Now, you’re desperate for a ‘do that makes your hair (and your face!) look good. Thankfully, we’ve rounded up 15 styles that work like magic to make your face appear slimmer and more proportional. Whether you have a princess-length mane or like to keep things short and sweet, we’re certain the only thing you’ll feel when your stylist turns you to face the mirror is glamorous.
Good hair day by@rosibelhair
Curtain Bangs
Whether your hair is pin-straight or super curly, we love the sexiness of curtain bangs, which gently frame the face and add structure to its round shape. Curtain bangs look great on lots of hair types, even curly. Enhance your natural texture with a curl-activating product, like L’Oréal Professionnel Serie Expert Curl Expression Definition Activator Gel.
Good hair day by@melaniedessauer_hairstylist
Hair Contouring
Similar to how you can contour your facial features with makeup, hair contouring is when your colorist uses highlights and lowlights to create shadows and depth around the face to build the illusion of your desired shape. If you’re working with a round face shape, your stylist will likely lighten the ends of the hair around the face and keep the darker shades at the sides to make it appear more shadowed and linear.
Pro tip: The bleach required to lighten up hair for contouring will always cause some damage, so we recommend incorporating a repairing treatment into your routine. Pros swear by Redken’s Acidic Bonding Concentrate Intensive Treatment. This highly reparative rinse-off formula works within your hair to strengthen hair bonds weakened by stressors like coloring and lightening.
Good hair day by@emmaamemma
Side-Swept Bangs
If you’re already satisfied with the length and shape of your hair but are looking for a styling solution to create the illusion of a slimmer face, consider side-swept bangs.
While blunt bangs can make round faces look a little squat, side-swept bangs move the eyes diagonally across your face. The angled fringe helps make your face appear longer and, therefore, thinner. Spritz a bit of Redken’s Dry Texture Finishing Spray onto bangs as you style them to build touchable texture and airy volume that’ll help lock your windblown look into place.
Headband Braid
For an elegant hairstyle that comes together in five minutes, consider a teased headband braid.
Middle part your hair, then create two small three-strand braids on each side of the part using the bottom layer of hair. Crisscross the braids over the top of the head, then pin them together at the nape of the neck. Use a teasing comb to tease the hair behind the braid for extra volume, and finish your look off with a healthy dose of Matrix’s Vavoom Freezing Spray Extra Hold to ensure the style lasts.
Deep Side Part
Switching where you part your hair doesn’t seem like much of a style, but it’s a quick and easy way to elevate your look and make your face appear slimmer. Like side-swept bangs, creating a deep part gives your face a slimming effect as it sweeps diagonally across your face.
Good hair day by@andrewryanwalder
Face Framing Layers
Long locks are flattering on everyone, which is why they’re the go-to haircut for ladies hoping to create the illusion of a slimmer face. The downside? When your long strands lay lifeless against your face, it brings attention to the roundness of your face instead of your gorgeous strands.
Ask your stylist to cut a few face-framing layers to give your hair some much-needed volume. Your newly weightless roots will make your hair the center of attention and instantly help your face appear leaner.
Good hair day by@enriquelopezestudio
A-Line Bob
If you like the face-slimming effect of long locks but aren’t interested in having long hair, the slanted angles of an A-line bob are perfect for you.
Have your salon pro cut the hair framing your face to hit just at your jawline and go as short as you’d like in the back.
The glass hair look pairs exceptionally well with this style, so consider running a bit of Kérastase’s Elixir Ultime L’Huile Original Hair Oil through locks to top off your look.
Good hair day by@jesstheebesttcolor
Blunt Lob
A blunt lob is an on-trend cut that can make your face appear more sculpted. Many women who opt for face slimming haircuts steer clear of blunt styles for fear the harsh lines will highlight the fullness of their face, but choosing a rectangular blunt lob that hits past your jawline quickly solves that dilemma.
Good hair day by@khimandi
Tapered Pixie
Some people rely on long locks to create the illusion of a slimmer face, but there are short styles that are equally as flattering. If you’re looking to go super short, consider a tapered pixie with lots of texture.
Ask your stylist to cut piecey bangs to frame your face and taper the sides of your hair above your ears, bringing attention to the peaks of your cheekbones for a very face-narrowing effect.
Good hair day by@petermazilu
Ballerina Bun
The vertical height of a high bun draws the eye upward so that a round face appears slimmer by default.
Gather your hair at your crown and secure it with an elastic. Place a foam or fabric hair donut and the base of your ponytail and begin to wrap your hair around the donut, making sure the donut isn’t visible through your hair. Once all of your hair is tucked, use a few bobby pins to hold the bun in place.
Good hair day by@chrisweberhair
Teased Ponytail
If you want your ponytail to look great and also slim your face, you’ll need to impart significant volume in your style. Begin by backcombing 1-inch sections of hair near your crown, gently combing the hair toward your roots. (Bonus: Take the look up a notch by infusing a French braid into one side of your hair).
Once you’ve teased the front section of your hair, gently comb the top layer of hair over the teasing to cover the backcombed roots. Secure your ponytail in your desired position and set the style with a medium -hold hairspray like LOréal Professionnel Tecni.Art Infinium 4 High-Hold Hairspray.
Tousled Half-Up
Start at the back of your head, working with 2-inch sections of clean, dry hair. Spray each one with a heat protectant like Biolage Professional’s Thermal Active Heat Protectant Spray before wrapping it around the curling wand. Hold each section of hair to the wand until it’s just heated through.
Continue curling 2-inch sections of hair until you’ve finished your entire head, raking your fingers through the hair to loosen your curls. Then, gather the sections from the front half of your hair and secure them with a hair tie at the crown of your head. Set the style with a medium-hold hairspray.
Good hair day by@kaelamishae
Side-Swept Fishtail Braid
Gather hair on one side of your head into a loose ponytail, then divide the ponytail into two equal sections. To create the fishtail braid, take a section of hair from the outside of the left ponytail and cross it over to the right. Repeat the process on the opposite side, taking a section from the outside of the right ponytail over to the left.
Continue crossing the opposite sections of the hair until you reach the end of the braid, then secure it with an elastic. Once the braid is secure, remove the elastic from the nape of the neck to give the braid a seamless look. Pancake the braid for a voluminous effect.
Good hair day by@dicasdecabeloficial
Space Buns
Space buns are an adorable ‘90s hairstyle rising in popularity for the past few years, and you don’t need a special occasion to rock them. These double buns are a smart way to take all the focus away from a round face while still having fun with your look.
Good hair day by@brunodviana
Textured Shag
Fuller faces will find great success with a shag haircut. The feathery hairdo focuses on building volume at the top of the head and feathering out the ends in soft layers. Creating height in the crown area will make your face appear longer.
Now that you have 15 foolproof haircuts and styles to hack your way to a slimmer face, you’ll never experience that dreaded mirror reveal ever again!
Looking for more salon products to help style your face-slimming hairstyle? Hair.com has you covered.
