of The Most Flattering Haircuts for Round Faces

News flash: Contouring with reckless abandon isn’t the only way to enhance your best features (which is excellent news considering we’re all about the highlight now anyway). Makeup aside, finding a flattering haircut for round faces can also frame your face in the best way to get the look you’re going for.

“When getting a haircut, the number one rule someone with a round face should take into account is to stay away from blunt lines,” hairstylist Tyler Colton tells us. “Hard lines tend to look very young and make your face appear rounder than it is.” With that in mind, we asked him and hairstylist Amy Bradbury of Kennaland to share the top three haircuts for round faces.

Lob

“For the record, I love round faces,” Bradbury clarifies. “But a long bob, below the jaw, is the absolute best hairstyle if you want to make your face look thinner.” Colton agrees, saying, “A lob is an ideal haircut for round faces as it really frames your face.”

Colton suggests opting for a lob at least three inches below the chin. “It can extend down to your collarbone, and make sure to ask your hairstylist to add some shattered layers to help define your face,” he says. To add separation and definition to your lob after styling, we suggest a spritz of Amika Un.Done Texture Spray ($24).

If you want to go shorter than a lob but don’t want to veer into “cutesy” territory, Colton says to avoid chin-length bobs and cuts above the chin with straight lines (e.g., pixies or boy cuts).

Bradbury also warns against round bob cuts with straight edges, saying you should stick to more angular cuts.

Model Chanel Iman epitomizes all of the above. Her cut falls beneath the chin and is slightly off-center and angular to accentuate her beautiful features.

Long Layers

If you prefer your hair on the longer side, opt for long “shaggy layers,” according to Bradbury.

Colton says, “Long layers help create a soft shape and will help elongate a round face.”

Depending on your natural hair texture, you can either let your hair air-dry or opt to style it into soft, beachy waves la Zoe Saldana. Or add slight waves to your hair with a straightener.

One thing to keep in mind when styling, Colton warns, is to maintain volume in the lower sections of your hair to help balance your face. Too much volume on the sides of your face will only make your face look rounder.

For an ever-so-slightly shorter version of the long and layered look, we recommend looking to Priyanka Chopra, who has mastered the haircut.

Side Bangs

You can always go the It-Brit route and opt for shaggy side-swept bangs. “They’re a great style for women trying to elongate their face,” Colton says. “Either a lob or long hair can be worn with long, side-swept bangs.”

If you’re taking the plunge and getting bangs, Colton says they should be cut no shorter than halfway down your nose and should have “shattered” ends (Chrissy Teigen is the perfect example of this hairstyle).

“I recommend bangs if you’re trying to draw attention to your eyes,” Bradbury says. “Side-swept bangs are ideal for downplaying the roundness of your face.”

If you’re styling your bangs into a deep side part, warm up a flexible styling pomade and pat your palm lightly at your part to keep your bangs in place without weighing them down.

In the end, it’s less about your face shape and more about finding a haircut that suits you. “Make sure your stylist takes the texture of your hair, your styling routine, and your personal style into consideration before making any cut decisions,” Bradbury says. “At the end of the day, your haircut should make you feel confident.” Word.

For a more polished take, we recommend bringing a photo of Felicity Jones to your stylist. She consistently masters the look of fresh fringe—be it off to the side or center.

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