Hairstyles for oval face shapes: long, short, curly and men’s cuts

01

What an oval face shape looks like, and how to check yours

An oval face is a little longer than it is wide, about one and a half times, with the cheekbones as the widest part, a forehead slightly wider than the chin and a soft, rounded jaw. Think of an egg with the wide end at the top. To check, measure from hairline to chin and across the cheekbones: if the length is around one and a half times the width and the jaw has no sharp corners, you are probably oval.

Close neighbors are oblong (longer, with straighter sides), heart (wider forehead, slimmer chin) and round (shorter). Our face shapes guide explains all seven. If you are unsure, the Face Shape Detector measures it in your browser.

1. Add a photo

   Add a straight-on photo or tap “Take a selfie” on a phone. The photo stays on your device.

2. Check the hairline

   If the hairline marker sits too low or too high, move it with “Adjust hairline”. Oval and oblong differ mostly in length, so this line matters.

3. Look at the ideas

   The bars show how close you are to each shape, and “Hairstyles” lists ideas for long, medium and short hair.

02

Why most haircuts suit an oval face

Most cuts suit an oval face because there is little to balance: the widths step down gently from cheekbones to chin, and the length is moderate. With other shapes, a stylist adds height, width or softness in one place. With an oval face, the cut can simply follow your hair and your taste.

That turns the real questions into practical ones, and a stylist interviewed by NewBeauty makes the same point: think about upkeep and your daily routine first. How long do you want to spend styling? Does your hair hold a shape, or is it fine and slippery, or thick and curly? How often can you get a trim? A pixie needs regular trims to keep its shape, while long layers can go longer between cuts.

03

Long, bob and short hairstyles for an oval face

Long layers, a sleek bob and a pixie all suit an oval face, which is why women’s hairstyles for an oval face come in every length. The same cuts work for anyone who wears their hair that way.

• Long layers: long hairstyles for an oval face look good with some layers starting at the cheekbones or the chin, so the shape stays visible and the hair moves.
• Lob: a long bob between chin and collarbone, easy to grow out and to wear straight or wavy.
• Blunt or sleek chin-length bob: one clean line at the chin that frames the jaw and cheekbones.
• Shag: choppy layers through the crown and the ends; good for wavy hair and for adding texture to fine hair.
• Pixie: short hairstyles for an oval face often start here, because the cut shows the whole face. Keep some length on top or a side-swept front for a softer look.

04

Curly hairstyles and bangs for an oval face

Curly, coily and wavy hair suits an oval face at any length; the cut only needs to spread the volume around the face instead of piling it up at the ends.

• Layered curls: layers let curls sit evenly instead of getting wide at the bottom.
• Wolf cut or curly shag: short layers on top and longer lengths at the back add movement to waves and loose curls.
• Rounded shape or tapered cut for coily hair: an even, rounded outline, or shorter sides with length on top, both keep the face in view.
• Curtain bangs: parted in the middle and sweeping to the sides, they frame the eyes and cheekbones and grow out easily.
• Side-swept bangs: a softer diagonal line across the forehead that suits most hair types.
• Blunt fringe: works well, especially with a high forehead. With curly hair, ask for it to be cut dry, because curls spring up shorter than they look wet.

05

Men’s hairstyles for an oval face: quiff, side part and buzz cut

For men with an oval face, a textured quiff, a classic side part and a buzz cut are three reliable picks, and most other cuts work too. A short back and sides with some length on top, pushed up or to the side, keeps the forehead visible.

• Textured quiff: shorter sides, a longer top styled up and back with some texture. Keep the height moderate if your face is on the long side of oval.
• Classic side part: a neat part with tapered or faded sides that fits work and weddings alike.
• Buzz cut: one short length all over, which an oval face wears easily because the outline is already balanced.
• Crew cut, textured crop, pompadour or fade: all fine. Only a heavy fringe that covers the whole forehead can make the face look rounder.

06

What to avoid with an oval face, and glasses

There is little to avoid with an oval face, only a few things that work against its balance. Very long, straight hair without layers and a lot of height on top both make the face look longer, closer to oblong. Heavy hair falling over the cheeks or eyes hides the balanced shape that lets so many cuts work in the first place.

Glasses for an oval face can be nearly any style. Pick frames about as wide as your cheekbones or a little wider; geometric and rectangular frames add some structure, and very oversized frames can upset the balance. Our guide to glasses for your face shape covers frames in detail.

07

How to ask your hairdresser or barber for the cut

Describe the cut with photos and three words: length, layers and fringe. Stylists read pictures faster than names, and a lob in one salon is a long bob in another.

1. Bring photos

   Two or three photos from the front and the side, ideally of someone with hair like yours, plus one of what you do not want.

2. Name the length

   Say where it should end: chin, jaw, collarbone, shoulders or below. For short cuts, say the length on top and on the sides.

3. Name the layers and fringe

   Long layers for movement, face-framing layers from the cheekbones, or one length for a blunt line; curtain, side-swept or full bangs, or none.

4. Say how you style it

   Mention how many minutes you spend each morning, whether you air-dry, and whether you use heat or products.