A round face has full cheeks, a soft jawline and roughly equal length and width. It often looks youthful, and with the right haircut it can also look sculpted and defined. The trick is to add vertical lines and height and avoid extra width at the cheeks. Here are the most flattering hairstyles for round faces, from pixie cuts to long layers, plus styles for men.
Is your face round?
You probably have a round face if:
- your face is about as wide as it is long,
- your cheeks are the fullest part of your face,
- your jawline is soft with no sharp angle,
- your forehead and jaw are similar in width.
Not sure? Upload a photo to the free face shape detector.
The 4 rules of round-face haircuts
- Add height at the crown. Lift on top makes the face look longer.
- Create vertical lines. Long layers, side parts and face-framing pieces draw the eye up and down.
- Avoid ending a cut at the cheeks. A blunt chin-length bob that stops at the widest point emphasizes width.
- Use asymmetry. Side parts, side-swept bangs and uneven layers break up the roundness.
Short hairstyles for round faces
- Long pixie with volume on top: lift at the crown, short sides, longer side-swept fringe.
- Textured pixie: piecey texture adds height and angles.
- Asymmetrical bob: longer at the front on one side, ending below the chin.
- A-line bob: shorter at the back, longer and angled at the front, ending past the jaw.
- Choppy lob (long bob): ends at the collarbone, with layers that start below the chin.
Short hair tip: keep length or volume above the cheekbones or below the jaw, not right at the cheeks.
Medium-length hairstyles for round faces
- Collarbone cut with face-framing layers that start at the chin.
- Shag with curtain bangs that part in the middle and sweep outward.
- Side-parted lob with soft waves below the jaw.
- Layered shoulder-length cut with height at the roots.
- Butterfly cut: short layers around the face, longer layers underneath.
Long hairstyles for round faces
- Long layers starting below the chin.
- Deep side part with loose waves.
- Long hair with curtain bangs.
- High ponytail or top knot that adds height (leave a few face-framing pieces).
- Sleek straight hair with a side part, which creates strong vertical lines.
Bangs for round faces
Bangs can work beautifully on round faces when they add length:
- Side-swept bangs: the most universally flattering.
- Curtain bangs: parted in the middle and swept to the sides, longer than eyebrow length.
- Wispy, piecey bangs rather than heavy blunt ones.
Avoid short, straight-across blunt bangs, which can make the face look shorter and wider.
Haircuts for round faces: men
- Quiff or pompadour: height on top elongates the face.
- Undercut or high fade with length on top: tight sides reduce width.
- Textured crop with a high fade: messy height on top, short sides.
- Side part with a taper: classic, clean vertical line.
- Faux hawk: height in the center.
Pair any of these with a beard that is short on the cheeks and slightly longer at the chin to add length. More in beard styles by face shape.
Styles to avoid with a round face
- Chin-length blunt bobs that end at the cheeks.
- Center-parted, flat hair with no layers.
- Heavy, short blunt bangs.
- Lots of volume at the sides.
- Buzz cuts with no height (for men who want to look less round).
Try before you cut
Round faces respond strongly to small changes in length and layering. Upload a selfie to the hairstyle try-on and compare a lob, a pixie and long layers side by side before you book.
FAQ
What is the best haircut for a round face?
Cuts that add height and vertical lines: long pixies with volume on top, asymmetrical or A-line bobs that end below the chin, long layers, and side parts.
Can you have short hair with a round face?
Yes. Choose pixie cuts with height at the crown or bobs that end below the chin, and avoid cuts that stop at the cheeks.
Are bangs good for round faces?
Side-swept and curtain bangs are flattering because they create diagonal and vertical lines. Short blunt bangs can make the face look wider.
What hairstyle makes a round face look slimmer?
Height on top, long face-framing layers, a deep side part, and keeping volume off the cheeks all make a round face look longer and slimmer.
What haircut suits a round face for men?
Quiffs, pompadours, faux hawks and textured crops with a high fade, all of which add height and keep the sides tight.
