Finding the perfect hairstyle for a round face shape can transform your entire look. When we have fuller cheeks and less defined jawlines, the right cut can create the illusion of length and angles—exactly what round faces need to appear more balanced and slimmed.
We’ve gathered the most flattering hairstyles that work wonders for round faces. From layered lobs that create vertical lines to side-swept bangs that add asymmetry, these styles strategically draw the eye upward and elongate your face shape. The best part? These cuts don’t just camouflage roundness—they enhance your natural beauty while keeping you on-trend.
Understanding Round Face Shapes: Key Features to Consider
Before diving into exact hairstyles, it’s essential to understand what makes a face round and why certain styles complement this face shape better than others.
How to Determine If You Have a Round Face
Round faces typically have width and length in similar proportions, creating a circular appearance. You likely have a round face if your cheekbones are the widest part of your face with soft angles and a rounded jawline. Measuring your face can provide confirmation – if the width and length measurements are similar, your face shape is round. Another telltale sign is full cheeks that give your face a youthful, cherubic quality. Many celebrities like Selena Gomez, Chrissy Teigen, and Miranda Kerr have round faces, showcasing how this face shape can be beautifully enhanced with the right hairstyle. Try taking a front-facing photo of yourself with your hair pulled back to clearly see your face’s outline and compare it to round face characteristics.
Why Certain Hairstyles Work Better for Round Faces
Hairstyles that add height, create angles, or provide asymmetry work exceptionally well for round faces by creating visual length. Vertical lines from layered cuts help elongate the face silhouette, balancing the natural roundness. Styles that add volume at the crown can extend your face shape upward, creating a slimming effect. Face-framing layers particularly benefit round faces by adding definition and drawing attention to your best features. Strategic side parts can break up the symmetry of a round face, creating a more oval appearance. We’ve noticed that hairstyles with too much volume on the sides often accentuate width and circular dimensions, which typically isn’t flattering for round faces. Texture also plays a crucial role in creating dimension that complements round face shapes, adding visual interest that distracts from fullness.
Long Layered Cuts That Slim the Face
Long layered cuts are the perfect solution for round faces, as they create vertical lines that elongate your facial structure. These strategic layers add dimension while reducing the appearance of fullness in the cheeks.
Side-Swept Layers with Long Lengths
Side-swept layers combined with longer hair create an incredibly flattering silhouette for round faces. This style naturally draws the eye downward, creating a visual elongation effect that slims the face. Adding a deep side part enhances this slimming illusion by creating asymmetry that breaks up the roundness of your face shape. For a sophisticated option, try styling your side-swept layers in a high ponytail while leaving two face-framing pieces at the front – this technique lifts your features and creates a lengthening effect that’s both elegant and flattering.
Face-Framing Layers That Create Definition
Face-framing layers strategically positioned below the chin line provide essential definition that balances round face shapes. These layers work best when they start no higher than chin level, as this prevents adding unwanted width to your face. Shoulder-length styles with face-framing elements offer particular elegance while effectively elongating your facial structure. Angular cuts and piecey shags introduce sharper lines that contrast beautifully with round faces, creating more defined contours and a balanced appearance. A layered pixie bob with a deep side part can also deliver a slimming effect by avoiding uniformity and introducing flattering asymmetry to your overall look.
Bob Haircuts That Add Angles to Soften Roundness
Bob haircuts are perfect for round faces as they create structure and angles that naturally slim the face. These strategic cuts help balance fullness while adding definition to your features.
The Long Bob (Lob): Elongating Effect
The long bob, commonly known as the “lob,” extends just below the chin to create a lengthening effect for round faces. This chic style draws the eye downward, instantly creating the illusion of a longer face shape. Lobs work exceptionally well with straight or slightly wavy hair textures, offering versatility for styling. Many celebrities with round faces opt for this sophisticated cut because it maintains length while adding structure. For best results, ask your stylist to keep the front pieces slightly longer than the back to frame your face beautifully.
The Angled Bob: Creating Sharp Lines
Angled bobs feature shorter hair at the back with gradually longer strands toward the front, creating sharp, diagonal lines that slim round faces. This ever-changing cut introduces angles that counterbalance facial roundness, particularly flattering for those with thick, straight hair. The structural elements of an angled bob create visual interest that draws attention away from fuller cheeks. Adding layers to this style can enhance the angular effect while providing movement and texture. Styling with a slight bend using a flat iron can accentuate the angles even further.
