What Makes a Haircut Work for a Round Face
A round face is about as wide as it is long, with full cheeks and a soft, rounded jaw. Flattering cuts do two things: they add vertical lines that make the face look longer, and they add angles that contrast with the curves. Length below the chin, height at the crown, side parts and face-framing pieces that fall past the cheeks all help.
Cuts that end right at the widest part of the face, at the cheeks or the chin, draw a horizontal line there and make it look wider. Here are 15 cuts that work, from long to short.
1. Long Layers
Long hair with layers starting below the chin creates vertical lines and movement without bulk at the cheeks. Keep the shortest layer at or below the collarbone.
Read more: Short Hair for Round Faces: Pixies, Bobs and Lobs That Work
2. The Lob (Long Bob)
A lob that falls 3 to 5 centimetres past the chin elongates the neck and face. A slight angle, longer at the front, adds a flattering diagonal line.
3. Deep Side Part
Moving your part to one side breaks the symmetry of a round face and creates an asymmetric line. It works with almost every length and costs nothing.
Read more: Layered Haircuts for Round Faces
4. Curtain Bangs
Bangs parted in the middle and swept outward frame the face in a soft V shape. Keep them long enough to fall past the cheekbones. More in bangs for round faces.
5. Side-Swept Bangs
A long side-swept fringe cuts a diagonal across the forehead, which slims the face more than a straight-across fringe.
6. Face-Framing Layers
Shorter pieces at the front that start around the chin and angle down create lines that run along the face rather than across it.
7. Pixie Cut With Height
A pixie can suit a round face if it has height and texture on top and close sides. Avoid a flat, rounded pixie that hugs the head. See short hair for round faces for more short options.
8. Asymmetric Bob
A bob that is longer on one side adds angles and draws the eye diagonally. Keep the longer side below the chin.
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9. Shag With Long Layers
A modern shag adds texture at the crown and choppy layers around the face. Ask for the volume on top rather than at the sides.
10. Sleek Long Straight Hair
Straight hair worn long and close to the face creates strong vertical lines. A middle part is fine here as long as the hair falls past the shoulders.
11. Voluminous Crown, Smooth Sides
Whatever the length, volume at the crown and flatter sides lengthen the face. A half-up style with height at the back does this for long hair.
12. Long Waves
Loose waves starting below the chin add movement without width at the cheeks. Waves that start too high widen the face.
13. High Ponytail or Top Knot
Pulling hair up high adds height. Leaving a few face-framing strands at the front keeps it soft.
14. Layered Curls
Curly hair suits round faces when the volume is kept on top and the shape is longer than it is wide. See curly hair for round faces.
15. Tapered Pixie With a Side Fringe
A tapered nape and a longer side-swept fringe create an angled line from forehead to jaw, one of the most slimming short cuts.
Cuts to Avoid With a Round Face
A chin-length blunt bob creates a horizontal line at the widest part of the face. A heavy, straight-across fringe shortens the face. Tight curls or volume at cheek level add width. Slicking everything back with no height exposes the full outline.
Not sure your face is round? Round is often confused with oval or square. The free face scan in Ollie Stylist measures your proportions in your browser and ranks haircuts for your shape.