Best Bangs For Your Face Shape | Oval, Round, Square & More

Of all the drastic changes you can make to your hair, none is a rite of passage quite like cutting bangs.

Despite the bad rap they may get in pop culture (did you really go through a breakup if you didn’t cut a fringe?), bangs are a great way to complement your style and have the power to totally change your look.

However, it can be hard to judge exactly which kind of cuts will look good. So, we’ve enlisted the help of Edwards & Co. owner, founder and colourist, Jaye Edwards to lay it out.

“A haircut can either make or break your personal style, so it’s important you consider things like your face shape, the natural parting of your hair and lifestyle habits to maintain bangs,” Edwards tells marie claire Australia.

“Ultimately, you want the bangs to bring out the best features of your face, and to complement your face shape. While this haircut is not a ‘one size suits all’ approach, you can work with your hair stylist to customise the best look according to your face shape.”

Scroll on for Edwards’ advice and to discover what fringe might suit you most.

Best Bangs For a Round Face

Image: Getty

Rounder faces will likely suit longer, layered bangs. As Edwards explains, these work with the proportion of the face.

He notes, “The trick is to style these bangs so that some of the forehead is still visible, making the look appear effortless and balanced.”

Best Bangs For An Oval Face

If you have an oval face shape you’ve essentially won the fringe lottery, because most bang styles will tend to suit you.

However if you’re after specifics, Edwards says a blunt fringe would further define your face shape. Plus, a front fringe can grow out nicely into curtain bangs—so you can try two styles for the price of one haircut!

Best Bangs For a Heart Face Shape

According to Edwards, a long, voluminous fringe has the power to be totally transformative for a heart face shape.

“This will balance the wider forehead and draw attention away from a narrow chin,” he says.

Best Bangs For a Rectangular Face

For someone with an oblong or rectangular face, Edwards recommends giving the classic Jane Birkin bangs a go.

‘it gives that effortless cool French girl aesthetic and works best if you have long hair,” he advises.

Best Bangs For a Diamond Face Shape

Those with wider cheekbones and a narrow chin likely have a diamond face shape, and will suit most fringe styles that have some texture to them.

“This will make the face appear not as long and will bring out the cheekbones! Think, effortlessly messy bangs,” says Edwards.

Best Bangs For a Square Face

Those with a square face shape often have more defined features, such as a strong jawline. Bangs can be a great way to soften your face, with Edwards recommending a you ask for a wispy bang.

The look certainly worked for Hailey Bieber, who was sporting a feathery fringe way back in 2016.

Best Bangs For a Pear-Shaped Face

Last but not least, those with a pear face shape are in luck because you’re likely best-suited to the decade’s most trending cut: curtain bangs.

Edwards explains that longer curtain bangs will “lift your features rather than weighing them down.” Further, the exact shape, length and look can be customised with your stylist to complement you.

Digital Writer Ella Sangster Digital Writer

Ella Sangster is a Digital Writer at ELLE and marie claire Australia. She was previously the Digital Fashion Writer at Harper's BAZAAR and Esquire Australia, and her words have appeared in Women's Health Australia and The New York Times. When she isn't writing, you will find her at the beach, plugged into a pop culture podcast, or seeking out Sydney's best matcha.

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