The Asymmetrical Bob: Creating Visual Balance
Asymmetrical bobs paired with side-swept bangs break the natural symmetry of round faces, creating a visually balanced appearance. This contemporary style features uneven lengths—typically with one side longer than the other—which introduces diagonal lines that slim the face. A deep side part enhances this effect, framing the face while creating the illusion of more defined cheekbones. The longer fringe elements help camouflage wider areas of round faces while adding an edgy, fashion-forward element to your look. Celebrities and style icons frequently choose this versatile cut for its ability to appear both sophisticated and modern.
Graduated Bobs That Elongate Your Profile
Graduated bobs with defined layers create vertical lines that make round faces appear longer and slimmer. This technique involves stacking shorter layers at the back while maintaining length toward the front, creating height and dimension. Starting layers around chin length ensures they frame the face at its most flattering point, drawing attention away from fuller cheeks. Shoulder-length graduated bobs offer versatility for those who prefer more length while still benefiting from the face-slimming effect. Adding texture to graduated layers creates movement that further enhances the elongating properties of this style. For additional height, try styling the crown area with extra volume or creating a half-up topknot to instantly slim your silhouette.
Flattering Bangs Styles for Round Faces
Adding the right bangs to your hairstyle can dramatically transform a round face, creating balance and the illusion of a more oval shape. Certain bang styles work particularly well by adding vertical elements and drawing attention away from facial fullness.
Side-Swept Bangs That Add Dimension
Side-swept bangs offer one of the most flattering options for round faces as they create asymmetry that visually elongates your face. These bangs sweep gracefully across the forehead, breaking up the circular shape and adding angular definition. Pairing them with a deep side part enhances this slimming effect even further, creating diagonal lines that contrast beautifully with rounded features. The diagonal direction of side-swept bangs draws the eye downward and across the face rather than emphasizing width. Many celebrities with round faces choose this style specifically because it adds dimension while softening facial fullness without hiding your features completely.
Curtain Bangs That Frame the Face
Curtain bangs provide another excellent option for round faces by creating vertical lines that visually lengthen your overall face shape. These face-framing bangs typically part in the middle and sweep outward toward your cheekbones or chin, creating a curtain-like effect that draws the eye downward. Their graduated length introduces vertical elements that counterbalance facial roundness while still maintaining a soft, flattering look. Unlike blunt straight-across bangs that can accentuate roundness, curtain bangs offer versatility in styling and can be adjusted to hit at the most flattering point of your face. They work especially well when paired with layered haircuts below the chin, as this combination creates multiple vertical elements that slim and elongate your appearance.
Updos and Half-Up Styles That Create Height
Round faces can benefit greatly from hairstyles that add vertical dimension, drawing the eye upward rather than outward. Updo styles and half-up arrangements create the perfect opportunity to add flattering height that visually elongates your face shape.
High Ponytails for Visual Length
High ponytails serve as an excellent option for round-faced individuals seeking to create the illusion of a longer face. This versatile style works beautifully for both casual daytime looks and formal evening events, instantly lifting your facial features. Adding two long face-framing pieces dramatically enhances the lengthening effect while softening the overall look. The elevated position of the ponytail draws attention upward, creating a slimming vertical line that counterbalances facial roundness. Securing your ponytail at the crown rather than the middle of your head maximizes this elongating effect.
Half-Up Styles With Crown Volume
Half-up styles offer the perfect balance between wearing your hair down and creating flattering height. These arrangements work particularly well with medium-length hair, as they draw the eye upward while still allowing length to frame your face. Incorporating a deep side part with your half-up style further enhances the slimming effect by creating asymmetry that breaks up facial roundness. Teasing the crown section before securing it adds crucial volume at the top of the head, which helps create that sought-after elongated silhouette. For maximum face-slimming results, ensure that any layers in your style start below the chin line to avoid adding unwanted width to your cheeks.
Voluminous Top Knots That Elongate
Top knots with added volume create important height that effectively counterbalances round face shapes. This style works by drawing attention to the top of your head rather than the fullness of your face. Teasing your hair slightly before wrapping it into a knot creates texture and dimension that enhances the elongating effect. Crown volume proves particularly important when styling a top knot for round faces, as it’s this elevated height that creates the illusion of facial length. Positioning your top knot high on your head rather than at the back maximizes the slimming effect by creating a longer vertical line from forehead to knot.
