You can snap a photo of your face, print it out, and trace around your face on the print-out, if you prefer. [3] X Research source Consider having someone else take your photo from a few steps away, instead of using a selfie which distorts your facial proportions.
This will help you determine which of the face shapes you have: round, oval, square, rectangular, heart, or diamond.
If your face is longer than it is wide, you have an oval face.
However, if your face is longer than it is wide, you have a rectangular-shaped face.
If your face is longer than it is wide, and your forehead is narrower than your cheekbones, you have a diamond-shaped face.
For example, if you have a short and wide round face, you might want to elongate it with sweeping bangs. Or, you might want super-short fringe that emphasizes your cute, compact features. [8] X Research source Search online for photos of celebrities with your face shape to see how different haircuts transform their faces.
Oval and heart-shaped faces naturally lend themselves to a variety of pixie cuts, so feel free to experiment![11] X Research source The narrow chin of a heart-shaped face and the long proportions of an oval face, especially if paired with sculpted cheekbones, can balance out lots of volume up top but can also feel balanced under buzz-cut style pixies. [12] X Research source
This kind of boyish look can be especially fun when contrasted with feminine style choices.
Consider a pixie with choppy texture framing your face and adding volume all over. This kind of style will break up the soft round curves of a round face and will emphasize the angular contours of a square face. [14] X Research source A sleek, long side bang tucked behind your ear will mirror the roundness and shortness of your face. You can avoid this style if you’d rather balance out your proportions, but it can be a chic way to emphasize your facial structure. [15] X Research source
Since diamond-shaped faces are narrower at the forehead, they can benefit from choppy tendrils at the top and around the sides for added width. [17] X Research source
You can go an extra step and keep one side of your hair (with the sideswept bangs) fuller and more voluminous, while chopping the other side shorter. [19] X Research source By playing with face-framing texture and bangs that distract from the width of your face, you can make your chin and jawline appear narrower and more angular.
Try an angled bob, which involves longer hair in the front and a shorter crop in the back. This can be a fun and flattering style. A choppy bob can serve as a great starting point that you can eventually shift to a shorter pixie style.
Baby bangs and lots of volume at the top can highlight the length of your forehead, but this attention-grabbing style isn’t for everyone.
If you’re not sure how your curls will perform in a short crop, you can try going for a bob first. Observe the habits of your shorter curls and master a few styling tricks before going in for the pixie.
Avoid getting a blunt pixie cut if you have thicker hair. It won’t provide as much movement and might not feel balanced.
You may want to avoid a heavy side bang since it could get weighted down and start looking a little limp. For even more depth and dimension, consider adding lowlights and highlights that will emphasize your pixie’s volume. [25] X Research source
Work these products into your roots to keep your style choppy and voluminous. Try teasing your roots as well for extra lift. [27] X Research source
A coif involves arranging your bangs up and off of your forehead so that they add height and texture to your pixie. You can add curls or waves, or go for a spikey effect. Use styling pomade to add volume at the roots and hold your hair in place in a coif.
For maximum pixie curling potential, get a long pixie that borders on bob territory. Alternatively, you can keep your pixie shorter at the back and longer towards the front to add in just a few face-framing curls.
Choppier cuts won’t hold this style as well. Textured layers will be hard to keep down smoothly.