Best Hairstyles for Round Faces - 8 Amazing Hairstyles for Round Faces Female
Should I have short or long hair? Which type of haircut suits my face shape best? In this article, your professional hair company - HonestHairFactory.com will introduce the method to tell the face shape easily and how to style hair for round faces, then show you 8 amazing and trending round face hairstyles for women (updated in 2025).
Best Hairstyles for Round Faces
A round face shape has relatively obvious features. The bones of the round faces grow evenly in all directions, the muscles are plump, and the front, back, left, and right of the head shape are round and full.
How to Know If I Have a Round Face?
To tell if you have a round face, start by thinking about its key features. A round face is generally circular, with soft, full cheeks and a gently curved jawline. The length and width of the face are often about the same, and the face edges are smooth, without sharp or elongated lines. People with round faces usually look younger than their actual age.
If you can't determine the face shape by these visual features, try a simple test at home. Stand in front of a mirror with a dry-erase marker and carefully trace the outline of your face on the mirror; you can wipe it afterward. If the shape you drew looks mostly circular or nearly round, your face likely fits the round category.
A more accurate method is to measure your face with a ruler. Measure from the center of your hairline down to the bottom of your chin to get the length. Then, measure the width across your face, usually choosing the widest point near your cheekbones. If the length and width are close in size, and your cheekbones are the broadest part with a rounded chin, these are strong indicators of a round face.
Is Long Hair Better for Round Faces?
Not always. The best haircut or hairstyle depends more on the cut and technique than just the length. Long hair often works well on round faces because it can create an illusion of length, helping to balance the roundness by drawing the eye downward. Short hair can also look great on a round face. The key is to avoid cuts that make the sides of the face appear wider. For example, short haircuts that add height on top and have layers that angle slightly inward can slim the face. Asymmetrical or piecey bobs that fall below the chin can also complement round faces effectively.
How to Style Hair for Round Faces?
1. Covering Method
The covering method in hairstyle design entails strategically positioning hair to partially obscure the forehead and cheeks. This technique visually narrows the face by softening the round contours and creating an illusion of a smaller facial shape. Commonly, side-swept bangs, curtain bangs, or layered cuts are used to achieve this effect.
2. Set-Off Method
The set-off method uses the hair’s internal and external contours, including volume distribution and strategic layering, to accentuate and sculpt facial features delicately. This approach is particularly effective with short haircuts, where controlled shaping adds dimension and sharpness, visually slimming and elongating the face.
3. Filling Method
The filling method involves using perming or texturizing techniques to increase hair volume and create a soft, enveloping frame around the face. By adding body and movement, this technique can make the face look thinner or smaller through a gentle wrapping effect, which blends the hair smoothly from the outside inward.
8 Flattering Round Face Haircuts & Hairstyles for Women
When a round-faced female chooses a hairstyle, she often wears hairstyles that complement the round shape by adding length or framing the face softly. For example, by increasing the fluffy degree of the top, the contours on both sides can be tightened to produce the feeling of longitudinal stretching. After determining the required haircut, the details should be designed in combination with facial features, hairline, forehead, hair quality, and quantity.
1. Hime cut (Princess cut)
The hime cut is a traditional Japanese hairstyle that features straight, cheek-length sidelocks paired with a full, straight fringe at the front. The rest of the hair is usually worn long and sleek, creating a striking contrast between the shorter face-framing pieces and the lengthy back. This hairstyle traces its origins back to the Heian period in Japan, where noblewomen and princesses often wore it as a sign of elegance and status. The word "hime" means "princess" or "lady of high birth," reflecting its royal roots. What makes the Hime cut unique is its distinct layering: short, sharp side pieces frame the face like a bob, while the back remains long. This arrangement allows the wearer to gather the long hair into a ponytail and still showcase the framed bob-like front.
Hime cuts are great options for round-faced women because the sidelocks are typically cut below the cheekbones, which helps elongate the face by drawing attention downward and adding vertical lines. When combined with a middle part or long side bangs, it softens the roundness and creates the illusion of a more oval shape. Longer side layers in a hime cut can introduce subtle angles that balance the fullness of a round face, making it appear slimmer and more defined.