Pixie Cuts That Complement Round Face Shapes
While many believe pixie cuts might accentuate roundness, exact variations can actually create stunning contrast and balance for round face shapes. The right pixie style adds angles and dimension that elongate the face for a more flattering silhouette.
Textured Pixie With Longer Top Sections
Textured pixie cuts with extended top sections work wonders for round faces by creating vertical lines that draw the eye upward. This strategic style adds important height and volume at the crown, effectively elongating the face’s appearance. Texture plays a crucial role in preventing the hair from lying flat against the head, which could otherwise emphasize facial roundness. We recommend asking your stylist to incorporate layers and texture through the top while keeping some length that can be styled upward or to the side for maximum face-slimming effect.
Asymmetrical Pixies That Create Angles
Asymmetrical pixie cuts offer perhaps the most dramatic face-slimming benefits for round face shapes by introducing sharp angles that beautifully contrast with natural facial curves. This striking style typically features one side cut shorter than the other or hair swept dramatically to one side with a deep part. The deliberate asymmetry creates visual interest that frames and narrows the face while avoiding the uniformity that can make round faces appear fuller. For best results, we suggest incorporating longer pieces around the face on one side while keeping the opposite side shorter and more tapered.
Layered Pixie Bob
A layered pixie bob delivers sophistication and face-slimming benefits for round faces, especially when styled with a side part. The carefully crafted layers create necessary movement and prevent bulk around the sides of the face where volume can accentuate roundness. This versatile style adds an elegant touch while maintaining the ease of a shorter cut. We’ve found this option particularly appealing for those who want the convenience of a pixie but aren’t ready to commit to a very short length throughout.
Additional Tips
To maximize the slimming effect of any pixie variation, consider incorporating strategically placed bangs or face-framing pieces. Long peek-a-boo bangs or wispy fringes cut at an angle can define your features while creating the illusion of a more oval face shape. Avoid blunt, straight-across bangs as they can widen the appearance of your face. When styling, products that add texture and lift at the roots will enhance the elongating effect that makes pixie cuts so flattering for round face shapes.
Styling Techniques That Minimize Fullness
Certain styling techniques can dramatically reduce the appearance of fullness in round faces, creating a more balanced and elongated look. Here are some effective approaches that work wonders for round face shapes:
- Layered Cuts – Incorporating layers into your hairstyle significantly reduces the appearance of fullness while adding movement and dimension. Long layers starting around chin length create vertical lines that draw the eye downward, visually slimming the face and providing a more balanced silhouette.
- Angled and Asymmetrical Cuts – Opting for angular cuts like a long bob (LOB) or an angled bob creates sharp lines that contrast beautifully with the soft curves of a round face. These styles draw attention downward along the jawline, creating the illusion of length rather than width.
- Piecey and Choppy Styles – Embracing textured cuts such as a modern shag or a choppy pixie bob adds definition that breaks up facial roundness. These styles create visual interest with their uneven edges, effectively distracting from fuller cheeks and creating a more sculpted appearance.
Creating Volume at the Crown
Adding height at the top of your head is a clever way to elongate round faces and create a more flattering proportion. These volume-creating techniques can transform your look:
- High Ponytails – Pulling your hair into an elevated ponytail instantly adds height to your silhouette, drawing the eye upward and away from the roundness of your face. This simple style creates vertical length that balances wider facial features.
- Top Knots – Styling your hair into a half-up top knot or full top knot introduces flattering height that elongates your overall face shape. This technique works particularly well for round faces by creating the illusion of a longer, more oval silhouette.
- Root Volume – Using volumizing products and techniques at the crown adds beneficial height without adding width. Apply mousse or volumizing spray to damp roots, then blow-dry using a round brush while lifting the hair upward to maximize height where it counts most.
Strategic Parting for Face-Slimming Effects
How you part your hair can significantly impact how slimming your hairstyle appears on a round face. These parting strategies create instant definition:
- Deep Side Part – Creating a deep side part instantly introduces asymmetry that helps slim a round face. This technique sweeps a greater portion of hair to one side, breaking up the circular shape and creating a more angular appearance without any cutting required.
- Diagonal Parts – Angling your part slightly from the forehead toward the crown creates interesting lines that distract from facial roundness. This subtle technique adds sophistication while visually elongating your face shape.
