Haircuts for oval faces: what works, for women and men

What counts as an oval face?

An oval face is longer than it is wide, with a jaw that tapers gently from the cheekbones and a forehead about as wide as the jaw or slightly wider. In our face shape detector the length is 1.19–1.28× the cheek width and the lower face is neither broad nor sharply tapered.

Oval is often called the ideal shape, but it is simply the outline with the fewest strong signals, which is why so many cuts suit it. Many faces read as oval with another shape close by; the detector tells you which one.

The idea: keep the outline visible

Because nothing needs balancing, the question is what to show off. Soft movement, an off-centre part and short, tidy sides all keep a balanced outline easy to read. Nothing in our library is marked use with care for an oval face.

So choose by what you will actually live with: your hair's texture, how long you spend styling it and how often you want a trim. If your oval face is on the long side, a fringe keeps it from looking longer; if it is on the short side, a little crown height helps.

Women's haircuts for an oval face

Five of the six women's cuts are good matches: the textured pixie, the side-part bob, the curtain fringe, long soft layers and soft waves. The long bob is your call, simply because none of its effects changes an oval outline. In practice it is one of the easiest cuts to wear.

If you want one rule: keep at least part of the jaw and cheekbones visible. Hair that covers both sides of the face fully hides the outline that makes most cuts work.

Men's haircuts for an oval face

The soft side part is the strongest men's match: a natural part and soft movement. The textured crop, low quiff, short crew cut, brushed-back hair and relaxed curtains are all good matches. Men with an oval face can choose almost purely by style and hair type.

Haircut for oval face, men's version: if you want the outline to look sharper, keep the sides short; if you want it softer, leave some length over the ears.

What to ask your stylist

With an oval face, tell your stylist about your routine first, then pick the cut:

• Side-part bob: “Chin-length bob with a deep side part and softly bevelled ends.”
• Curtain fringe: “Long hair with a split fringe that opens at the centre and sweeps past the cheekbones.”
• Soft side part: “Enough top length to fall to one side with a natural, unshaved part line.”
• Say how long you spend styling each morning and how often you want a trim.
• Ask which length suits your hair's texture: very fine hair often looks fuller shorter.

Glasses, brows and checking your shape

Most frame shapes suit an oval face; choose by size first, about as wide as the widest part of your face. A soft arch is the easy brow shape.

Before you book a cut, check the shape on a clear front photo. Many faces sit between two shapes, and the face shape detector says when yours is close to another one. If it is, take ideas from both.