Which summer hairstyle can you rock?

Out of all the fabulous summer hairdos to choose from, how do you know what suits you and avoid a bad hair day/year? Consider knowing these elements of your profile to narrow down what hairdo is for you:

1. Face shape
2. Hair texture/thickness
3. Lifestyle activity

Once you know what you want for your hair, hop on over to our shopping guide where we curated our most popular hairstyling products that are over and under $75 to match any budget.

What is the shape of my face?

Your hair is your crowning glory. Like how a wooden frame tastefully enhances the artwork/painting, so should your hairdo frame your gorgeous face. To do that, it's best to know what shape your face takes after, and work from there. 

But this is usually a tricky question to answer. Some shapes are easy to distinguish, others not as much. To make it easier, whip out your measuring tape and check out this clear and measurable guide to finding your face shape: 

Image source:  Lefkowitz-Huska, R., 2020

• A round face has a length-width ratio of 1:1 (nearly the same length and width) with softer features than a square-shaped face.
• A heart-shaped face is pointy, with a slimmer chin, a wider forehead, and an inverted triangle shape
• A square face is similar to a round one with 1:1 ratio but with stronger features (strong-angled jaw and minimal curving at chin).
• A diamond-shaped face has wide cheeks and narrower forehead and chin.
• An oval face is one with its length greater than its width (forehead wider than chin).
• An oblong/rectangular face is similar to the oval shape except that the forehead, cheeks and chin are almost the same width.
  
  

What is my hair type?

Now that you know how to identify your face shape, the next step is to look into your hair type.

When looking for a hair master/guru, it only makes sense to seek expert advice from someone who knows how to deal with a wide array of hair types, from the extremely straight up to the kinkiest and thickest locks. Andre Walker is hairstylist to the stars, particularly to the biggest star in daytime television Oprah Winfrey who also happens to have luscious curly black hair.

The Andre Walker Hair Classification System categorizes our hair into four textures: straight, wavy, curly and kinky. This is further broken down into sub-types that factor in hair thickness (fine, medium, coarse) together with those textures, such as fine and fragile to coarse z-angled coils. Here's a diagram to illustrate all the hair types. What do you think yours is? Comment below. 

Match your hair to your lifestyle 

As for the icing on the three-tier cake, add your lifestyle into the mix when deciding on what hairstyle or cut you can rock.

For instance, hair maintenance is something you need to consider when deciding on your hairdo. Do you have the time and means to sustain long flowy locks that require a lot of brushing and TLC? Or do you prefer something low maintenance, edgy and stylish? But then again, even short hair can be high maintenance if your hair is coarse and very wavy/curly. That's why all these elements tie together and tell a story of your personal profile to help you find a hairdo to match.

Hair care is multi-dimensional, so you need to factor in these three (3) elements face shape, hair profile and your lifestyle to know what will work best for you.

Also, it will be good to ask yourself how sedentary, semi-active or highly active are you? Some active people usually need no-fuss hair, long and easily tied into a messy bun or ponytail, or short and low-maintenance bobs. Others might want to dedicate more time to grooming their luscious locks and switch it up every now and then, from sleek-and-straight party hair to soft-and-wavy beach tresses. 

Another lifestyle consideration could be your trips to the salon/hairstylist how much time or frequency are you able to visit your hairdresser for a cut/trim/treatment? Some hair styles and types require frequent trips to the salon, others not as much. Treating your hair at the salon with permanently straightened or curly tresses might limit your options for styling because of the chemical treatment it goes through to stay permanently styled. Best to consult with your personal hairstylist in detail before locking down on one particular look for good.

Comment below and share your tips and tricks as well with our eternally beautiful community. Who knows, you might also be able to help a fellow hair-in-need with his/her hair SOS.

Summer hairstyles & profile matching

Congratulations, you've come closer to mastering your face, hair and lifestyle profile! Here are some great summer looks to try on. Let's talk about how these elements come into play when deciding on what style to go for, especially zooming in on face shape to start you off nice and easy.

Mermaid Braids
Who says mermaid aspirations are only for little girls? Summer and the mermaid theme go perfectly together. Also, since braids keep hair tightly bound together with minimal loose ends, it's ideal for any hair type with an ample length that can be braided and styled accordingly.  

 
Classic and flirty summer ponytail
The summer heat can make us sweat and feel hot as we go about our day. A quick and easy ponytail is a long-haired girl's staple summer hairdo. Some ladies have natural curls and tendrils that need minimal styling, others might need a little help with products and tools to keep it sleek and clean.

Depending on your face shape, you might want to consider that a high Ariana Grande ponytail could lengthen your face shape further, so people with oval/oblong faces might need to consider if this look is for them or if they'd rather go with another do that doesn't elongate their face any further.

We love how former Miss U Catriona Gray shows us how it's done in this fun video! You can't go wrong with timeless beauty and a classic hairdo.

Messy Bun
Here's another summer default staple when it comes to hairtyling in the summer. We love messy buns! Who knew the bun could be done in so many ways? This is another classic do that's great for any hair profile, face shape, season and lifestyle. 

Demure Bob
A demure, shoulder-length bob is great for most people since it is neither too long nor too short. It can frame the face quite well and depending on your hairdresser's technique, can sharpen or soften your jawline based on how it's tapered in the front and back of your face/head. A bob cut is usually most ideal for people with an oval, round or heart-shaped face. 

Beach Waves
What better way to greet summer than with hair in beach waves! If your hair is naturally wavy, go all out and enhance those curls for this sought-after look. Oval/oblong and round-shaped faces are usually the best ones to pull this off since voluminous, wavy hair adds to the face's horizontal width. 

Pixie Cut
Kaley Cuoco once rocked this look on the hit TV series, The Big Bang Theory. Sheldon Cooper might not have taken well to it at first, but I'm sure the audience loved her in it!

This summer look, especially the side-swept version, is great for people with oval faces as side-swept bangs can cover up the forehead and lessen the face's length to balance out proportions. Also, longer hairstyles can make oval faces seem even longer than it already is, so use your hair to frame your face in a way that shows off the best you!

REFERENCES:

• Derrick, J. (2020). How to choose the perfect cut for your hair texture and face shape. Byrdie. Retrieved June 7, 2021, from https://www.byrdie.com/how-to-choose-the-perfect-haircut-for-your-hair-texture-and-face-shape-346346#working-with-texture 
• Lefkowitz-Huska, R. (2020). How to choose the perfect diamond earrings for your face shape. Gabriel & Co. Retrieved June 7, 2021, from https://www.gabrielny.com/blog/how-to-choose-the-perfect-earring-for-your-face-shape/ 
• Walker, A. (2017, September 12). Andre Walker Hair. https://andrewalkerhair.com/