Which Pixie Cuts Will Suit My Face Shape?

For many women, the first thing we consider when we’re ready for a new look is our hair. Having a cool, new hairstyle that makes us feel great is a great way to boost our confidence and freshen our look. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of misinformation out there about styles of haircuts. If you’ve ever debated getting a pixie, you might have read that they only suit certain face shapes. This just isn’t true — anyone can rock a pixie. Your face shape can help you narrow down the best style for you, but in the end, choose what you like!

What is a Pixie Cut?

The pixie cut encompasses a range of haircuts that can go as short as you can get before a “buzzcut.” The style has been popularized in media and Hollywood for years, from Jean Seberg in the 50s to Cara Delevingne in the 2010s. The pixie is also versatile, working as a catch-all term for choppy, cropped, layered hair that stops above the jaw. The pixie haircut is a true classic, and it can feel great — not to mention lighter — to take that plunge. These styles can also be incredibly low-maintenance.

Celebrities Who Have Gone Super-Short

Many celebrities have rocked pixies over the years. These classic, go-to styles have long been popular for actresses who want to make a striking change in their image. A great modern-day example is Jennifer Lawrence, who, in the shadow of her waist-length braid in The Hunger Games, decided to lop it all off. She isn’t the first, though, and she won’t be the last. Other starlets who’ve eternalized the style include Audrey Hepburn, Anne Hathaway, Michelle Williams, and, perhaps the most iconic, Mia Farrow.

Pixie Haircuts for All Face Shapes

The first mistake people make when it comes to pixie cuts is thinking that there’s only one style. While pixies did begin with a short back and sides, they’ve evolved to include all manner of short hairstyles that can suit any and every face shape. Any magazine that tells you you can’t get a pixie because of the shape of your face has its facts wrong.

Oval Faces

Possibly the most common face shape, oval faces can work just about any hairstyle, including all manners of pixie cuts. Women with oval faces can worry less about how to style their bangs or how short they “should” go because this long, rounded structure means your style is sure to look even and natural. Whether you want to go as short as possible or keep a bit more length and bands, go for it.

Heart-Shaped Faces

Heart-shaped faces feature high cheekbones and slender, rounded jaws. The best feature to highlight with your pixie cut if you have a heart face shape is the cheekbones. Most women with this face shape find a style that brings the focus to that stunning aspect and covers more of the forehead. Consider long bangs that wrap to the sides and a little extra length at the back…

Round Faces

Round faces are similar to both heart and square-shaped faces, but with softer angles. The soft, feminine features of a round face are perfectly suited to pixie cuts with extra volume on top to elongate the face. Whether you go with choppy spikes or a sleek pouf, a pixie can definitely make your round face glow.

Square Faces

Both square and rectangular faces feature sharper lines such as strong jawlines, and generally the same width at the forehead and jaw. Pixie cuts for women with these face shapes usually focus on softening these strong features. Think layers, waves, and choppiness that offset the symmetry of your face.

Oblong Faces

Sometimes mistakenly confused with oval face shapes, an oblong face is the longest of all the face shapes. This slender shape is best suited to the opposite goal of the round-face pixie style. Rather than aiming for lots on the top, oblong faces can really work the low-volume look. Long bangs look amazing on long faces, and there are a lot of great pixie styles that fit the bill.

Diamond Faces

Diamond face shapes are an amalgamation of round, oval, and heart, with strong cheekbones and sharp jaws. Diamond faces are sharp and angular, without the fullness of heart faces. As with heart face shapes, though, your best bet is to highlight those beautiful cheekbones. To do so, feel free to play with blurred lines and different lengths in one cut, to help break up the contours of your face.

Should I Get a Pixie Cut?

Pixie cuts can feel like a drastic choice, perhaps because many of us were raised watching the tumbling waves of Disney princesses and seeing long hair as a high standard of beauty. Both long and short hair can look feminine if that’s what we’re going for, and a pixie cut is a great option to refresh your style, highlight rather than hide your facial features, and keep maintenance low (though keep in mind they cost more in upkeep than long hair). Making The Chop can seem like a terrifying prospect, but it’s also fun and freeing. Hair grows back, and you can play with fun transitions along the way if you decide a pixie isn’t for you. But who knows — maybe this will become your go-to style!