MiriMuri / Hair and makeup guides / Best Haircuts for Your Face Shape - Oval, Round, Square, Long, Heart
Best Haircuts for Your Face Shape - Oval, Round, Square, Long, Heart
The right haircut for your face shape is about balance, not changing your face. Place length and volume so that the widest part looks a little narrower and the longest part looks a little shorter. Below are the aims, 2 - 3 recommended cuts and the styles to be careful with for oval, round, square, long and heart-shaped faces. Results vary with hair texture and head shape.
How to check your face shape
Pull all of your hair back and take a straight-on photo. Look at four things.
- Which is widest: forehead, cheekbones or jawline
- How much longer the face is than it is wide
- Whether the jaw is rounded, angular or pointed
- Whether the hairline is rounded or squared
Many people fall between two shapes. Follow the principles of the closer one and keep the other shape's cautions in mind.
Oval
The forehead and jaw are slightly narrower than the cheekbones, and the face is a little longer than it is wide. The proportions are already balanced, so most lengths and styles work.
Aim: keep the proportions you already have. Avoid piling volume in one place.
Recommended cuts
- Collarbone-length layers: the layers follow the line of the face.
- A jaw-length bob: shows the proportions and reads clean.
- Long hair with long see-through bangs: softens the forehead without hiding it.
Be careful with: heavy volume at the crown, which can make the face look longer than it needs to.
Round
Length and width are similar, and both the jawline and hairline are rounded. The cheekbones are the widest point.
Aim: create a vertical line so the face reads slightly longer. Add height at the crown and reduce volume beside the cheeks.
Recommended cuts
- A layered bob just below the jaw: a slight A-line, longer at the front, slims the jawline.
- Long layers with lift at the crown: hair that moves past the face breaks up the width.
- Long side-swept bangs: a diagonal across the forehead hides the rounded hairline.
Be careful with: a blunt bob that ends right at the jaw, and curls that flare out at cheek height, both of which emphasise width. Thick straight bangs above the brow also shorten the face.
Square
The forehead, cheekbones and jaw are close in width, and the corners of the jaw are well defined.
Aim: soften the angles. Keep curves and layers around the face and avoid lines that stop right at the jaw.
Recommended cuts
- Layered mid-length hair that falls below the jaw: the layers pass the jaw corners and soften them.
- Long hair with waves: the waves offset the straight lines.
- Soft see-through or side-swept bangs: they cover the squared hairline.
Be careful with: a blunt jaw-length bob and thick straight-across bangs. Each adds another straight line and can make the angles stand out more.
Long
The face is noticeably longer than it is wide, often with a high forehead or a long chin.
Aim: add width and break up the length. Put volume beside the cheeks and use bangs to shorten the forehead.
Recommended cuts
- A jaw-length bob with bangs: shortens the face from both ends.
- Full bangs below the brow, or curtain bangs: the most direct way to reduce forehead height.
- Mid-length hair with a curl at cheek height: horizontal volume offsets the length.
Be careful with: height at the crown, and long straight hair with no volume, both of which stretch the face further.
Heart
The forehead is wide and the chin narrows to a point. The cheekbones may look prominent.
Aim: reduce the forehead and add fullness around the chin to balance top and bottom.
Recommended cuts
- Mid-length waves that build volume below the jaw: they fill in beside the narrow chin.
- Curtain bangs or side-swept bangs: they soften the wide forehead.
- Collarbone-length layers: movement at the ends adds weight below the jaw.
Be careful with: short cuts with big volume at the crown and sides, which widen the top further. Fully slicked-back styles also put the forehead on show.
What to weigh beyond face shape
Face shape is a starting point. The same cut can look quite different depending on:
- Hair thickness and density: fine hair can look sparse at the ends with too many layers.
- Natural curl: curly hair tends to spread sideways as it gets shorter.
- Head shape: a flat back of the head changes where a bob needs its volume.
- Neck length and shoulder width: hair that touches the shoulders tends to flip out.
See it on your own face first
Reading about a cut and seeing it on yourself are two different things. Upload one straight-on photo to MiriMuri and you can try the layered bob, curtain bangs and jaw-length bob mentioned above on your own face and compare them side by side. Sign-up comes with 20 free credits, and you can save the results you like and show them to your stylist to get the conversation started. Try it free on MiriMuri
The preview is a reference for choosing a direction. The salon result depends on your hair and how your stylist works.
A face-flattering haircut comes down to taking from what is wide and adding to what is narrow, and checking on your own photo first makes that decision easier.
Questions people ask
How do I work out my face shape?
Pull your hair back and take a straight-on photo. Compare the width of your forehead, cheekbones and jawline, then compare the length of your face with its width. Note whether the jaw is rounded, angular or pointed. Most people sit between two shapes, so follow the closer one and borrow the cautions from the other.
Can a round face wear a bob?
Usually yes, with the right length. A blunt bob that ends right at the jaw can widen the face, but a bob that sits slightly below the jaw, with a little length toward the front, adds a vertical line and tends to flatter. Hair density and natural curl change the result, so compare on a photo first.
Should a square face have bangs?
Soft, see-through bangs or a side-swept fringe tend to soften the angles of the forehead. Thick, straight-across bangs cut above the brow add another horizontal line and can emphasise the angles. Forehead height and hairline shape make a big difference, so a quick preview on your own photo is worth doing.
Does a photo preview match what I will get at the salon?
No. A preview is a way to compare the big decisions, such as length, where the volume sits and whether to have bangs. The real result depends on hair thickness, density, curl, head shape and how your stylist cuts. Treat the preview as a starting point for the conversation, not a promise of the outcome.