Decide Between Cutting Your Hair or Not

So, you've decided that you may want to get a haircut. But are you also worried about the outcome? Unsure if what you have in mind will actually suit you? Make sure before you take the step and cut your hair that you make an informed decision.

Steps

Cutting Your Hair Based on Your Features

1. Determine your face shape. Before you decide on a haircut, get to know your face shape.The Figure-out-Your-Face-Shape plays a big role in deciding whether or not you should cut your hair. Some hairstyles and hair lengths look better on certain face shapes. Choosing a haircut based on your face shape can help you avoid drawing attention to the wrong aspects of your face. A haircut that complements your face shape minimizes your negative attributes while emphasizing your beauty.
2. Choose just about any style with an oval shape. Oval faces are longer than they are wide, and the forehead and the jaw are the same width. Oval shaped faces can wear just about any hairstyle.
   • If you have an oval face, try a collarbone length bob with side swept bangs.
   • If you want to shorten your oval face, bangs help with that. Go with a sweeping side bang or a blunt bang if you decide to do this.
   • Go for longer hair with Get-Bouncy-Beach-Curls and a center part.
3. Go with a pixie or longer layers for a round face. A round face is circular with the widest point at the cheeks and ears, though the length and width are almost the same. Short hairstyles in a swept-back direction help achieve fullness and can lengthen your face. A pixie cut can downplay the roundness of a round face.
   • For longer styles, try hair that hits your collarbone or shoulders. This helps slim the face. Or try longer hair below the shoulder with long layers. The long layers help keep volume away from your face and help weigh down curls so they're not bunching at your face.
   • Women with round faces should avoid chin-length hair as it only amplifies the roundness. If you have your heart set on a bob, try wearing the bob in a messy style or have the layers in the front longer and then let it get shorter as you go towards the nape.
   • Round faces look best without bangs, but if you really want bangs, avoid blunt, straight cut ones. Go for wispy, side swept bangs instead.
4. Go with short or medium hair with a square face. Square faces have strong jawlines and equally strong hairlines. Short or medium-length hair go well with square faces, especially with waves or roundness around the face. Long straight tresses can also draw attention away from a square face. Wispy side-bangs will soften the shape.
   • Shag styles and light feathery layers around the shoulders help soften the squareness.
   • A center part helps open up a square face. You want to avoid heavy, straight bangs with a square face.
5. Wear styles that add width to the jawline with a heart shaped face. A heart shaped face is wide at the temples and narrows to a very delicate chin. Chin-length or longer styles add width to the jaw-line. Uniform layers and curls below the ears help balance out the thin chin. Styles that emphasize the upper-face should be avoided.
   • Sweeping or heavy bangs also look great with heart shaped faces.
   • Try deep side parts to emphasize your eyes.
   • If you want a pixie cut, go for choppy layers to balance the narrow chin while downplaying the wide forehead.
6. Consider your body type. Your face shape isn't the only factor that can influence your hair. Your body type also can determine how you cut your hair and what length looks good on you.
   • For slim, straight bodies, go for medium to long hair with bangs and layers. Avoid hair that's too straight or pixie cuts. Volume helps downplay the slimness.
   • For curvy, full figured bodies, avoid short hair as this can make you look heavier. Also avoid overly long hair since that also can make you look heavy. Go for medium hair with less volume.
   • For petite bodies, go for proportions. Don't wear your hair too short or too long.
   • For tall, athletic bodies, anything works on your frame. Experiment with hairstyles to find the right one for you.
7. Think about your hair type. Is your hair naturally curly or straight? Is it thick or thin? The texture of your hair influences the way you wear and style it. If you have curly hair, make sure you want a curly short style, otherwise you may end up spending too much time trying to straighten it. Curly hair also shrinks as it dries, so you may need to cut it longer for a short style. Some curly hair that curls at the root doesn't hold short styles as well as straight hair.
   • If you have thick hair, make sure your stylist thins it enough so that you don't end up with triangular mushroom hair. Thick, frizzy hair may also not look good when it's short because it can be prone to even more frizz. It may require more care to keep it looking good if you cut it short.
8. Determine how much maintenance you want. Some hairstyles require more maintenance than others. Some short styles require you to wash and style it with styling tools every day. If your hair is curly but you want to wear it short and straight, you have to factor in that extra hair styling time into your morning ritual. Decide if you have the time or interest in maintaining a short style.
   • Short hair eliminates the option to throw your hair into a braid, a ponytail, or a bun on a bad day. Decide if you are ready to give up that bad hair day or lazy day option.
   • Shorter styles also require more trips to the stylist to maintain. You might have to see them every 6 weeks to shape up your hair.
9. Understand that longer hair is heavier. Long hair pulls more on curls, making them more relaxed. With shorter hair, your curls will be tighter. If you curl your hair and have a specific curl in mind, think about the kinds of curls you want before you cut.
10. Know that your styling tools will change. Your hair requires different styling tools depending on the length. Shorter hair needs thinner Choose-a-Curling-Iron and smaller straighteners than longer hair.
11. Remember you can always cut more hair off. As you decide whether you would like to cut your hair or not, think about going slowly. Cut a few inches off and see how you like it. If you are hesitant, avoid drastic haircuts to begin with. You can always cut more hair off if you find that you like your shorter tresses.
    • If you make a drastic haircut and hate it, remember that it will grow back. It just won't be overnight. If you're still contemplating, keep this in mind. Even if you do make a mistake, your hair will eventually grow back out. Just make sure you are prepared to deal with a bad, short style while it grows out.