- Avoid Center Parts – Steering clear of middle parts prevents emphasizing the symmetry of a round face. Center parts can make round faces appear fuller, so we recommend opting for side or diagonal partings that create more flattering asymmetry and balance.
Celebrity Inspiration: Round-Faced Stars and Their Signature Styles
Many celebrities with round faces have mastered the art of choosing flattering hairstyles that enhance their features. Let’s look at how these stars style their hair and how you can recreate their signature looks.
Selena Gomez
Selena Gomez embraces her round face shape with a chic long bob (LOB) that perfectly frames her features. Her signature cut, which typically falls just below the chin, creates an illusion of length while slimming down the face. The LOB works beautifully for round faces because it adds structure without adding width to the cheeks.
Priyanka Chopra
Priyanka Chopra frequently showcases medium-length hairstyles that complement her round face shape. Her shoulder-length cuts with strategically placed layers below the chin help elongate and slim her face. Priyanka often elevates her look with a half-up topknot that introduces height to create a more graceful silhouette and balance her rounded features.
Gigi Hadid
Gigi Hadid demonstrates how long hairstyles can beautifully complement round faces when styled correctly. Her signature high ponytail serves dual purposes – adding sophistication while visually lengthening her face. Face-framing pieces pulled out from her ponytail enhance the elongating effect, drawing the eye downward and creating vertical lines that slim the face.
Red Carpet Looks to Recreate
Long Layers and High Ponytails
Gigi Hadid’s high ponytail with long layers makes an excellent choice for formal events when you have a round face. This red carpet look creates instant face-slimming effects while maintaining elegance and sophistication. Try securing your ponytail at crown height and pulling out two face-framing pieces for the most flattering result.
Angled Bobs
Angled bobs paired with deep side parts create stunning red carpet moments for celebrities with round faces. This sophisticated cut incorporates sharper angles that contrast beautifully with soft facial features. The asymmetrical lines create visual interest while the graduated length slims the face profile.
Wispy Bangs and Updos
Long, wispy bangs combined with elegant updos offer a glamorous red carpet option for round faces. This combination helps create vertical lines that elongate the face while adding a touch of softness. Messy buns or high ponytails with feathery bangs balance proportions perfectly, drawing attention upward to lengthen the face silhouette.
Everyday Hairstyles From Round-Faced Celebrities
Layered Pixie Bobs
Layered pixie bobs with deep side parts provide versatile everyday styling options inspired by round-faced stars. This low-maintenance cut avoids uniformity and adds beneficial face-framing elements that slim the appearance of fuller cheeks. The asymmetry of this style creates angles that perfectly complement rounded facial features.
Choppy Pixie Cuts
Choppy pixie cuts offer an edgy, youthful vibe that works surprisingly well for round face shapes. The textured, uneven layers create dimension and contrast with naturally rounded features. Many celebrities choose this style for its ability to add height at the crown while keeping the sides sleek, effectively elongating the face.
Shoulder-Skimming Bobs
Shoulder-skimming bobs with defined layers starting at chin level provide chic everyday styling for round faces. This celebrity-inspired cut creates harmony and balance by adding length while maintaining movement. The strategic layer placement draws attention downward, creating a slimming vertical effect that beautifully flatters fuller cheeks.
Avoiding Common Hairstyle Mistakes for Round Faces
While finding the right hairstyle for a round face can be groundbreaking, knowing which styles to avoid is equally important. Certain haircuts can actually emphasize facial roundness rather than creating the desired slimming effect.
Styles That Can Make Your Face Appear Fuller
Blunt bangs create additional width at the forehead, making round faces appear even fuller. Symmetrical cuts without any angles add to facial roundness by creating a uniform frame that emphasizes the circular shape. Hairstyles with excessive volume at the sides push outward visually, extending the widest parts of a round face. One-length bobs that hit exactly at the chin line draw attention to the fullest part of round faces, creating an unflattering circular effect. Too much curl or volume concentrated around the cheeks can exaggerate facial fullness rather than creating balance. Uniformly styled hair without layers or texture tends to emphasize the roundness instead of breaking it up with dimensional elements.
