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You might turn to your wardrobe in your efforts to slim down the appearance of your figure, but the wrong haircut can sabotage your efforts. Like horizontal stripes or shiny fabrics, a bad hairstyle can make a chubby face look even wider or rounder. But just as savvy gals have a few fashion tricks up their sleeves to camouflage unwanted curves, so do hairstylists. The right cut and style can slim inches off your face.
Hitting the Right Length
Slimming hairstyles start with the right length. Skip styles that hit you at the chin -- they draw attention to any lingering baby fat you have under there. Extra-long hair that flows well past your shoulders doesn't do you any favors either. Long, straight hair contrasts with rounder features, making them appear wider. Layered hair that falls past your shoulders will give you some volume and create movement that doesn't look weighed down or too heavy. A few face-framing shorter pieces toward the front will slim down the shape of your face, but longer-in-the-back pieces will give you some styling freedom.
Highlight the Good
Think of one-color hair like wearing only blue from head to toe: it draws people's attention and makes you look shapeless. Highlights add a splash of light to your hair that creates dimension and brightens up your whole look, giving the illusion of slimmer features. All-over highlights distinguish your hair from the rest of your face, and you should opt for shades that complement your base color. Don't be too drastic; platinum blond streaks in your otherwise burgundy hair will not get the kind of attention you're after. Instead, stick to softer honey and strawberry shades that are two to three shades lighter than your base.
Va-Va-Voom Volume
Movement in your hair looks light and weightless, translating to a slimmer version of yourself. Get movement going with amped-up volume and ditch stick-straight locks. A little wave in your hair keeps the strands from looking limp and adding bulk to your face. Give your hair a lift with volumizing products, and brush your hair upside down to pull it away from the roots. Some height in your hair will make your face look smaller by contrast, but too much bulk around the roundest parts of your face, like your cheeks or chin, only adds width. Keep volume in the back and at the top for the most slimming results.
Frame Your Features
Don't go blunt with bangs -- the straight lines create a distracting contrast with your rounder parts. Frame your face with fringe or side-swept bangs for a softer look. When it's time to get fancy, pulling all your hair back into a classic chignon is too severe, so avoid any slicked-back styles. Keep the front soft and let a few romantic tendrils escape around the sides of your face. Taller updos that add height to your hair will also add length to your face, so pile high when it comes time to get dolled up. Skip the curly ringlets and go for a piled look that is sleeker -- tight curls are too round to do any slimming work.