Cutting Your Hair Based on Your Interests

1. Think about your reasoning for cutting your hair. Honestly determine why you are interested in cutting your hair. The reason for your style change should be to look attractive and to feel good about yourself.
   • If time and convenience rest in your mind, put them aside for the time being. During the summer, many women think that shorter hair means cooler and less hassle. While short hair can be cooler, maintenance on short hair can be more labor intensive than long hair.
   • If you've seen other girls look good with medium-length or short hair, what makes you think it'd suit you? Have you had it in the past, but believe you could make it look better on you now? Have you had a short haircut before that you hated? If you didn't like short hair on yourself before, you probably won't like it now either.
2. Match a haircut to your personality. Your appearance tells people a lot about your personality. Do you want long soft, romantic curls? A cute, chic bob? A fun, perky pixie cut? Decide what cut would match your personality, lifestyle, and wardrobe choices. For dramatic cuts, like pixies or a shaved head, think about attitude. If you can confidently rock a shaved head or mohawk, go for it.
   • Keep in mind your job. Do you have a job that will care if you go with something drastic, like a shaved head or mohawk? Embrace your individuality and personality regardless of your age and career, but keep in mind certain workplaces have stricter rules for employee appearance than others.
3. Don't get an emotional haircut. Some people believe that dramatically changing their hair after life changing events, like a breakup, a death, or sickness, can liberate them. While this is true, many hair mistakes have been made because of emotional haircuts. Cutting your hair is a huge change, so make sure you are deciding to cut your hair for the right reasons.
4. Don't cut your hair as a spur of the moment decision. Major hair changes need to be thought out completely, not decided on a whim. Make the right hair decision for yourself, not because you saw a celebrity with a cute hairstyle, because all your friends are doing it, or because you're having a bad hair day.
5. Talk to your stylist. Your stylist is your hair's best friend. They can help you decide on the right style for your face shape and features. They also can tell if you are emotionally and mentally ready for a haircut. If you are not quite ready to chop it all off, they can help you find an alternate hairstyle that will give you the change you are craving without leaving you with a short hairstyle you will hate.

Tips

• If you cut off a lot of hair, you may not be able to do the same hairstyles you could before. Keep in mind what you do with your hair daily so you can decide on a good length for your usual hairstyles.
• Don't get scissor happy. You can always cut more hair later, but you can't grow it back.
• Your hair may shrink up a few inches, so make sure to cut it a little longer than where you want it.
• If you feel like your hair is too short and "boyish" for you; sometimes dying your hair or styling it differently can make you feel better about it.

Warnings

• There is no turning back after you cut it. Although your hair will grow back, it will take months.
• It is not recommended that you cut your own hair.
• If you think your haircut looks awful, consider getting extensions if you can't wait for it to grow out. Or, you could just stick with it and find ways to style it that make it more flattering.

Related Articles

• Decide Whether to Cut Your Hair
• Layer Cut Your Own Hair
• Cut Side Swept Bangs
• Cut Your Hair Like a Professional

Sources and Citations

See also

• Ask for the Haircut You Want
• Wear Extensions with Short Hair
• Razor Cut Your Own Hair
• Style Your Hair for a Workout
• Man Braid
• Crinkle Hair
• Use Clip‐In Bangs
• Do Ruby Rose Hair
• Point Cut Hair
• Wear Your Hair with a Hat

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