hair and face shape

[natorade]

I am excited that my hair is growing and I will continue to grow it longer, but I am a little dissapointed, as I am noticing a difference in my face shape as my hair grows longer. For some reason when my hair hits past chin length and longer it makes my face look longer, at least I think is does. Sometimes I think I should I just keep it short because of this, but I so want long hair again.

[Siava]

I have this issue as well so wear it up a lot. That way it looks short, but it's not. :D

[princessp]

What if you cut the sides shorter so they frame your face and then leave the rest long? Maybe there is a hairdresser on here who knows exactly what you should do. I know what you mean though, I think I look horrible with short hair because my face looks too round.

[spidermom]

There's not a lot of visual difference between up-dos and short hair, so enjoy it long and learn pretty up-dos.

[Maddy25]

You are so beautiful, you have nothing to worry about. I saw the photos of you with longer hair and I didnt notice the face shape changing, it always looks just as pretty :)

I love your curls by the way <3

[chargersfan]

I think I also have a long face shape, which is also pronounced w/ the fact that I don't have bangs (and refuse to have any!). I think it definitely helps when I wear my hair up, it balances it out, so having it long enough to wear updos helps. Plus, my fringe never grows past chin-length no matter what (it has a very short terminal length), so sometimes I'll pull out a few whispies from the top of my updo to frame my face, and that also helps balance it out a bit.

[Anje]

As someone with a slightly wide face, I don't really see how making your face look long and slim is a bad thing. :) As others have said, you can pull it back, which will look similar to short hair. Maybe a bit narrower, if you're used to lots of hair sticking out at the sides.

Perhaps oddly, I find that pulling my hair away from my face slims it more than having layers or short hair or whatever near the sides to narrow it, which seems to be the standard advice. It reveals the cheekbones and contours more, and lets your real face shape become apparent, rather than a "how much wider is the face hiding behind the hair?" look.

[Tovah]

I have a long face and for so many years listened to my hairdresser when she told me that long hair 'drags my face down' and makes me look older. I wear my hair back but loosely so it has more width at the sides. People have told me that I look much better now than I did before with my styled hair.

[georgia_peach]

I soooo understand. I find that wearing my hair up and with bangs really helps with the problem that I have of looking totally old and dragged out with long hair.

[Merkaba]

I've seen your pics and thought you looked great with the longer hair!

[crystal_k]

ive also often heard that long hair drags down a narrow face my face is quite narrow plus im 28 does having long hair mean it will look ageing .

[EverydayMiracle]

I have a very specific length where my hair flatters my very square jaw. This length is just past shoulder length and layered to frame, much like a medium-length shag. I'm *very* limited in terms of flattering lengths. I understand your pain.

One thing to think about is trying out different styles. Right now I know that I'm at an "in between" length (APL when it's wavy and BSL when it's stretched or allowed to drip dry -- rather than being wrapped up, in which case it will wave more) and that at this length I'm very limited in terms of styling. I can get it up in a pony, I can put it in two braids (one won't hold all the layers) or I can leave it down (ick).

Pony tails don't suit me really at all, and neither do buns. This limits me to two braids, preferably French braids since English braids don't look great and Dutch look downright terrible in my hair. I'm thirty years old and this style makes me look like I'm in my teens again (heh, not that I particularly mind THAT!).

I don't have enough posts to see galleries, so I don't know what your hair looks like/looked like. All I *can* say is that I know for a fact that there are various styles that flatter the shape of my face, which is not a flattering shape in and of itself to begin with. I am *certain* that you will be able to find styles that flatter your face and allow you to have the long hair that you want.

Furthermore, I don't know of anybody who doesn't look great with waist length and longer hair, as long as it's well cared for!

[pinchbeck]

I have a long face and for so many years listened to my hairdresser when she told me that long hair 'drags my face down' and makes me look older. IThis comment 'your hair drags your face down' peeves me off. I hate when people tell me that and I know they're telling me because in the back of their mind they want me to cut off my length. I have learned to answer with, "I always wear my hair back--so my hair won't drag my face down". It shuts them up.

