Many women coming into a beauty salon for a haircut already have a certain hairstyle in mind – most likely it’s one they saw on a celebrity. Sometime’s they’ll browse through the magazines in the salon and choose one they think becomes them. If only our hair could talk!

The right hairstyle for a woman should complement the shape of her face, among other things. Remember when “the bob” was all the rage some years back? Even those with very round faces wanted to have this hairstyle, but it just made their face all the more rounder – in other words, not flattering at all. Read on to find out which hairstyle is most appropriate for the shape of your face.

If you have a round face, your main objective should be to elongate your face a bit. A round face is full looking, with a rounded chin. Its widest point is at the ears and the cheeks. Celebrities with round faces are Drew Barrymore, Christina Ricci, or Roseanne Barr.

Flattering hairstyles for the round face are those with height at the crown, with hair parts at the sides. Beware of extreme side parts too, as these could make one side of the head look too flat and the other too full. The length must fall beyond the chin, with layering on top and the rest of the cut close to the face.

Choppy bangs are better for the round face than one-length bangs. Avoid bobs and hair lengths that are at chin level. These mirror the roundness of the face. Keep away from cuts that add further volume at the level of the cheeks or ears.

For a square face, you’ll want to soften the angles at the chin and the hairline with short to medium-length hair. Celebrities with square-shaped faces are Demi Moore, Sandra Bullock, and Angelina Jolie. These glamorous women should stay away from severe bangs and bob cuts that are too squarish.

If you have straight hair, go for a long hairstyle with graduated layers. You can also pull your hair back with a French twist or a neat ponytail for more formal occasions.

A heart-shaped face is one that is broad at the hairline and at the temples and tapering towards the chin. Michelle Pfeiffer, Jennifer Love Hewitt, and Claudia Schiffer have this face shape. If you have a heart-shaped face, you can try styles that fall somewhere near chin length, with wispy bangs and layers that are combed forward toward the face.

To achieve balance for a narrow chin, choose a style that has weight or volume near the nape area. Don’t wear hairstyles that add height to the crown and looks that are severely slicked back.

An oval face is the most versatile shape, as nearly any hairstyle goes well with one. If you have an oval-shaped face, though, you’ll still need to stay away from extremely long hair parted in the middle, as this could make your face look too drawn out. Part it to the side instead.

Celebrities with oval faces are Cate Blanchett and Halle Berry. Short cuts with choppy layers would work well, as would medium-length cuts for wavy hair. Its length should stay within about an inch above the jawline to about an inch or two below it.

Instead of showing your hair stylist a celebrity photo with a hairstyle that you love, find a photo of a celebrity with a face the same shape as yours, and see which style best suits her. That photo is what you should show your stylist!