Which bangs work with waves on a round face?

Side-swept bangs add an angle, but covering the forehead can make a short face look shorter. Leave some forehead showing. With curtain bangs, adjust where the sides open so the fullest wave sits below your cheeks.

How do soft waves compare with a butterfly cut?

Both are neutral fits. Loose waves give the eye a line to follow down, while a butterfly cut adds height on top. Either can also put its fullest section right beside your cheeks.

How would a sleek style or braids change the outline?

A sleek, straight style works well because its vertical lines make the face look longer, though its full width stays visible. Braids are a neutral fit here. Their straight lines and corners add angles while leaving the whole face on show.

Women's hairstyles for a round face with wavy hair

At a glance

Face shape: Round
Hair type: Wavy
What wavy hair adds: soft movement and a little width at the sides
Aim for: Height on top, tight sides, a straight line somewhere
Styling tip: cut it dry or with the wave in mind, or the length springs up shorter than planned
Top picks: High ponytail, Long layers, Lob

Wavy hair on a round face (women)
Style	Fit	Why
High ponytail	Good	It adds height on top, which lengthens the outline. Watch one thing: it exposes the full outline, which puts its width on show.
Long layers	Good	It adds vertical lines that lengthen the outline.
Lob	Neutral	It adds vertical lines that lengthen the outline, though not by much.
Pixie	Neutral	It adds height on top, which lengthens the outline, but it also exposes the full outline, which puts its width on show.
Sleek straight	Good	It adds vertical lines that lengthen the outline. Watch one thing: it exposes the full outline, which puts its width on show.
Butterfly cut	Neutral	It adds height on top, which lengthens the outline, but it also adds width at cheek level, where this face is already widest.
Soft waves	Neutral	It adds vertical lines that lengthen the outline, but it also adds width at cheek level, where this face is already widest.
Blunt bob	Neutral	It adds straight lines and corners that a soft outline lacks, but it also adds width at cheek level, where this face is already widest.
Shag	With a tweak	It adds width at cheek level, where this face is already widest. On the plus side it adds height on top, which lengthens the outline.
Wolf cut	With a tweak	It adds width at cheek level, where this face is already widest. On the plus side it adds height on top, which lengthens the outline.
Side-swept bangs	With a tweak	It hides the forehead, which makes a short outline look shorter. On the plus side it adds straight lines and corners that a soft outline lacks.
Braids	Neutral	It adds straight lines and corners that a soft outline lacks, but it also exposes the full outline, which puts its width on show.
Textured bob	With a tweak	It adds width at cheek level, where this face is already widest.
Curtain bangs	With a tweak	It adds width at cheek level, where this face is already widest.

Decide where you want the height

Height on top does more than any other change to make a round face look longer. Your face is about as long as it is wide, and your jaw curves without a sharp corner. Aim for height at the crown, sides that sit close and a straight line somewhere. A crisp part gives you that angle even when the rest of your hair falls in waves.

A high ponytail works well if you like your face in full view. Pulling the waves back shows the width of your cheeks as well as the curve of your jaw. Long layers work well if you prefer hair around your face. Their downward lines give a clearer sense of length than a wavy lob does.

Compare the edges of shorter cuts

A pixie and a blunt bob are both neutral choices for a round face, for different reasons. A pixie adds height but leaves your cheeks and jaw fully in view. A blunt bob gives a curved jaw a crisp edge, though a cut that sits wide beside your cheeks emphasizes their width.

A textured bob needs a tweak if the waves bunch beside your cheeks. Ask your stylist to keep the sides closer there. For a shag or wolf cut, keep the lift at the crown and take some fullness out of the cheek-level layers.

Choose the length with your waves dry

Show your stylist where you want the ends to sit when your waves dry. Ask for a dry cut or for enough length to allow for the wave when cutting wet. Otherwise, the ends can spring up shorter than you planned.

Choose a reference that shows waves like yours. A common mistake is picking a cut for another hair type and expecting your stylist to force it into shape with product.

Check shape and texture separately

The free face-shape finder uses one selfie on your device to name the standard face shape closest to yours. It doesn't read hair type. Choose yours by how your hair dries naturally.

Questions people ask

Which bangs work with waves on a round face?: Side-swept bangs add an angle, but covering the forehead can make a short face look shorter. Leave some forehead showing. With curtain bangs, adjust where the sides open so the fullest wave sits below your cheeks.
How do soft waves compare with a butterfly cut?: Both are neutral fits. Loose waves give the eye a line to follow down, while a butterfly cut adds height on top. Either can also put its fullest section right beside your cheeks.
How would a sleek style or braids change the outline?: A sleek, straight style works well because its vertical lines make the face look longer, though its full width stays visible. Braids are a neutral fit here. Their straight lines and corners add angles while leaving the whole face on show.

Written from the measurements and ingredient facts on this site, then checked for the usual mistakes. Not medical advice.

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