Have you ever walked out of a salon feeling like your face suddenly looks fuller than before? Certain hairstyles can actually create an optical illusion that makes your face appear rounder than it really is. Our professional cosmetologist has identified common styling mistakes that might be working against your facial structure, and she’s here to share her expert insights on what to avoid.
1. One-Length Bob Without Layers
A straight bob that hits right at your jawline creates a horizontal line effect that widens your face visually. Without layers to add dimension, this cut forms a solid shape around your face that emphasizes fullness rather than creating slimming angles.
2. Super Short Pixie Cuts
Extremely short pixies expose your entire face shape without the balancing effect of longer strands. When hair doesn’t extend past your ears, there’s nothing to visually elongate your face, causing your cheeks to become the widest visible point.
3. Middle Parts With Straight Hair
Splitting your hair directly down the center creates perfect symmetry that emphasizes the roundness of your face. Straight hair hanging on both sides forms a frame that highlights the circular shape rather than creating the illusion of length.
4. Blunt Bangs Cut Straight Across
Heavy, straight-across bangs create a strong horizontal line that visually shortens your face. This horizontal emphasis draws attention to the width of your face while simultaneously cutting off the vertical length, intensifying roundness.
5. Chin-Length Curly Bobs
Curly hair naturally creates width, and when cut to chin length, those curls expand outward rather than downward. The horizontal volume at your jawline mirrors the width of your cheekbones, creating a circular framing effect.
6. Slicked-Back Styles
Pulling all your hair tightly back exposes your entire face without any softening elements. Without strategic pieces to frame your features, this severe style highlights the fullest parts of your face, emphasizing its circular shape.
7. Bowl Cuts or Mushroom Shapes
Rounded haircuts that follow the curve of your head create a circular silhouette that mimics and exaggerates facial roundness. The curved cutting line that moves around your head reinforces rather than contrasts with your face shape.
8. Very Short Blunt Bobs
Super-short bobs that hit above the chin create a compact frame around your face. This abbreviated cut concentrates all the hair’s visual weight at your cheeks and jawline – precisely where a round face is already fullest.
9. Full, Rounded Afros
Natural hair styled into a perfectly round afro creates a circular silhouette that mirrors your face shape. While beautifully iconic, this symmetrical style expands outward in all directions, reinforcing rather than contrasting with roundness.
10. Single-Length Lobs Without Angles
Pettinature lunghe cut at one uniform length without face-framing pieces create a curtain effect around your face. Without angles or layers to break up the shape, this straight-across cut forms a U-shape that emphasizes the curve of your cheeks.
11. Tight Curls All The Same Length
Curly hair cut to one uniform length creates a rounded helmet effect that mirrors facial fullness.
When curls spring to the same endpoint all around your head, they form a circular shape that emphasizes rather than minimizes roundness.
12. Heavy Side-Swept Bangs
Thick bangs swept dramatically to one side can create unexpected width across your forehead.
The heavy horizontal movement draws attention to the top third of your face, creating a top-heavy appearance that emphasizes facial roundness.
13. Chin-Length Flipped Ends
When short hair flips outward at the ends right at chin level, it creates a widening effect. Those flipped ends point directly to the fullest part of a round face, drawing the eye to your jawline and emphasizing its curved shape.
14. Puffy Half-Up Styles
Acconciature a metà strada with excessive volume at the crown create a top-heavy silhouette. The rounded pouf adds height without length, making your face appear shorter and wider in comparison to the voluminous top section.
15. Chin-Grazing Curtain Bangs
Curtain bangs that hit exactly at your jawline draw a visual line across the widest part of a round face. This framing effect creates a horizontal emphasis that highlights your cheeks and jawline rather than creating a slimming vertical line.