Hairstyle guide
Hairstyles for a Oval Face Shape
Because the proportions are already close to even, the main goal with styling is usually to maintain that balance rather than correct anything — many people with oval faces have flexibility to experiment with bolder or more structured looks without fighting their natural proportions.
Overall do's & don'ts
Do
- Most lengths, from pixie cuts to long layers, tend to work without a lot of adjustment.
- Side-swept bangs or a soft fringe can add interest without covering the face's natural balance.
- Face-framing layers that hit around the cheekbone or jaw often highlight the shape nicely.
Avoid
- Styles that add a lot of height directly on top can sometimes make the face look longer than intended.
- Heavy, blunt full fringes straight across the brow may visually shorten the forehead more than desired.
By length — short styles
For both women’s and men’s short cuts, these general principles tend to carry over most directly:
Do
- Most lengths, from pixie cuts to long layers, tend to work without a lot of adjustment.
Avoid
- Styles that add a lot of height directly on top can sometimes make the face look longer than intended.
By length — medium styles
Chin-to-shoulder lengths give the most room to add or remove volume exactly where it helps:
Do
- Side-swept bangs or a soft fringe can add interest without covering the face's natural balance.
Avoid
- Heavy, blunt full fringes straight across the brow may visually shorten the forehead more than desired.
By length — long styles
Longer styles offer the most flexibility for layering and framing, whether worn straight, wavy, or curly:
Do
- Face-framing layers that hit around the cheekbone or jaw often highlight the shape nicely.
Avoid
- Styles that add a lot of height directly on top can sometimes make the face look longer than intended.
- Heavy, blunt full fringes straight across the brow may visually shorten the forehead more than desired.
Not sure which shape describes you?
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