Sometimes writers expand on important details, making the character description more rich and vivid.
Mr Twit was one of these very hairy-faced men. The whole of his face except for his forehead, his eyes and his nose was covered with thick hair. The stuff even sprouted in revolting tufts out of his nostrils and ear-holes.
Whether you use a summary description or a detailed description is up to you, and the effect you want to create. Sometimes you want to describe a vivid character, sometimes you want their action to speak for itself through the story.
The cook was the loudest of the crew. Her raucous laughter could often be heard from below deck, and the crew insisted that when she was mad, her shouts caused even the fish to swim away in fear.
Tilly was a tiny cat. She was so small you could fit two of her in a shoebox without any trouble.