[GoddesJourney]

I think it's because you're at an akward stage. Your hair is a little past chin length so it can make your face look a little longer. That will change once you get closer to APL. Stupid optical illusions...

[GoddesJourney]

ive also often heard that long hair drags down a narrow face my face is quite narrow plus im 28 does having long hair mean it will look ageing .

No. You think 28 is old? If you want to liven up your look, learn some cute updos. If you're bold enough to wear something that people think is "a little too young for you" you can have some fun with it. You look young, by the way.

[xoxophelia]

Your face doesn't look long at all to me. Actually, I would say if anything your face "looks" like it is on the short side with full feminine cheeks. I don't think long hair will pull down your face if you know what I mean. What you might be noticing is less lift at the crown of your head because the hair weight. You could try like a half up do with volume of "poof" on top but then also have the length hanging down :)

I was always wanting my face to look longer and less wide haha

[Demetrue]

Your face doesn't look long, but you're probably noticing different characteristics as your hair grows longer and more face-framing. I have a long thin oval face and was always told I needed to 1. cut my hair short, 2. get layers, 3. get bangs, 4, get "side wings". The fact is that my face is thin, just like my mom's, my grandmother's, my brother's, etc - it's a genetic family trait and if it bothers people, they can stop looking at my long thin face LOL. Or they can pay for my fat injections and chin implant!

[jera]

If you take the hair at your temples and sweep it up on either side and anchor it with combs you won't get that dragged down look and will still be able to wear your hair down. :)

[marikamt]

I have a long face and for so many years listened to my hairdresser when she told me that long hair 'drags my face down' and makes me look older. I wear my hair back but loosely so it has more width at the sides. People have told me that I look much better now than I did before with my styled hair.

This. Me too.

I always thought it made my long, slightly narrow face look longer and narrower. But the truth is, after I would cut, I would see pics of myself and realize I really liked it (and how I looked) long.... and when I saw pics of it short, I rarely liked.

My favorite look (for my face shape) is half-ups with wispy tendrils around my face.... also, bangs/ fringe help a lot.

[my2cats1]

I think this is a question of mindset. Why do we think that we need to "fix" our long face shapes? Why is an oblong or rectangular face the "wrong" shape? (There was actually a period in European history when men and women would pluck their hairlines to create a longer face shape! We just live in the wrong era. :p )

The last time I grew my hair, I became worried about how it would "drag down" my long face shape. I gave in and cut it with the layers and side bangs that are always suggested as a "fix" for longer faces. Now I'm growing again, aware that I will at times run into the same doubts that I did back then. But this time, I'm embracing my face shape as a part of me that makes me unique. My beauty will come from (I hope!) healthy, shiny hair, not the cookie-cutter projection of "acceptable" beauty that all the magazines prescribe.

The last time I was growing my hair, several people told me that with my face shape and long forehead I am "supposed" to cut (layers, bangs, whatever) but one person told me that, as my hair grew, I looked a bit like the actress Madeline Stowe. So I found some photos of her -- thick, dark hair, and a long face with none of the advised bangs, layers, etc. that we're all told to get. And you know what? She rocks that look! It makes her long face look like a stiking aspect of her beauty. If a famous actress doesn't need to hide her face shape, then we don't either!

Sorry for the long post, but this topic speaks to a long journey I've had over the past 15 years or so -- a process of embracing what makes me unique, rather than straining to keep up with current beauty norms. Tans were seemingly required when I was a teenager, and my pale Irish skin refused to tan and ignored the norms. In time, I've embraced that as a part of my unique look, just like my long face shape.

Today the pressure is about an ideal face shape, tomorrow it will be an ideal ____ (fill in the blank). The trick is finding what make YOU feel good.

