Wig Help - Face Shape
When selecting a wig (or hair style) you want to choose the best which accentuates your best facial features and minimizes those less-than-flattering ones.
First you must determine your facial shape:
Visual Method:
| STEP ONE | Pull all of your hair off your face. Use a headband, clips or bobbi pins to secure the hair. | |
| STEP TWO | Take a picture from 12” away. Get a friend, use a webcam, or even a mirror and tracing paper if you need. | |
| STEP THREE | Using the picture or traced image, outline your face shape. | |
| STEP FOUR | Now compare your face to those of the images below. Note: you may have a combination of two shapes, so choose from those styles which flatter both shapes if possible. | |
By Measurements:
If you are not comfortable with the visual method, try these measurements to determine your facial shape:
| STEP ONE | Pull all of your hair off your face. Use a headband, clips or bobbi pins to secure the hair. |
| STEP TWO |
Measure across the tops of your cheekbones. Start at the outer corner of your eye, carefully laying the tape across the bridge of your nose to opposite side. Write down this length. CHEEKS: ___________ |
| STEP THREE |
Measure your jawline by starting at the base of your ear to the middle of your chin. Write this number down. You will need to multiply by 2 to get the final measurement. JAW: _____ x 2 = ______ |
| STEP FOUR |
Find the widest point of your forehead between your eyebrows and your hairline. Now place the tape at this starting point and measure from one side of your forehead to the other. Write this measurement down. FOREHEAD: ___________ |
| STEP FIVE |
Now measure the length of your face. Begin at the middle of your hairline and measure to the tip of your chin. LENGTH: ___________ |
DETERMINE YOUR FACIAL SHAPE
| OVAL | LENGTH = 1 ½ TIMES WIDTH. | ||
| This face is considered balanced and proportionate and you are able to wear most any wig style. |
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| ROUND | LENGTH=WIDTH | ||
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Your face is considered round even if the two measurements are close but not the same. You will want to focus on wigs which will help slim the look of your face. Do this by choosing styles which have off center parts, sweptback from the face and/or longer lengths to offset the roundness of your face. Don't go too short or cropped or too full on the sides at that will emphasize the roundness and can make your face look larger. |
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| SQUARE | LENGTH = WIDTH – WITH ANGLES INSTEAD OF ROUNDED. | ||
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Your face is considered square if your face is as wide as it is long but with a more angular shape than a round face. You will want to soften the angles of your face by choosing wig styles which are short- to medium-length, loose curls or wavy, swept forward or rounded or with wispy bangs (never straight). You will want avoid long, straight hairstyles. |
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| OBLONG | LENGTH>WIDTH | ||
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Your face is considered oblong shape if it is longer than it is wide. You will want to shorten the length of your face by choosing wig styles that are short to medium in length, with layers to soften the angles in your face, fullness in the middle of face around the eyes, cheekbones and ears, bangs or swept hair across the forehead and waves/curls which can add volume and the illusion of balance. Avoid very long hairstyles which may make your face look even longer. |
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| PEAR-SHAPED | LENGTH > WIDTH WITH CHIN WIDER THAN FOREHEAD | ||
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Your face is considered pear shaped if face is longer than wider with a chin which is wider than the forehead. You will want to narrow the chin and widen the forehead by choosing wigs which are wider at the top/ temples, swept away from the face at the top to widen forehead; below the ear, choose hair which is angled or swept forward to soften/narrow width of the jaw. Avoid styles which are wide, swept back or full below the ears as they may emphasize the width of the jaw. |
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| HEART-SHAPED | TOP/CHEEKBONES > CHIN | ||
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Your face is considered heart-shaped if your jaw is narrower than the cheekbones and/or forehead. You will want to widen the look of your jaw and balance the width of the rest of the face by choosing wigs which are chin length which draws the attention to the jaw making it appear wider. You may also choose a longer wig styles, soft bangs or side part with sideswept bangs. Avoid styles which have too much crown height, slicked back or super short. |
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