Press on the Icon that matches your face shape!

Carmine Minardi of the Minardi Salon addresses each client individually. "All the newest trends to one degree or another can fit into anyone's lifestyle or anyone's features if they take this into consideration . . . I have a rule of thumb about face shapes that helps people, it's very simple: I ask people to look at their face and tell me if they think it's more horizontal or more vertical. If it's wider we want to give the illusion of length . . . to make the face appear narrower." This, of course can be easily achieved with the right cut and style.

Carmine knows that it's very difficult for some women to determine their specific face shape; he feels it's much easier to try and evaluate it more simply in terms of width and length. He also added that many women these days are not as interested in camouflaging flaws as much - they really prefer to cultivate their own look - they don't think of their "flaws" as being draw-backs, they see them as adding something special to their unique mystique!

We applaud these women . . . we think Madonna said it best when she sang "Express yourself, don't repress yourself!"

Other women feel it is their right to try and enhance and beautify their appearance as much as they can . . . if they don't agonize over it but enjoy doing it, we applaud them also! This is their way of expressing themselves, too!

We asked Kim Lepine, one of New York's top hair stylists and director of her own salon for her expert advice on the best styles for the different face shapes and how to minimize certain flaws. (We have also added our own advice about accessories and necklines that are the most flattering for these).

Finally, we asked Michael Gordon, director of the famous Bumble and bumble Salon, for his advice on the best styles for the different facial shapes and his response was quite heart-warming: "You can be beautiful with completely odd features." (We LOVED hearing this! Of course, women have always had the choice of either trying to adapt themselves to the "ideal" or DEFYING IT . . . we think defiance can be very sexy!)

He elaborated on this, "It all depends on your level of confidence . . . if you're going to try to cover something up, you're going to feel vulnerable . . . you'll be more aware of what you think is a problem and you're probably the only one who's worried about it." (What a relief!) "The best advice is, if you see someone whose hair is amazing, visit their hairdresser."

We think Michael's expert advice is beautiful in its honest simplicity and as straight as a razor! (No "bun" intended!)