The right hairstyle for you........

***Khushboo*** · #1 05-16-2006, 12:34 AM

<center>The right hairstyle for you</center>

When choosing a new hairstyle you should look carefully at the shape of your face.

OVAL

Even proportions make oval faces especially versatile. "This is not a shape that needs to rely on a hairstyle to add softness or balance," says Charles Worthington of Charles Worthington Salons in London and New York City.

Your best cut: From a cropped cut to a blunt bob to longer, layered styles, virtually anything goes. However, some oval faces tend to be on the long side. If you fall into this category, Worthington suggests adding long bangs, like Tyra Banks's (above), to visually shorten the distance from the forehead to the chin. Cheek-length layers will also help balance a longer oval shape.

Parting words: Just like the cuts, when it comes to parts, most will work well. Worthington recommends a sharp center part for a chic look. Or, you can break up a long oval face by parting your hair to one side. The longer your face, the more off-center the part should be.

ROUND

Since full cheeks can conceal even the best bone structure, a round face can lack definition. "Very short cuts and cuts with a lot of volume on the sides only emphasize fullness," says Kat, a stylist for Bumble and Bumble in New York City.

Your best cut: Styles with face-framing layers and choppy bangs can slim a full face and create the illusion of cheekbones. If you like short hair, try a bob with razored ends and cheek-grazing pieces, like Renée Zellweger's (above), which breaks up the roundness and adds angles where they don't naturally exist. If short is not your thing, aim for looks that fall to the chin and longer. The extra length will help elongate a full face, making it appear more oval.

Parting words: A slightly off-center part works best, as it offsets roundness, but a center part (paired with one of the above-mentioned styles) can draw the eye up, giving your face the appearance of a longer shape.

SQUARE

"For square shapes, it's all about softening the edges," says Worthington. He recommends avoiding "sharp" cuts, like angled bobs or styles with blunt-cut bangs, which can emphasize an already-broad forehead and chin.

Your best cut: Long or short? It's up to you. "Pretty much any length will work, as long as you add shorter pieces to frame the face," says Kat. To accomplish this, ask your stylist for a cut that incorporates graduated layers, razored ends or long, piece-y bangs to soften the strong lines of your jaw. If your hair is naturally curly, play up your waves à la Salma Hayek (above). The loose ringlets help to balance out your face's boxiness.

Parting words: Your best bet is to experiment with your part to find its most flattering location. A center part looks great paired with angle-softening curls. Or, try one that's slightly off-center to blur the bold edges of a square face.

Edited by: Khushboo