Length and Layer Mistakes to Steer Clear Of
Avoiding layers entirely creates a heavy, shapeless look that weighs down round faces instead of adding necessary dimension. Very short cuts without sufficient height at the crown miss the opportunity to elongate the face vertically. Hair that falls at chin-length without angles or layers frames the fullest part of round faces, emphasizing rather than minimizing roundness. Styles lacking texture appear flat and one-dimensional, failing to create the visual interest that helps slim round faces. Incorrect layering that adds fullness at the cheeks rather than length can make round faces appear wider. Extremely long hair without shape or layers can drag down round faces, especially when worn completely straight without volume at the crown. Cutting bangs too short and thick creates a horizontal line across the face that emphasizes width rather than creating vertical movement.
Finding Your Perfect Round Face Hairstyle
Choosing the right hairstyle for your round face isn’t about hiding your features but improving them. We’ve explored many options from layered lobs to textured pixies that create length and definition while showcasing your natural beauty.
Remember that strategic styling makes all the difference. Whether you’re adding height at the crown creating asymmetry with side-swept bangs or incorporating face-framing layers these techniques can transform your look.
Take inspiration from celebrities who beautifully style their round faces and don’t be afraid to experiment. The perfect hairstyle balances your facial proportions while reflecting your personal style and lifestyle needs.
With these insights you’re now equipped to work with your stylist to find that perfect cut that’ll have everyone complimenting your gorgeous new look!
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if I have a round face shape?
You likely have a round face if your face width and length are similar in proportion, with full cheeks and a rounded jawline. The widest part of your face is at the cheekbones. To confirm, measure your face or observe if you have softer angles rather than defined ones. Round faces typically have less pronounced jawlines and shorter faces compared to other shapes.
What are the best hairstyles for round faces?
The most flattering hairstyles for round faces create length and angles: layered lobs, long layered cuts, side-swept layers, asymmetrical bobs, and textured pixies with height on top. Styles that add vertical lines and asymmetry help elongate your face. Shoulder-length cuts with face-framing layers positioned below the chin are particularly effective at creating a slimming effect.
Can people with round faces wear bangs?
Absolutely! The key is choosing the right type of bangs. Side-swept bangs add asymmetry and elongate round faces, while curtain bangs frame the face and draw the eye downward, creating balance. Avoid blunt, straight-across bangs as they can emphasize facial width and make your face appear fuller.
Are pixie cuts good for round faces?
Contrary to popular belief, pixie cuts can be very flattering for round faces when styled correctly. Opt for textured pixies with longer top sections to create height, or asymmetrical pixies that introduce sharp angles. A layered pixie bob with volume on top and a deep side part creates a sophisticated, face-slimming effect.
What bob styles work best for round faces?
The most flattering bob styles for round faces include the long bob (LOB) that falls below the chin, angled bobs with sharp diagonal lines, asymmetrical bobs paired with side-swept bangs, and graduated bobs with defined layers. These styles create structure and angles that naturally slim the face while adding movement and dimension.
How can I style my hair to minimize facial fullness?
Create volume at the crown using high ponytails, top knots, or root-lifting products to elongate your face. Incorporate layers and asymmetrical elements that draw the eye vertically. Use a deep side part or diagonal part rather than a center part. Add texture through products or styling techniques to create dimension that complements your face shape.
What hairstyle mistakes should I avoid with a round face?
Avoid blunt bangs, symmetrical cuts, and excessive volume at the sides, which emphasize roundness. Steer clear of one-length bobs that hit at the chin, hairstyles without layers, and super short bangs. Also avoid flat hairstyles lacking height and dimension, as these can make your face appear fuller rather than creating the desired elongating effect.
Which celebrities with round faces have great hairstyles to copy?
Selena Gomez’s long layered cuts with side-swept bangs, Priyanka Chopra’s textured lobs, Gigi Hadid’s high ponytails with volume at the crown, and Emma Stone’s asymmetrical bobs all showcase flattering styles for round faces. These celebrities strategically use layers, texture, and asymmetry to enhance their features while creating visual length.
Can I wear my hair up if I have a round face?
Yes! Updos that create height at the crown are excellent for round faces. Try high ponytails, voluminous top knots, or half-up styles with added height at the crown. Leave some face-framing pieces loose around your face for added softness and dimension. The key is creating vertical visual interest that draws the eye upward.
Do layers help round faces?
Layers are extremely beneficial for round faces as they create movement, dimension, and vertical lines that elongate the face. Face-framing layers that start below the chin draw the eye downward, while layers throughout the hair reduce bulkiness at the sides. Properly placed layers add texture and structure that balance facial fullness.
