Hairstyles for long faces are cut and styled in a way to make the face appear wider and balanced. Finding the best hairstyle and length to flatter your long face will require some trial and error.
The perfect hairstyle on the wrong face shape can ruin a girl’s day (or next few weeks) faster than a bad date. In the excitement of getting your hair done, it’s easy to get swept away by all of the options. One detail we should never forget is our face shape!
Although the “ideal” face shape is oval, you should be happy you have a long face shape!
Minimizing volume on top of your head and avoiding too much length and vertical lines by sticking to horizontal lines will add width.
If you have a big forehead, bangs for a long face cover up the extra length and can really flatter women with thicker hair as well.
Lastly, you’ll want to avoid cuts and styles that add height to your hair, since they’ll elongate your entire head length.
Create a look that not only works for your oblong face shape but also your style, taste, hair type, etc. Mix and match everything you’ve learned and be inspired by these photos below.
Here are the most flattering hairstyles for long faces to look shorter:
Chin-Length Bob with Blunt Bangs
This is a modern messy hairstyle. It’s a take on the classic square bob with blunt bangs. The greatest thing about it is the twist of a classic shape with a messier finish that makes it lived in, trendier, and more today!
This haircut can be customized depending on the length of your face.
It is especially good for women with long faces that have a more narrow face shape. The line of the bangs and the line from the length of the bob shortens the length of the face.
It would also be ideal for someone with more fine hair because it will make it look thicker. I would recommend Aveda thickening tonic and Aveda Smooth Infusion glossing straightener to get more volume and have a sleek finish but with a messy texture!
Collarbone-Length Waves with Deep Side Part
Long bob hairstyles for long faces look amazing with subtle graduation.
This was cut dry based on her natural curl pattern. It’s a long bob with a subtle angle and slight graduation. I love how the curls fall into the shape easily, and the weight is properly distributed to accent the style.
This look is good for women with thin faces and with naturally curly hair.
Or, someone with straight hair who wants a style that easily falls into place without too much styling and is structured and defined.
Naturally Curly Hair with Center Part
This haircut for a long face is a soft, curly shag. I can make your long face appear shorter.
Some of the things I like about it is that I cut the hair while dry, using The Hive Salons Curly Method of cutting. This method took Colleen’s curl pattern and texture as the guide for creating the shape no matter what products she styles her hair with. Her curls have been cut in the natural fall/texture so that they will perform consistently.
As far as the overall look, this type of haircut really opens and frames the wearers face and offer a lot of versatility when styling. If Colleen pulls her hair back, her eyes and cheekbones will still be framed beautifully by the fringe. When styling, I used a curl moisturizing cream called Quiet Calm Curl Control from Innersense Organic Beauty to offer lightweight hydration. Moisture helps curls spring up. Then I applied a volume glaze called I Create Volume to help set the curls.
This is a haircut that can truly be tailored to an oblong face shape! The main components of a good shag are curtain fringe, lean length, and volume at the crown. You can base the length of your fringe by whether you want to partially cover your forehead or accentuate the area between the eye and the cheekbone.
Then, you can add volume in the crown via layers and take them as short or as disconnected as you like. This then removes some of the weight in the midsection of your hair but preserves the density at the ends. Then, based on what you and your stylist determine, you can choose to layer out the rest of the shape for more of a vintage vibe.
Anyone who wants to wear this look should invest in a diffuser attachment so that they can add volume and texture to their hair. Air drying can minimize the volume. I love using volume foams and gels for the blowdry, and sea salt spray to finish. This gives the hair more grit and volume without making it overly frizzy!
Textured Blunt Long Bob (Lob)
It’s a blunt long bob (lob) with lots of texture. It has no top layer but has tons of interior shattered layers. I like that it can be worn sleek, or when curled, it has tons of layers and texture and looks more sassy and fun.
If you have a long face, be specific with your verbiage for your stylist. Also, you can add a stack to it. It’s not a heavy stack, so if that’s what you are going for then you need to know the back will be more layered.
Air drying or tousled drying will help with giving extra volume and texture. Curl with a hot tool 1-inch iron or 1.25-inch iron. Let the curls cool then spray with a texture spray like Kevin Murphy Bedroom Hair. Then comb out with a wet brush, tousle, and it’s perfect!
Vintage Boho Middle Part
A long oval face haircut with layers and a middle part is the 60s/70s boho chic.
Adding bangs to a hairstyle can flatter long faces.
This is a nice, lived-in, and easy to wear look for any occasion from day to night
When it comes to haircuts for long faces, keep your hair texture in mind. The fringe is the focal point of this cut so consider that based upon your face length.
