Here’s How To Pick The Perfect Hair Bun Type For Your Face Shape
Whenever we want to get our hair out of our face and still look pretty, buns are our go-to hairstyles. Plus, they’re a lifesaver on windy days and keep our hair from getting in the way of some of our favorite outfits. However, there are so many bun styles to choose from that it can be tricky to figure out the best option. Between messy buns and sleek ballerina buns, there are plenty of attractive bun options to choose from.
Of course, you should keep your outfit and aesthetic in mind when choosing a bun type. On the other hand, one aspect that people should also consider but tends to get overlooked is their specific face shape. After all, most people have round, oval, square, rectangular, diamond-shaped, or heart-shaped faces. Therefore, everyone should know what the best hairstyles for their face shape are to draw attention to their unique and beautiful features and work with them instead of against them.
Space buns for round shaped faces
It should be relatively easy to tell if you have a circular face because these faces look round — it’s not something that needs to be thought about too much. If the outline of your face has angular, defined lines or appears narrow and long overall, you probably don’t have this face shape. On the other hand, full faces are typically round. “With a round face shape, your face is about the same width and length, and you have a round jawline and chin,” Stephanie Brown, a master hair colorist at Eddie Arthur salon, told Today. One of the most famous examples of a round face is Selena Gomez, as it’s easy to trace a circle with our fingers around many photos of the pop star’s full face.
A traditional sleek bun doesn’t typically work well with round faces, as that tight bun can appear smaller than it is on a round face, making your hair appear thinner. But two buns — also known as space buns — will never go away on round faces. A TikTok user known as Reese posted a video showing how playful space buns look uniform, visible, and cohesive on round face shapes. While more classic buns tend to get lost on round-shaped faces, space buns won’t look too prominent like other buns or look too overwhelming like they might on more angular faces.
Sleek ballerina buns for oval faces
Another face shape that gets talked about a lot is the beloved oval shape. While all face shapes are beautiful in their own way, many women envy the oval shape for its naturally balanced appearance. “An oval-shaped face is the ideal shape for balance; the forehead and jawline are equally small with soft, elongated contours that create slimness, while a hint of width at the sides highlights the cheekbones,” Amy Abramite, creative director of Maxine Salon, told Byrdie. So it’s no surprise that models often have this long, slim face shape, like the famously statuesque Bella Hadid, who looks super striking with sleek buns.
On TikTok, INH Hair shared a video noting that sleek updos are great for oval-shaped faces. In other words, a high, compact ballerina bun is the perfect choice for oval faces, as the ballerina-inspired hairstyle will perfectly suit the elegantly long yet slim face structure. On the other hand, messier, fuller buns will probably overshadow such a specific, elegant shape.
Slicked back and low buns for square and rectangle face shapes
Square face shapes are usually the easiest to spot, as most people will instantly recognize if they have a facial outline that resembles a square. You shouldn’t confuse square facial structures with other shapes like you might with oval or diamond faces, as wide, angular square faces are usually noted for their distinctive square jawlines and lack of softness or thinness. So if you think you can trace something resembling a square around the outline of your face, you probably have a square face shape. A couple of celebrities frequently praised for their distinctive, stunning looks have square face shapes, including Margot Robbie and Angelina Jolie.
Additionally, rectangular face shapes have very similar angular structures to square shapes — the only noticeable difference is that rectangular faces are longer, according to MasterClass. In other words, just think back to when you learned how rectangles differ from squares in geometry class. As for buns, both square and rectangular face shapes generally look great with sleek, low buns. After all, these soft, defined-looking buns won’t interfere with the defined structure of your face.
Makeup artist Terri Tomlinson posted a TikTok video explaining how Olivia Wilde has a square face shape, showing a photo of the actress with her hair slicked back, complementing her facial structure and features. So while voluminous, ultra-high buns may look out of place on such angular faces, slicked-back looks will highlight the features.
Soft, messy buns for diamond face shapes
The diamond face shape is as rare and intriguing as it sounds. “The telltale features of a diamond-shaped face are a small, pointed chin, wide cheekbones, and a hairline that peaks at the top center of a narrow forehead,” Amy Abramite told Byrdie. So, if you have delicate features and the greatest width in the cheekbone area, you likely have that unique diamond face shape.
The perfect example of the diamond face shape in a celebrity is Megan Fox, who is famous for her almost magical beauty and sexy movie characters. However, one of the reasons the movie star always looks so perfect is because her hairstyles complement her diamond face shape. Fox doesn’t always wear buns, but when she does, they aren’t sleek or compact buns that could make the contour of her face look too harsh.
Instead, she wears a messy bun with strands of hair hanging down in the front, which adds more dimension to her look and draws attention to her angular jawline. As seen on Instagram, her messy high bun with side-swept bangs also looks cohesive with her delicate features and doesn’t take away from the angles of her unique face shape.
Buns with bangs for heart-shaped faces
Last but not least, we can’t forget about heart-shaped faces. The heart shape is similar to the diamond shape, but typically has a larger forehead. “The heart has a wider forehead and cheekbones and then tapers down to a relatively narrower and smaller jawline and lower face,” Dr. Jennifer MacGregor, a dermatologist at Union Square Laser Dermatology, told InStyle. You can notice these facial details by looking at celebrities like Reese Witherspoon and Scarlett Johansson. However, buns can be tricky for heart-shaped faces, as they tend to create a noticeably unbalanced look at the top of these faces since the top of the head is already larger than the bottom.
To avoid that unbalanced look, our recommendation for wearing buns on heart-shaped faces has more to do with the hair and overall appearance. In other words, add bangs. After all, bangs can make the size of your forehead less noticeable and soften your facial features. Plus, multiple bangs look beautiful on heart-shaped faces because of the roomy top of the face. If you’re not sure about rocking classic bangs, adding a chic curtain fringe can also complement heart-shaped face shapes (via TikTok). INH Hair also posted a video pointing out that light, wispy bangs are great for heart-shaped faces. Plus, bangs and all kinds of buns, from sleek and low to high and messy, make for gorgeous combinations, so if you don’t want to commit to bangs, we suggest purchasing a clip-in fringe for when you wear buns.