With full cheeks and a round chin that join together to form a circle, a sweet cherub-like quality defines the look of a round face shape. The best way to make your facial curves work to your advantage is to contrast with angular cuts and layers that skim the face.
“Layers are the best friend of a round face shape. There is so much you can do with layers to customize a look that works perfectly for you, to emphasize the contours of your face that could otherwise get lost in a sea of hair,” says Guido, YouBeauty Hair Advisor.
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If you have straight or wavy hair
Since straight and wavy strands tend to fall right against the face, your hair will naturally take on the round shape of your head if you don’t cut layers into the shaft. Ideally, a side swept bang or shorter pieces should hit at the cheekbone to define the bone structure here, and then continue down in graduated layers to create structure and enhance movement. The one area where layers shouldn’t hit is at the chin, as strands will rest in a position that makes the face look distractingly rounder.
The easiest length to pull off is a longer look, as gravity will pull the hair to fall in a fuller position at the bottom that balances out your features. However, if you love short hair, angling a bob from short in the back to longer in the front so that strands hit further down on the neck will add a sleek decline. Another fun opportunity to play with angles is your part, which can be worn in a deep or even asymmetrical line for contrast.
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If you have curly hair
The thick volume of curly hair might intimidate you into thinking that the texture only makes your face look rounder, but the secret to achieving beautiful balance lies in the use of layers and the way in which you part your hair.
“The good thing about curls is that when the length is longer than the chin, you achieve a natural weight that does some of the work for you by pulling the hair down into a more elongating look,” says Guido.
If your hair is especially curly, you can remove some of the bulk that sits next to the face with the use of triangular layers. This requires cutting straight across pieces held up from the crown, and then cutting hair that is held out straight at the sides and back in a downward angle. Doing so will prevent curls from overwhelming the sides of your face.
Play around with a deep or asymmetrical side part to contrast the roundness of your features with angles, making sure to use a pick comb to define part lines into what is often an unruly curl texture. If you wear a deeper part like this, make sure hair is parted as such before you cut, or else you may end up with too-short pieces on one side.
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If you have highly textured hair
If you love to play with extensions, no shape pulls off long, sweeping layers quite like the contours of a round face. To balance the weight of a longer length, short layers should be cut into the crown to add a foundational base and volume at the top. A deep, side part and layers that ripple downward from the cheekbones can add an intriguing angle that brings out the bone structure of your face.
For a short look with natural texture, the top sides of the crown should have slightly longer strands than the sides of the head, in order to streamline the look of the face so that the round shape doesn’t override your features. Medium lengths look best with slimming layers at the sides of the face, so that your eyes and lips are in the spotlight, instead of the bulk of your hair. Refrain from ending your length bluntly at the chin, which will cause your strands to lose its natural wave pattern, and instead conform to the round shape of your face.
