When it comes to determining the best haircut a round face, it comes down to a number of factors like styling and bone structure. Those with round faces (where width at cheekbone level is about the same as the face’s length) are likely familiar with the details needed to balance proportions and maximize bone structure—but if not, we asked the experts to elucidate.
“With round face shapes, you need to create interest and angles in the haircut to elongate the face,” says Dom Seeley, Color Wow’s international creative director. “Longer lengths are more suited to this face shape for that reason too, and it’s always better to style it in soft waves, adding body and volume. This can help open up the cheekbone and jawline area and add width and angles to help offset roundness.”
Hairstylist Frederic Fekkai is also a fan of creating sharpness and angles to soften a rounder face shape, recommending both longer layers and choppy pixie cuts as options worthy of consideration. “I love bangs and longer hair to help minimize roundness,” he says. “And a good styling tip is to wear hair swept to the side.” When it comes to bangs, keep them long and loose, rather than ultra short and bluntly cut, as it’s more forgiving on the face.
Clever color placement is another way to add dimension to a haircut while also making layers appear more prominent. “I love to place color around the face—we do it a lot at the salon,” says colorist to the stars Nicola Clarke, who works from John Frieda in London. “It doesn’t necessarily have to be dramatic, just a subtle difference to the overall color will add contrast and give the illusion of texture without layers.” Like turning a light on over your face, it also makes skin look more youthful and luminous.
Take your cues from the likes of Zendaya, Jennifer Lawrence, Lupita Nyong’o, and Selena Gomez, all of whom offer examples of the best haircuts for round faces, below.