Have you ever asked yourself, what is my face shape, and what haircut should I get based on that face shape? If so, you are definitely not the only one. This men’s guide to the best haircut for your face shape will provide everything you need to know on how to answer that question.

The first step in identifying the best haircut for your face shape is, well, figuring out your face shape. There are seven face shapes: square, oval, rectangle/oblong, round, diamond, heart, and triangle.

In order to identify which face shape is yours, it is necessary to measure your face. There a few methods available to complete this task. One involves outlining your face onto a mirror with a bar of soap. Another requires you to physically measure your face with a flexible tape measure. The last involves taking a picture of your face and printing it off.

Although the first two are probably the easiest and fastest, they are not nearly as accurate as the third method. Trust me, I had to re-write a major portion of this article after finding out the second method was just not precise enough.

So, since it is important for me to provide the best information and techniques to you, I will be focusing on the third method.

How to Measure Your Face Shape

Step 1: Take a picture of your face with a camera or smartphone. Make sure it’s directly in front of your face and not at any angle. Try and get the photo fairly close to your face without cutting any part of your head off. Basically, you are just taking a close-up selfie.

Step 2: Print off the picture. But, ensure your head is as big as it can be without going off the paper.

Step 3: Grab a pen, pencil or marker and place one dot in the center of your hairline above your forehead (widow’s peak). Place a second dot at the tip/center of your chin.

Step 4: Place one dot at the widest part of your jaw on one side; this is about an inch below your ear lobe. Place a second dot in the same location on the opposite side.

Step 5: Place one dot at the widest end of your cheekbone on one side. Place another dot in the same location on the opposite side.

Step 6: Place one dot at your hairline about halfway up the forehead from your eyebrows. Place a second dot in the same location on the opposite side.

Note: For measurements requiring the hairline, if it is receding, do your best estimate of where it should be.

Check out this example:

Now, grab a ruler or tape measure. You will need to make four measurements by connecting the dots: face length, forehead, jawline, and cheekbones. After making each measurement, write it down.

Face length: Measure from the widow’s peak point to tip of your chin vertically.

Forehead: Measure from hairline to hairline points horizontally across your forehead.

Jawline: Measure from point to point at the corner of the jaw horizontally.

Cheekbones: Measure the points from each cheekbone horizontally.

After writing down each measurement, note which is the largest. Now, let’s figure out which is your face shape.

Square: All measurements are relatively the same length. But, the jawbone angle is sharp and not rounded or curved.

Oval: The Face Length is greater than the Cheekbones, and the Forehead is greater than the Jawline. The jawline is curved or rounded, rather than sharp. Picture an upside-down egg. Some references indicate that if your Face Length is one and a half times greater than the Cheekbones, you have an oval face. For example, if your Cheekbones are 6 inches, your Face Length would have to be 9 inches to be considered Oval.

Rectangle/Oblong: The Face Length is the largest measurement, and the other measurements are relatively the same.

Round: Face Length is roughly the same as the Cheekbones. Cheekbones will be greater than the Jawline and Forehead, which tend to be roughly the same as well. Jawline features tend to be rounded or curved and not sharp.

Diamond: Cheekbones are the greatest measurement. The Forehead and Jawline have almost equal widths, and the chin is pointed.

Heart: Forehead is greater than the cheekbones. The cheekbones are greater than the jawline. The chin is pointed.

Triangle: Jawline is the greatest measurement, then cheekbones, then forehead. The narrowness of the forehead is often balanced out by a strong chin.

After determining your measurements and face shape, continue reading to find out the best haircut for your face shape.

Square

Probably the most masculine of the face shapes, this tends to be what people consider “chiseled”, with wide cheek bones and a square jaw.

The square face shape is versatile and can accommodate both long and short hairstyles. But be careful, the shorter you go, the more it will look like you just finished boot camp.

Keep sideburns and sides short to avoid adding additional width to an already wide face. This is done by keeping the sides as close fades, undercuts, or tapers. Consider keeping the top short to medium in length with some volume in order to elongate the face slightly.

Some facial hair stubble can add texture to a look without softening the jaw or cheekbone lines.

Square Face Shape Haircuts for Men to Consider

Hair Product to Consider

Oval

Although the oval face shape is not the most masculine, with a lack of sharpness along the jaw, cheeks, and chin, it works with just about any hairstyle.

In order to elongate the face, make sure to leave hair off the forehead. Avoid forward fringes, bangs, or crops that soften facial features and minimize the face length. Rather, go for volume and angles on top with short sides.

As for facial hair, take it or leave it. Due to the well-proportioned and symmetrical oval face, facial hair is not necessarily needed to compensate for a narrow chin or round jaw.

Oval Face Shape Haircuts for Men to Consider

Hair Product to Consider

Rectangle/Oblong

The rectangle face shape is sometimes considered oblong as well. It is the longest face shape and sits somewhere between a square and oval. Generally, the forehead, cheekbones and jawline are roughly the same size, but the face length is longer. This gives the appearance of a narrow, long face in lieu of a wide, short face.

The goal of a rectangle/oblong haircut is to keep the face from looking longer than it already is. This is achieved by avoiding short sides, like skin fades, and avoiding a lot of volume on top. So no pompadours or quiffs. Instead, opt for a well-balanced style that allows the hair to fall on the forehead or sides to equalize the face length.