:cheese:

[marikamt]

I think this is a question of mindset. Why do we think that we need to "fix" our long face shapes? Why is an oblong or rectangular face the "wrong" shape? (There was actually a period in European history when men and women would pluck their hairlines to create a longer face shape! We just live in the wrong era. :p )

The last time I grew my hair, I became worried about how it would "drag down" my long face shape. I gave in and cut it with the layers and side bangs that are always suggested as a "fix" for longer faces. Now I'm growing again, aware that I will at times run into the same doubts that I did back then. But this time, I'm embracing my face shape as a part of me that makes me unique. My beauty will come from (I hope!) healthy, shiny hair, not the cookie-cutter projection of "acceptable" beauty that all the magazines prescribe.

The last time I was growing my hair, several people told me that with my face shape and long forehead I am "supposed" to cut (layers, bangs, whatever) but one person told me that, as my hair grew, I looked a bit like the actress Madeline Stowe. So I found some photos of her -- thick, dark hair, and a long face with none of the advised bangs, layers, etc. that we're all told to get. And you know what? She rocks that look! It makes her long face look like a stiking aspect of her beauty. If a famous actress doesn't need to hide her face shape, then we don't either!

Sorry for the long post, but this topic speaks to a long journey I've had over the past 15 years or so -- a process of embracing what makes me unique, rather than straining to keep up with current beauty norms. Tans were seemingly required when I was a teenager, and my pale Irish skin refused to tan and ignored the norms. In time, I've embraced that as a part of my unique look, just like my long face shape.

Today the pressure is about an ideal face shape, tomorrow it will be an ideal ____ (fill in the blank). The trick is finding what make YOU feel good.

:cheese:


Slight Hijack.... too funny, I am told I look like Madeline Stowe too, that and Ricci Lake

back to original topic... I love what you said about embracing your face shape.... I totally agree. That is the point I am at too. I am who am I am and I look like I look, I need to start accepting and loving myself.... the truth is that those we consider 'most beautiful" (and not in a plastic, cookie cutter way) are those that have embraced their quirks.....

[doro357]

If you want long hair go for it.Whatever makes you happy.My face is round and never gave it much thought. I want long hair.
I also have people tell me I'm too short for long hair. I don't care.

[Midnight]

Hi
I have quite a long face and a widows peak hairline and don't suit my hair middle parted i also can't wear it down as its the same length (waistlength) all the way round and constantly gets in my eyes. I tend to tie some hair on either side up in the middle or ponytail it. I love having long hair but for the last few years i have started getting annoying wiry grey hairs (I'm 42 in May) and hate dying my hair although i sometimes use a non-permanent hair dye. I have also started to notice it has lost some of it's thickness.

Does anyone else on here have a widow's peak hairline? :)

[yellowchariot]

You are so beautiful, you have nothing to worry about. I saw the photos of you with longer hair and I didnt notice the face shape changing, it always looks just as pretty :)

I love your curls by the way <3


I think it's because you're at an akward stage. Your hair is a little past chin length so it can make your face look a little longer. That will change once you get closer to APL. Stupid optical illusions...


Your face doesn't look long at all to me. Actually, I would say if anything your face "looks" like it is on the short side with full feminine cheeks. I don't think long hair will pull down your face if you know what I mean. What you might be noticing is less lift at the crown of your head because the hair weight. You could try like a half up do with volume of "poof" on top but then also have the length hanging down :)

I was always wanting my face to look longer and less wide haha


^ I agree with the above statements!

You could be focusing too much attention on your hair. If so, just take a step back, and try not to examine the pattern of it too much. It will all work out in the end! :thumbsup:

When I was about chin length, people didn't tell me, my face looked longer, they said "you look like a girl!" LOL Now, that stage has long passed.

[Daioki]

I have an oval face with a wide forehead and baby cheeks.
I know short hair suits me more (from experience) but as weird as it sounds I love the feeling of hair that reaches my elbows. The styles you can do with long hair is also part of the reason. :)

As long as it's something you like, everything else shouldn't really matter hm?