The Best Curly Hairstyles for Round Faces

By Kaitlyn Yarborough

Your face shape can work with or against you when it comes to styling curly hair that’s already hard to tame as it is. If you’ve lucked out with beautiful curly locks, though, there’s no reason to hide them behind a hairstyle that isn’t right for you. We know a round face shape presents its own set of advice to heed, so here’s what to keep in mind when sculpting those curls. You want to go with haircuts—your choice of length, layers, bangs, and all—that help elongate the round face rather than make it appear wide. Anything too blunt borders a fine line of accentuating the soft curve of the jawline, but don’t be afraid to add definition with a center part or framing layers. Many flattering cuts try to draw attention away from the jawline, so it’s important to take note of where your curls are falling and how they’re being shaped around the face. From short hairstyles to long ones, we’ve got the best curly hairstyles for your round face that will inspire for your next salon visit.

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Volume & Layer-Packed Lob

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Unlike a typical lob (usually more blunt), this cut goes with a bunch of layers throughout to create extreme body and lift at the roots. That volume helps elongate the round face for a more flattering look.

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Classic Bob

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When in doubt, a classic bob always exudes elegance and style, while working for most hair types. With soft curls and subtle ends (try not to go super blunt, ever), the softness of the round jawline isn’t further accentuated. Sometimes a round face can’t take a bob that hits right at the chin, so figure out if you want to try a cut that hits a little below the chin instead.

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Vintage-Style Short Bob

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This style doesn’t draw attention away from the jawline (as so many round face cuts strive to do), but it still works because the curls add enough body on top and on the sides to balance out the roundness. We love the vintage feel too! 

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Face-Framing Center Part

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We love how a center part can give some unexpectedly flattering definition to the soft round face shape. This layer-filled cut is looks great because it lets the natural curls really shine.

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Thick Crop

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This boyish style works best for those with bigger curl patterns. It’ll add a soft, bounding look of movement despite the short cut. The thick, voluminous hair helps balance the round face in ways not all short cuts can.

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Mid-Length with Chin-Length Layers

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With a smaller curl pattern, chin-length layers help elongate and frame a round face. (For context: with an oval face, you’d want the face-framing layers to hit more at the bottom of the cheekbones.)

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Shaggy with Bangs

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We love the cool, effortless feel that any shag-esque cut gives you. While this style doesn't obscure the jawline, it rather accentuates the smooth lines of the face with curls and short bangs. 

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Angular Bob

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With curls that are longer in the front, the round face will be elongated and framed more flatteringly than a single-length cut.

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Old Hollywood Side Part

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For a longer cut, we like these cascading curls with a deep side part. No matter how big your curls are, the one-sidedness of the style helps take attention away from the width of the face.

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Ultra Side-Swept Lob

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This side-swept style elongates the round face by using a heavy side part and bangs to draw attention away from the jawline. The lob-length never ceases to be flattering on just about everyone!

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Shoulder-Length with Tiered Layers

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This style is all about letting those curls run loose—and it completely balances the round face and detracts attention from the width of it. This cut is absolutely full of layers that create an almost tier-like shape to ensure a full-bodied style.

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