A round face is soft, balanced, and youthful, but without the right cut, it can appear wider than it actually is. The right haircuts for round faces don’t hide your features, it enhances them with smart lines, layers, and shape control.
This 2025 guide breaks down the top 10 most flattering hairstyles for round faces, all approved by hair salon JB stylists and tailored for both Western and Asian features, including tips for thick, fine, straight, or wavy hair.
How Can a Haircut Help Slim a Round Face?
Round faces have equal width and height, strategic cuts can create vertical length and contour.
The goal isn’t to “hide” a round face but to balance it. Unlike heart or oval shapes, round faces benefit most from:
- Volume at the crown
- Length below the chin
- Layers that soften cheek width
- Diagonal lines like side fringes or angled cuts
“The key is breaking up the roundness visually, either through structure, fringe direction, or strategic lightness.”
1. Long Layered Cut with Face-Framing Pieces
Slimming, graceful, and universally flattering.
A long, layered cut works wonders for round faces by elongating the profile and drawing attention downward. The key is strategic layering and avoiding a bulky, one-length silhouette.
Why it works:
- Face-framing layers around the cheekbone and jawline create soft vertical lines
- Long layers from mid-length help reduce volume around the cheeks
- Loose waves or curls can create height and movement
Expert tip: This cut is especially ideal for heavy or thick hair, as the layers reduce weight while keeping the length elegant.
2. Curtain Bangs with Medium-Length Hair
Soft, airy, and great for balancing proportions.
Curtain bangs have taken over the style scene for good reason. For round faces, they’re more than a trend, they’re a technique.
What makes them perfect for round faces:
- The parted fringe opens up the forehead area, making the face appear longer
- Creates natural vertical movement that balances round cheeks
- Draws focus toward the eyes instead of the width of the face
Stylist advice: Request bangs that graze just below your brows and taper gently toward your jawline. Pair with shoulder-length waves for a breezy, face-slimming effect.
3. Textured Lob (Long Bob) with Tapered Ends
Modern, low-maintenance, and sculpting. Straight bobs can be too blunt for a round face. A textured lob adds subtle angles and movement, exactly what’s needed to create definition without sharp lines.
What to ask your stylist for:
- Slightly longer pieces near the front to frame and lengthen
- Tapered ends to keep the style light and dynamic
- Gentle texturising for bounce and structure
Bonus tip: Adding subtle highlights can visually contour the jawline, especially helpful for softer or rounded chins.
4. Deep Side Part with Soft Volume
A clever styling trick that reshapes your face instantly. Round faces often benefit from intentional asymmetry. A deep side part isn’t just a preference, it’s a face-framing technique that adds visual lift.
Why side parts work so well:
- Create diagonal lines that break up roundness
- Soft waves placed at the crown instead of the sides add height
- Tucking one side behind the ear helps lengthen the look of the face
“We often recommend side parts to balance wider cheeks, it’s one of the simplest ways to instantly reshape your silhouette,” says a senior stylist from a Johor Bahru hair studio.
5. Pixie Cut with Side Fringe
Bold, structured, and surprisingly flattering.
Don’t shy away from short styles if you have a round face, just choose the right pixie variation. The goal is to build height and shape, not volume at the sides.
The best pixie features include:
- A side-swept fringe to cut across the widest part of the face
- Extra volume at the crown to elongate the overall shape
- Tapered or undercut sides to slim the profile
Pro tip: Avoid blunt fringes or overly symmetrical cuts. Instead, aim for light texture and movement around the temples to open the face and highlight cheekbones.
6. Long Straight Hair with Soft Ends
Minimalist, elegant, and quietly powerful. Long straight hair can absolutely suit a round face, if it’s sculpted correctly. It’s not just about harsh lines, but about subtle movement at the ends.
What makes it work:
- Ends shaped just below the chin draw the eye downward
- Minimal layering at the ends adds flow without bulk
- A middle part only works if your hair is very sleek and past the bust line
Who it’s for:
Ideal for women who prefer low-maintenance routines, don’t want to heat-style daily, and still want a look that visually balances their rounder features.
7. Layered Lob with Wispy Bangs
Soft edges, natural texture, and easy styling. If you’re after a youthful yet sophisticated look, this combo is a top choice by KSL hair salon customers.
Wispy bangs delicately reduce the visual width of the forehead while blending seamlessly into a layered lob.
