What's My Face Shape? A Stylist's Guide Beyond the Online Quizzes

Last fall, Paloma Reyes from Altadena came into Bokaos Aveda looking frustrated. She'd spent the morning taking online face shape quizzes, and every single one told her something different.

"I think I have a square face," she said, touching her jawline self-consciously. "So I can't have short hair, right? That's what all the articles say."

I examined her face carefully. Strong jawline, yes. But that wasn't the whole story.

"Tell me about your hair history," I said.

"I've kept it long my entire life," she admitted. "Since I was a teenager. I'm 38 now, and I've never had it shorter than my shoulders because everyone says square faces need length to balance them out."

I'm Hasblady Guzman, and with over 30 years in this industry here at Bokaos Aveda, I've learned that your face is so much more than a simple shape. Those online quizzes miss the beautiful subtleties that make you, you.

The Discovery That Changed Everything

I asked Paloma to pull her hair back completely so I could see her full face structure.

"You're right that you have a defined jawline," I said. "But look at where your face is widest."

I showed her with a mirror. Her cheekbones were the widest part of her face, significantly wider than both her forehead and her jaw.

"Your cheekbones are your strongest feature," I explained. "You're not square. You're closer to diamond-shaped. And that changes everything about what will work beautifully on you."

Paloma looked confused. "But my jaw is so strong. Doesn't that make me square?"

"A strong jaw is just one feature," I said. "I look at proportions, balance, where your eye naturally goes. Your cheekbones draw attention first. That's what we want to highlight."

I pulled out my phone and showed her examples of diamond face shapes with short hair.

"See how short styles actually showcase the cheekbones?" I pointed out. "The length you've been keeping isn't balancing anything. It's hiding your best feature."

She studied the photos. "I never thought about it that way."

"Online quizzes slot you into boxes," I said. "But I see the actual person. Your bone structure, your angles, your energy. A chin-length bob with soft layers would be stunning on you. It would open up your face and put all the focus on those incredible cheekbones."

Paloma looked terrified and excited. "I've wanted short hair my whole adult life. But I was so convinced it would look terrible."

"Let's prove that wrong," I said.

The Cut That She'd Avoided for 20 Years

At Paloma's cutting appointment two weeks later, I could see her nervousness.

"Are you sure about this?" she asked as I sectioned her hair.

"I'm sure," I said. "Trust the process."

I created a chin-length bob with soft, graduated layers that followed the natural angles of her face. The length hit right at her jawline, and the layers created movement that drew the eye upward to her cheekbones.

As I worked, I explained what I was doing. "See how I'm keeping slightly more length in front? That softens your jaw while the overall shape highlights your cheekbones."

When I finished styling and turned her chair to the mirror, Paloma gasped.

"Oh my God," she whispered. "My cheekbones. I've never seen them like this."

The short length completely transformed her face. Her cheekbones looked sculpted and prominent. Her jaw, which she'd been self-conscious about, looked elegant and balanced.

"You've been hiding under all that hair," I said. "This is who you've been the whole time."

She touched the hair tentatively. "I can't believe I waited 20 years to do this."

Six Weeks of New Confidence

At Paloma's six-week follow-up trim, she came in glowing.

"I cannot tell you how many compliments I've gotten," she said. "My coworkers, my family, random people at the grocery store. Everyone says I look completely different."

I examined her cut. Growing out beautifully, maintaining its shape and movement.

"How do you feel about it?" I asked.

"Like I finally look like myself," she said. "I spent two decades believing I couldn't have short hair because some online quiz told me I had a square face. All those years of hiding my best feature because I trusted a computer algorithm over professional expertise."

She looked at her reflection. "And the maintenance is so easy. I blow-dry it in ten minutes. With long hair, I was spending 30 minutes fighting with it. This just falls into place."

Three Months of Living Differently

At Paloma's three-month check-in, she showed me photos from a recent family wedding.

"Look at these," she said. "I actually love how I look in photos now. Before, I always felt like my face disappeared under all that hair. Now my features stand out."

I examined the photos. The bob framed her face perfectly, showcasing her cheekbones in every angle.

