I Got a Haircut That Was ‘Bad’ for My Face Shape and the World Didn’t End

I get why sorting things—anything—into categories is helpful. Ranking boneless wings by hotness level and leaving the front row to the best SoulCycle riders has not only made life easier, but it's saved me from great embarrassment over the years. The same can be said for my beauty routine. For instance, nail shapes: I know I love a square nail, and having figured that out always leads me to a great manicure. But categorizing can also be more of a brain teaser than a shortcut. Take face shapes. I spent years trying to find the "right" haircut for me, and it didn't ever make me love a haircut; it just made me insecure.

I grew up hearing I'd "eventually grow into" my head. A promise I'm still waiting to come through. Back in fourth grade, it was adult-size-bicycle-helmet big—and as for now? I was never that great with geometry in school, but according to all those online face charts, I believe the shape of my face is oblong.

Oblong is an ugly word, and traditional "long face" haircut tips include ultimatums like “Grow out your hair as long as possible to make your huge head look smaller!" Also, rarely is this advice subcategorized for women with curls. My huge head and I had had enough. Different faces are different shapes. It’s not a big deal, and adhering to rules that don’t make you feel good is a terrible idea (except for traffic, state, and federal laws—please follow those).

For my most recent—and horrifically overdue—haircut, I wanted a big change, but I also wanted a cut that had nothing to do with what's usually recommended for me. Instead, I decided to focus on the shape of my hair—a hugely important part of curly haircuts—and what would make me feel great. I decided to start at the root of the issue (pun intended) and sought out the curl experts at Ouidad Salon NYC. If anyone could make my curls the number-one priority, I figured it was a specialist there.