Styling benefits:
- Keeps focus at the eyes, lifting the face upward
- Breaks up the roundness without adding bulk
- Great for fine or medium hair types that need texture without volume
Pro tip: Avoid heavy blunt bangs or layers that hit at the widest part of the cheek. Instead, feather everything downward for a floating effect.
8. Wavy Bob with Angled Ends
Dynamic and face-slimming.
An angled bob is a clever cut that adds shape while avoiding the “helmet” effect. It introduces angles to your overall silhouette, which is key for rounder face types.
What to look for:
- Slight A-line cut: shorter at the back, longer in front
- Ends that graze just below the chin to elongate
- Light, beachy waves to lift and separate sections
What to avoid:
- Straight-across bobs that end at the jaw, they can make the face appear boxy or wide.
Expert insight: This is a low-commitment shape-changer, especially effective if you want volume without frizz.
9. Chin-Length Cut with Crown Volume
Bold and youthful, but sculpted.
Chin-length hair can be tricky on round faces, but it can work beautifully if paired with crown volume and strategic tapering.
The winning elements:
- Lifted crown (try teasing or a volumising spray) adds vertical length
- Side-swept fringe breaks up facial symmetry
- Slight tapering at the nape adds shape and avoids a boxy feel
Best for:
Those who love short hairstyles but want to avoid a baby-faced look. Especially flattering when paired with earrings or makeup that defines cheekbones.
10. Face-Contouring Highlights or Balayage
Shape your face, without a cut.
Hair colour can sculpt your appearance just like contour makeup. Strategic highlights and lowlights enhance facial structure, especially in photos and videos.
Techniques that work:
- Lighter pieces around the cheekbones to add light and lift
- Darker tones underneath to create shadow and depth
- Balayage or money pieces that frame the face softly
“Contour balayage is subtle day-to-day, but makes a huge difference in selfies.”
Pro tip: Talk to your colourist about contrast levels. The more dimensional your colour, the more optical sculpting it provides.
How Do You Pick a Style That Suits Your Lifestyle?
Don’t forget practicality. A beautiful haircut is one that you can actively maintain. Before choosing any fancy hairstyle your favourite celebrity is rocking, ask yourself:
- Do I have time to style daily?
- Do I air-dry or blow-dry?
- Is my workplace strict about appearance?
- Can I afford trims every 6 weeks?
Stylists can adjust shapes to match your styling habits. If you’re frequently rushing to get to work, a manageable routine is just as important as the cut itself.
Haircuts to Avoid for Round Faces
Some styles create unnecessary width or boxiness. Be cautious with:
- Blunt full fringe: Closes off the forehead
- Straight jaw-length bobs: Emphasise roundness
- One-length styles: No movement = no shape
- Volume at the sides only: Adds width instead of height
What a Good Stylist Will Always Consider First
The best stylists work with your face, not against it. Professional stylists will:
- Analyse your face shape and features
- Recommend a structure (cut + colour) that balances
- Factor in your lifestyle, natural texture, and maintenance level
- Show you how to style it at home with minimal tools
“A haircut that flatters one round face may not work for another. Personalisation is everything.”
Want to See Which Cut Suits You Best?
At REDS Hair Salon, we don’t believe in one-size-fits-all haircuts. Our skilled stylists offer tailored consultations and craft professional haircuts that flatter your unique facial features and lifestyle. Whether you’re considering wispy bangs, a layered lob, or a bold pixie, our team ensures every cut enhances you.
But we don’t stop at cuts. We help you achieve total hair health and style transformation, all under one roof.
- Organic hair coloring
- Korean Wave Perms
- Keratin straightening
- Deep hair treatments
- Targeted scalp therapies
Still can’t decide? Don’t worry, book your appointment with REDS Hair Salon today and we’ll help you fall in love with your hair again.
Find us here at KSL City Mall!
Frequently Asked Questions About Haircuts for Round Faces
Long layered cuts, curtain bangs, angled lobs, and side-parted pixies are among the most flattering in 2025.
Yes, especially pixie cuts or angled bobs with volume on top and side-swept fringe.
Yes, curtain or wispy bangs work well. Avoid blunt, full fringe which closes the face.
Definitely. Layers add movement and vertical lines, which elongate rounder face shapes.
Yes, a textured lob with a slight angle is one of the most universally flattering options.
Face-framing highlights or balayage can contour the face and add visual length.