Flattering Haircuts for Women with Oblong Faces: A Comprehensive Guide
Oblong faces, characterized by their length exceeding their width, possess a unique elegance. However, choosing the right haircut can be crucial in balancing the proportions and highlighting the best features. While some styles might inadvertently elongate the face further, others can create a beautifully harmonious look. This comprehensive guide delves into the world of flattering haircuts for women with oblong faces, exploring various lengths, styles, and techniques to help you find your perfect match.
Understanding the Oblong Face Shape:
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Before diving into specific haircuts, it’s vital to understand the defining characteristics of an oblong face. These typically include:
- Length: The face is noticeably longer than it is wide.
- Forehead: The forehead is usually high.
- Jawline: The jawline is often angular or straight, although it can vary.
- Cheekbones: Cheekbones are usually prominent but can be subtly defined.
The goal with a haircut for an oblong face is to create the illusion of width, thereby shortening the perceived length. This is achieved through strategic layering, volume placement, and choosing the right length and style.
Hairstyles to Avoid:
Certain hairstyles can exacerbate the length of an oblong face, making it appear even more elongated. These include:
- Long, straight hair with no layers: This style accentuates the length without adding any width. The lack of volume at the sides further emphasizes the face’s linearity.
- Center parts: Center parts tend to draw the eye vertically, further highlighting the length of the face.
- High ponytails or buns: These styles pull the hair away from the face, accentuating its length and potentially making the forehead appear larger.
- Very short pixie cuts (without volume): While some pixie cuts can work, very short, sleek versions can emphasize the length of the face.
- Long, thin layers: These can make the hair look sparse and further emphasize the face’s length.

Hairstyles that Flatter Oblong Faces:
The key to finding the perfect haircut lies in adding volume and width at the sides of the face, creating a more balanced and harmonious appearance. Here are some hairstyles that excel at achieving this:
1. Shoulder-Length and Chin-Length Bobs:
Bobs are incredibly versatile and often a fantastic choice for oblong faces. The key is to choose a style that adds volume at the sides.
- Layered Bobs: Layers add texture and movement, creating a fuller look that balances the face’s length. Consider adding subtle layers around the face to frame it beautifully.
- A-Line Bobs: This style is characterized by shorter layers in the back and longer layers in the front, creating a wider appearance at the jawline.
- Wavy or Curly Bobs: Adding waves or curls to a bob adds significant volume and softens the overall look, making it exceptionally flattering for oblong faces.
2. Medium-Length Hairstyles with Side Parts:
Medium-length hairstyles offer a great canvas for creating volume and width.
- Layered Lob (Long Bob): A layered lob with a side part is a stylish and flattering option. The layers add texture and movement, while the side part helps to create a more balanced appearance.
- Beach Waves: Loose, tousled waves add volume and texture, softening the face’s angles and creating a more rounded appearance. A side part further enhances this effect.
- Curtain Bangs: These bangs frame the face beautifully, adding width at the forehead and softening the overall look.
3. Long Layered Hairstyles:
While very long, straight hair isn’t ideal, long hair can be incredibly flattering when styled correctly.
- Long Layers with Face-Framing Pieces: Long layers with strategically placed pieces around the face create volume and soften the jawline. Avoid layers that are too thin or start too high up, as these can make the hair look sparse.
- Loose Waves or Curls: Adding waves or curls to long hair adds significant volume and helps to balance the face’s length.
4. Pixie Cuts with Volume:
Pixie cuts can work beautifully for oblong faces, but they need to be styled to add volume and width.
- Side-Swept Pixie: A pixie cut with side-swept bangs or longer layers on the sides adds volume and creates a more balanced look.
- Textured Pixie: Adding texture to a pixie cut with styling products creates a fuller, more voluminous look that complements an oblong face.
5. Bangs (with Considerations):
Bangs can be a game-changer for oblong faces, but the right type is crucial.
- Side-Swept Bangs: These bangs add width to the forehead and help to shorten the perceived length of the face.
- Curtain Bangs: These soft, wispy bangs frame the face beautifully, creating a more balanced and feminine look.
- Avoid: Heavy, straight-across bangs can make the forehead appear even larger and emphasize the length of the face.
Styling Techniques to Enhance Your Haircut:
Beyond choosing the right haircut, styling techniques play a significant role in creating a flattering look.
- Volumizing Products: Use volumizing mousses, sprays, or powders to add lift and body to your hair, particularly at the roots and sides.
- Strategic Layering: Proper layering is essential for creating movement and volume, helping to balance the face’s proportions.
- Side Parts: A side part is generally more flattering than a center part for oblong faces, as it helps to create a more balanced appearance.
- Texturizing Products: Texturizing sprays or pastes can add texture and definition to your hair, making it appear fuller and more voluminous.
- Curling or Waving: Curls and waves add volume and dimension, creating a more rounded and balanced look.
Consulting a Professional:
While this guide provides valuable insights, consulting a professional hairstylist is highly recommended. A skilled stylist can assess your specific features, hair type, and lifestyle to recommend the most flattering haircut and styling techniques. They can also advise on color choices that complement your face shape and skin tone.
Remember, the goal is not to mask your oblong face but to enhance its natural beauty by creating a more balanced and harmonious look. By carefully considering the tips outlined in this guide and collaborating with a skilled stylist, you can find a haircut that accentuates your best features and makes you feel confident and beautiful. Embrace your unique face shape and let your hairstyle be a reflection of your individual style and personality.