You will most definitely want to avoid having a long beard with an oblong face. This will only serve to elongate the face even more. Instead, shoot for stubble or a short beard. Check out Best Beard Trimmer in 2018 With Guide for a look at beard lengths with pictures.

Rectangle/Oblong Face Shape Haircuts for Men to Consider

Hair Product to Consider

Round

Round face shapes are essentially squares in the sense that both have roughly equal measurements. But, instead of a sharp jawline, round faces are curved, with a rounded chin and lack of angular lines. Haircuts that add definition and angles to the face are beneficial, as are haircuts that add length to the face.

Opt for specific hairstyles that have short sides with longer hair on top. We are talking low to high fades, undercuts if possible, and tapers in the least. The squarer the hairstyle the better. Like oval faces, it is essential to keep hair off the forehead to ensure the face does not look even smaller.

A full, angular beard can help hide a rounded jawline. Otherwise, a good diet, low body fat percentage, and a chiseled physique can help mitigate the roundness of a face.

Round Face Shape Haircuts for Men to Consider

Hair Product to Consider

Diamond

Diamond is a fairly rare face shape with width in the cheekbones, angular jawline and narrower forehead. Diamond face shapes tend to have great bone structure that can accommodate longer hairstyles.

Hairstyles should add texture to the forehead area with full, high volume. This makes fringes an ideal candidate. Due to the diamond shape bone structure, the face won’t be softened as much by long hair. Additionally, longer hair can be tucked behind the ears to highlight the cheekbones. Avoid extremely shorts sides like fades and undercuts. This will only serve to accentuate the ears and make them look bigger. You can opt for haircuts with layers and softer lines to tone down the bone structure if needed.

Since diamond face shapes are able to support longer hair on top of the head, it is also able sport long beards. Or, stubble can add girth to a narrow chin and help to tone down angles.

Diamond Face Shape Haircuts for Men to Consider

Hair Product to Consider

Heart

A somewhat rare face type, heart shaped faces are wide in the forehead area and gradually get narrower down to the chin. The chin is often pointed and sharp, the forehead strong and commanding. Fortunately, there are ways to tone down the size of the forehead and add width to a narrow chin.

A narrow haircut with short sides and a short top will only highlight the discrepancy between the forehead and chin, while emphasizing sharpness. This should be avoided. Rather, mid length and longer hairstyles that aren’t too dense and heavy can soften a dominating forehead. A mid length side swept part is a contemporary style that can serve the heart face shape best. When using hair product, ensure that its hold is minimal to avoid developing hard angles. Check out A Complete Guide to Men’s Hair Products for a full rundown of available haircare products to achieve this.

This is one of the face shapes that are best served by having facial hair, as it can fill in the space by adding girth to a narrow chin and jawline. Consider a short to long beard, and check out Best Beard Trimmer in 2018 With Guide for pictures and beard length references.

Heart Face Shape Haircuts for Men to Consider

Hair Product to Consider

Triangle

Triangle face shapes are characterized by a narrow forehead, with a solid emphasis on the jawline. This often results in a long, strong chin, which is the opposite of the heart shape face.

Medium to Longer haircuts with an emphasis on volume and texture can help balance out a smaller forehead. Utilizing taper cuts or low fades can add bulk in the temple area to make the face appear more equal on top and bottom. But, don’t go too high on the sides with undercuts or high fades, as this will produce the opposite effect and highlight a narrow forehead. The key is volume, volume on top and volume on the sides. Don’t be afraid to use volumizing hair products to keep hair flowing throughout the day. See A Complete Guide to Men’s Hair Products for a comprehensive guide of available hair care products to suit your needs.

Due to the strong jawline of a triangle face shape, full beards should probably be avoided. This will only serve to add more weight to the already bottom-heavy face. Rather, opt for a clean shave or stubble at most.

Triangle Shape Haircuts for Men to Consider

Hair Product to Consider

Remember, all of these suggestions on the best haircut for your face shape are just that, suggestions. Nothing is set in stone, and at the end of the day, you need to do what makes you happy. It’s your hair. You can do whatever the hell you want with it. Experiment. Try new styles. The beauty of hairstyles is that they are not permanent. In a few weeks, you can try something different if you don’t like what you’ve got. You do you, man, and don’t let anyone take that away from you.

Struggle with acne, dark circles, oily skin, ingrown hairs, uneven skin tone, or a bad complexion? Do you worry that your skin tone will hurt your chances on your next date or hamper your next big, important event? Check out The Ultimate Guide to Concealer for Men & A Wingman for Your Face: CC Cream Tinted Face Moisturizer for Men, and learn how I fixed an embarrassing complexion with simple tinted moisturizer and concealer .

My sources for the Best Haircut for Your Face Shape, A Men’s Guide, and other great readings:

Enjoy reading Best Haircut for Your Face Shape, A Men’s Guide?

Check out Best Sunglasses For Your Face Shape, A Men’s Guide to learn which sunglasses go best with your face shape!

I put a couple of other important articles throughout this guide. In case they were not in your face shape section, they are: A Complete Guide to Men’s Hair Products & Best Beard Trimmer in 2018 With Guide. Both are important sub-topics in finding the best haircut for your face shape.

Check out more of our really popular articles: Minimalist Wardrobe for Men, A Casual Guide or 20 Best Watches Under 100 Dollars.

Thanks for reading Best Haircut for Your Face Shape, A Men’s Guide!

I put a lot of time into this one, I hope you found it beneficial.

-Chris