Shammal Qureshi is the CEO of Toni & Guy (North) in Pakistan as well as the Creative Director of Toni & Guy, Lahore. Over the years Shammal has mastered and updated his craft at the Toni & Guy Institute and has also had the opportunity of working alongside co-founder Toni Mascolo. He recently won an award for the Best Salon Director at Toni & Guy’s International Annual Awards

PRIME CUTS

Your perfect haircut is more than just a few chops here and there. When trying a new hairstyle, you need to consider your face shape because a haircut is just like putting a frame around one’s face to give it perfect balance. To wear the best hairstyle, it is important that you determine whether your face is round, oval, square or triangular. Instep sits down with Shammal Qureshi - caught after a Dove Masterclass - for an abbreviation of what works and what doesn’t.

Generally, any kind of haircut will suit oval face shapes, provided the features are balanced. I usually encourage clients with oval face shapes to experiment with their hair as much as possible and try more defined cuts like the box bob. In terms of colour, oval face shapes can get away with bolder colours.

To maintain the haircut, I would recommend shine-based products, such as the label.m Shine Spray or serum. The Dove Daily Shine shampoo is also a great product that brings out a natural shine in your hair. The right product ultimately depends on your hair texture and condition, so ask your stylist to recommend the product best suited for your hair.

Triangular face shapes require concealing towards the jawline for a softer look. I would recommend the long bob shape and the best example for this is Reese Witherspoon who has a very triangular face. Reese’s long bob is perfect for her face. You can style your hair in different ways; it doesn’t necessarily have to be straight. Loose waves also look great.

For round face shapes, the important factor to keep in mind is that you need to eliminate any kind of width around the face, while making sure to maintain an element of softness. If you have a smaller forehead, avoid bangs and go for a haircut that creates volume at the top to get the look of an oval-shaped face. The haircut must have soft perimeters and layers to reduce weight around the sides of the face. In terms of colour as well, I would recommend transient and softer colours.

Use products that promote texture and separation. These days, I am digging the label.m Texturising Volume Spray. However, as I mentioned earlier, the right product for your hair depends on your hair type, texture and condition.

For squarer shapes I would recommend haircuts that have rounder shapes. Again, layers will help greatly in softening out the face. Olivia Wilde of House M.D. fame has a square face. Although I would discourage bangs for square shaped faces as a general rule, subtle bangs may suit some people.

These are just general rules to follow. I would always encourage a proper consultation with the stylist before embarking on any change.