"My sister asked me for your number," Paloma said. "She's been growing her hair out for years because she thinks her face is too round for short styles. I told her to stop trusting online quizzes and come see you."

She touched her chin-length hair. "I wasted 20 years on bad advice from the internet. One consultation with someone who actually knows what they're looking at changed everything."

When "Heart-Shaped" Meant Avoiding Bangs Forever

In December, Thessaly Park came in for a consultation looking hesitant. She had long hair pulled back in a ponytail and kept touching her forehead self-consciously.

"I've always wanted bangs," she said. "But every quiz I take says I have a heart-shaped face, and heart-shaped faces shouldn't have bangs. They make the forehead look smaller and throw everything off balance."

I examined her face. Wider at the forehead and cheekbones, yes. But the proportions weren't quite what the quizzes were telling her.

"Tell me why you want bangs," I said.

"I've always felt like my forehead is too prominent," she admitted. "But I'm afraid to try bangs because everything online says it's the wrong move for my face shape."

Looking Beyond the Label

I pulled her hair forward to see how bangs would frame her face.

"You do have width at your forehead," I said. "But look at your overall proportions. Your forehead, cheekbones, and jaw are actually quite balanced. You're not as dramatically heart-shaped as you think."

I showed her with a mirror how bangs would work with her features.

"Soft, side-swept bangs wouldn't make your forehead look smaller in a bad way," I explained. "They'd frame your face and draw attention to your eyes. Your bone structure can absolutely support bangs."

Thessaly looked skeptical. "But the quizzes all said—"

"The quizzes don't see you," I interrupted gently. "They see data points. I see a real face with nuance and balance. Your features can handle bangs beautifully. We just need to customize the style for your specific proportions."

She took a deep breath. "Okay. I trust you."

The Bangs She'd Wanted for Years

At Thessaly's cutting appointment, I created soft, side-swept bangs that worked with her face's natural proportions. Not blunt, not heavy, just the right amount of framing.

When I finished and showed her the mirror, Thessaly's eyes filled with tears.

"This is what I've wanted since I was a teenager," she said. "I'm 32. I've spent 15 years avoiding bangs because the internet told me they'd look terrible."

The bangs completely transformed her face. Instead of making her forehead look smaller, they created balance and drew attention to her eyes.

"You were right," she said. "They don't throw anything off. They just make everything work together better."

Eight Weeks of Finally Having Bangs

At Thessaly's eight-week trim, she came in smiling.

"I love them so much," she said. "I've worn my hair down every single day. Before, I always pulled it back because I was self-conscious about my forehead. Now I actually want to show my face."

I trimmed her bangs, maintaining the soft side-swept shape.

"My mom asked why I finally got bangs after talking about it for so long," Thessaly said. "I told her I stopped listening to online quizzes and started listening to someone who actually knows what they're doing."

She looked at her reflection. "Face shape quizzes are fine for fun. But they can't replace the eye of someone who's been studying faces for 30 years. You saw things those algorithms never could."

What These Transformations Prove

Paloma's journey shows the danger of online labels: 20 years keeping hair long believing "square face can't have short hair," consultation revealed diamond shape with prominent cheekbones, chin-length bob showcased her best feature she'd been hiding, six weeks of constant compliments, three months finally loving how she looks in photos.

Thessaly's story shows algorithms miss nuance: 15 years avoiding bangs because quizzes said "heart-shaped faces shouldn't," consultation showed balanced proportions could support bangs beautifully, soft side-swept style framed face instead of overwhelming it, eight weeks wearing hair down with confidence after years of hiding.

Both learned online quizzes oversimplify. Real faces have subtleties, proportions, and balance that algorithms can't capture. Professional consultation sees the actual person, not just data points.

Let's Discover Your Real Features

Online quizzes are fun starting points, but they can't replace professional assessment. Your face is more than a category. It's a unique combination of proportions, angles, and features that deserve individual attention.

If you've been avoiding styles based on online advice or want to finally understand what actually works for your specific features, let's talk.

Come visit us at Bokaos Aveda Salon at 52 Hugus Alley in Old Town Pasadena, CA 91103. Give us a call at (626) 304-0007 or book your consultation online.

Your face is more than a shape. Let's find your perfect style together.