2. Bob haircut
For round faces, the long layered bob, often called a "lob," is a trending hairstyle. This style typically falls just below the chin, which helps to elongate the face and create a more balanced appearance. Because round faces have nearly equal width and length, the lob’s length adds subtle vertical lines that make the face look slimmer and less circular.
Adding soft layers to the bob introduces gentle angles that add definition without adding bulk to the sides, which can otherwise emphasize roundness. A deep side part or center part further breaks up the face’s symmetry, drawing attention away from the widest points and creating a flattering frame around the cheeks. Side-swept bangs complement this look perfectly by adding length and breaking up the roundness, unlike blunt bangs, which can make the face appear wider.
3. Asymmetrical haircut
Asymmetrical haircuts look flattering for round faces because they create visual interest by breaking the natural symmetry of the face. By having longer hair on one side and shorter on the other, these cuts draw the eyes diagonally across the face. This diagonal movement gives the impression of added length, which helps slim down the roundness and balances fuller cheeks.
A deep side part combined with long, side-swept bangs enhances this effect further by directing attention away from the widest points of the face. This uneven length adds angles and shape, softening the natural roundness without making the face look wider. The contrast between different hair lengths disrupts the smooth, circular outline that defines round faces, creating a more sculpted and elongated appearance.
4. Ear-length short haircut
Ear-length haircuts, like the pixie cut that exposes the ears, are often recommended for people with round faces. One reason ear-length cuts work is that they expose the ears and create vertical lines around the face. This vertical emphasis can make the face appear longer and less round. The short length also avoids adding extra width around the cheeks, which might otherwise emphasize the roundness.
Additionally, styles such as pixie cuts often include textured or layered hair, which introduces angles and movement. These details break up the smooth, circular shape of the face, providing a more sculpted look. The openness around the ears draws attention to the jawline, helping to define it more clearly.
5. Side bangs or fringe haircut
For round faces, certain bangs or fringe hairstyles also work particularly well. Side-swept bangs are an excellent option as they are brushed fully to one side, forming a diagonal line across the forehead. This slanted shape works well because it breaks the natural roundness of the face by adding angles and asymmetry. As a result, the face appears slimmer and less circular. For those who prefer shorter bangs, a fringe sitting just above the eyebrows can also work, provided it is choppy, layered, or wispy rather than blunt.
Experts also recommend curtain bangs. These bangs are thin and wispy, gently framing the face with a middle parting. This style can give the appearance of sharper cheekbones and add a sense of length to the face. On thick, wavy hair, curtain bangs are often styled by blowing them away from the face, which adds volume and further elongates the face. For straighter hair, curtain bangs cut around cheekbone length lie flatter and still help to lengthen the face visually.
6. Shoulder-length waves
Shoulder-length waves introduce gentle movement and soft angles that help to visually lengthen the face. Unlike blunt cuts, which can emphasize roundness, shoulder-length waves with light layers create a softer, more flattering shape. This style works well on both straight and wavy hair, and incorporating curls or waves adds natural volume where it is needed.
The length is long enough to balance facial features without overwhelming them. Waves that frame the face slightly slim the cheek area, adding subtle definition. To achieve this look, using a thickening mousse before blow-drying with a round brush can create body and lift. Adding curls with a large barrel curling iron can provide extra texture if desired.
7. Face-framing layers
Face-framing haircuts can add shape and structure, which helps balance the natural roundness. By cutting layers that gently fall around the face, these styles create angles that soften the fullness and bring attention to key features, such as cheekbones. When the shortest layers are placed just below the highest point of the cheeks, they highlight the bone structure and give the face a slightly elongated appearance. Additionally, face-framing layers can define the jawline, making it appear more sculpted. The combination of these effects results in a hairstyle that complements round faces by offering both definition and a flattering frame.
8. High buns
For females with round faces, choosing the right bun hairstyle is all about adding height to balance fuller cheeks and a rounded jawline. High buns, such as a sleek top knot, are particularly effective because they draw the eye upward, helping the face appear more oval and elongated. This style offers a clean, confident look that can effortlessly transition from casual settings like the gym to more glamorous occasions.
Another great option is the high messy bun with layers. Unlike a perfectly sleek bun, a messy bun introduces volume and texture, which softens the roundness of the face while still adding height. The layers and slight tousled effect give your hairstyle a creative edge, making your face look slimmer without losing elegance.
