline. The widest part of this face shape is the cheekbones.
6. Diamond: Diamond faces are a variation of the heart shape, with a pointy chin and high cheekbones. They usually have a narrow forehead.

How to determine your face shape

It’s an easy process to figure out your face shape, just make sure to pull your hair away from your face so it’s easier to scrutinize.
Start by finding the widest part of your face. You can do this by sight by looking in the mirror or using a flexible tape measure. If you have a wide forehead, you have an oval face shape. If the widest point is your cheekbones, your face is either round or heart-shaped. Even proportions point towards it being a square shape.
Your jawline also determines your face shape—a short and round jawline shows that your face is round. A pointy or narrow jawline means it’s a heart shape, while square faces have a strong jaw with sharp angles.
As a final step, measure the length of your face against the width. Measure from the left side of your face to the right, then from the middle of your hairline to the tip of your chin. If your face is wider than it’s long, you have may a round or heart-shaped face. If it’s longer than it’s wide, then it may be oval. If both the length and width are equal, then it’s a diamond or square face.

The best part for a round face

Curtain bangs would work best with this face shape. They draw attention to the center and visually lengthen your face. These bangs are parted in the middle, then angle downwards and get longer towards the jawline. By leaving a fraction of the forehead exposed and tapering out the hair at your jaw, onlookers’ focus is brought to the middle of the face instead of the round sides. This gives the illusion of a more diamond face.
Bangs may not be everyone’s thing, however. Try a deep side part and create lots of volume at the top of your head to make your face seem longer.
If you have textured hair and are looking to use your hair to create an optical illusion of a slimmer face, stay away from too many layers. Instead of elongating your face, they just add volume and emphasizes the roundness of your jaw and cheeks.

The best part for an oval face

Women with oval faces are blessed by the hair gods—they can work with any part or hairstyle and still look perfect. Middle parts can highlight any asymmetry in your face, while slightly off-center or deep side parts can look more flattering.
You can also have fun with some trickier looks, like slicked-back ponytails or blunt bangs across your forehead. Show off your features! Hair extensions can provide more length and volume to work with when creating exciting new hairstyles.

The best part for an oblong face

Oblong and faces are longer versions of round face shapes, with wider foreheads. Middle parts can make oblong faces seem extra elongated. A swooping part from one side to the other would create a good amount of volume and movement to draw attention away from the length.
Diagonal or zigzag parts can create visual interest by drawing the gaze across your face rather than vertically. Fringes can also work well with this face shape to help shorten the long shape of your face. Ask your stylist for a haircut with layers to enhance your cheekbones and strong jawline.

The best part for a square face

Blunt bangs and middle parts exaggerate strong jawlines. Keeping the hair around your face soft and wispy works best for those with square-shaped faces. Deep or slight side parts can help soften your sharp jawline. The part doesn’t need to be drastic; the point is to create a nice, soft frame around the face.

The best part for a rectangle face

Full bangs can go beautifully with long, rectangular faces. A middle part at the crown centers and frames the face by working as an optical illusion. The seamless flow into a full fringe gives a playful vibe and lets viewers focus on the lower half of your face. This accentuates your cheekbones, delicate chin, and strong jawline.

The best part for a heart-shaped face

Center parts draw attention to the middle of your forehead, which isn’t the best for those with pointy chins. A side part can break up the features a little more while creating more balance as well. A slightly off-center part can soften up the hair and chin by not letting on-lookers focus on all the angles.
If your hair parts down the middle by itself, train your hair to change its shape by parting your hair when it’s wet. Apply some gel to hold it in place and use a fine-toothed comb while blow-drying your hair in the new direction.
For heart-shaped women flaunting their natural hair, sometimes the best way is to not part your hair at all. Short pixies work wonders to keep your curls in check. It doesn’t need much styling, but lifting the hair at the root with a hidden part can draw eyes to your high cheekbones.

The best part for a diamond face

Diamond face shapes have sharp chins and regal-looking, high cheekbones. Your hair part would depend on how much you want to play up those features. Side parts work well to soften your face, while middle parts exaggerate them. It all depends on your personality and style preference.
For the ladies with curly hair, going big seems the way to complement your diamond face. It creates sufficient volume around your jaw to make your entire top half look more symmetrical. Part your curls in the middle and fluff them out around your face.

The best part for an inverted triangle-shaped face

Inverted triangles are close to heart-shaped faces, with a difference in the hairline, having much wider foreheads. Like with heart-shaped faces, parting your hair right down the middle can make your chin appear sharper and pointier. Go for side parts or a gently tousled, part-less look. Strong shapes that showcase texture and features are wonderful for this face.

Hair Extensions Installation Services in Houston, TX

Hair Extensions of Houston offers free consultation services to help you determine what would work best for your face shape and hair type! We’re a high-end Hair Salon Houston TX that prides itself on leaving customers feeling satisfied and confident with their new hair. We also offer hair extension styling, maintenance, and custom blended hair extensions using the copper lock hair extension system.
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