If your hair is frizzy/curly, know that in the mornings you’ll probably have to spend a few minutes extra styling it.
If you do not like having hair in your face, keep the fringe (or curtain bangs) on the longer side.
Extra Long Curls with Bangs
This haircut for long face shapes is for someone who wants an effortless style and hair color.
Getting short textured bangs for a long face works beautifully.
The longer layers make it easy to style or wear with its natural texture.
Overall, this haircut for oblong faces is very universal.
My favorite thing about this look is how natural and low maintenance the balayage color and haircut is!
You should definitely consider a bang if you want to draw attention to your eyes or have a long face shape. Bangs are a big change that will be easy to transition. The long layers make it easy to style and go well with any type of hair.
Daily styling of bangs may or may not be needed depending on your hairline and hair texture, so make sure to take that into consideration if you’ve never had bangs before!
On this particular client, I applied a cocktail of AG Leave-In Conditioner and Amazing Shine Serum before cutting. After drying, I used Evo Dry Spray Wax for Texture and Loreal Infinium Hairspray for hold and finish
This is also a good color choice for someone who has never colored their hair before.
Face-Framing Layers
This haircut complements a long face with light graduation and soft layers.
It was created with razor texture and side-swept bangs.
It’s a fresh and modern look to flatter the face.
What I like the most about this cut is the practicality.
Short haircuts for long faces are easy and have a modern look to style. It’s a perfect cut for women with strong personalities. Someone with a long face shape can wear this cut and style due to the disconnected tips that give softness and lightness to the face.
We used Revlon Equave on the hair before drying. After the hair was dry, the hair was styled with a Babyliss iron and a mattifying powder called Dust It Flex by Osis.
Layered Cut with Textured Bangs
The best haircut for a long face is a long layered cut with long bangs.
A layered haircut for long faces can benefit from curtain bangs.
We wanted to change up the look without losing any length. She wanted to cut a “curtain bang”, but we decided on a full textured bang with the option to let it grow into a curtain bang so that she can get several weeks out of the fringe without needing a touchup.
When searching for long face haircuts know that with a narrow forehead you should be very careful about wearing too heavy of a fringe as it can have the tendency to really close in their face.
A woman with a taller forehead is going to love the way the bangs give great balance to their long face shape and bring a lot of attention to their eyes.
Effortless Ombre on Long Hair
This long hairstyle is a very textured and effortless look.
Haircuts for long faces look gorgeous because they can be very versatile when styling their hair.
Products to recreate this look include two of my favorites. I recommend Oribe’s Dry Texturizing Spray before adding hot tools, as well as some R+Co Rockaway sea salt spray to finish it off for extra volume and hold.
I recommend this look to any client with thicker medium to long hair that wants a super lived-in look with lots of texture and movement. It is an ideal look for anyone with a long face shape.
Long Shag Haircut with Highlights
This long face haircut is a modern take on a classic 70s shag, using Stevie Nicks as an inspiration.
I love the versatility of this cut with long side bangs and how it gives long hair movement.
I use Aveda products. For this long sleek hairstyle, I used Smooth Infusion Style Prep, Styling Creme, and Dry Remedy Oil to finish the ends.
If you want a more wavy, or beachy look, I would use Brilliant Damage Control, Texture Tonic, and finish with a light spray of Air Control hairspray.
You control the amount of layering in the interior and face frame to complement a long face shape. This look has bangs, but it looks great without bangs too. It does work best on below the shoulder to above the waist hair that is medium to thick. On fine hair, I would just do the face frame.
In regard to styling, you can blow it out straight, scrunch it in beachy waves, or even wand it for a more polished look. All of these styling options fit an active lifestyle.
Modern Auburn and Brown Shag
Go for a modern-day shag cut on longer locks. The look has long rounded bangs which connect to the haircut. Her layers are shorter in the front to give her a more textured/shaggy look, however, they still connect to the rest of her haircut to create fluidity throughout.
My favorite thing about this look has to be the face-framing bangs because they frame her face so well and suit her personality. I also love her color. I balayaged her hair a few times last year and I love that the color deposited so dimensional. It really completes the look.
I recommend using a volumizing spray such as R+Co’s Dallas all over before blow-drying. The bangs should be blow-dried smooth with a brush, but the rest of the hair can be roughly dried to enhance the textured look.
Next, take a 1 1/4-inch curling iron and curl big sections in opposite directions. Be sure to leave the ends out to create more of a natural-looking wave. Spray a texture spray like Oribe’s Dry Texturizing Spray throughout the hair, then finger comb to brush out the curls and disperse the product.
Long styles like this are very versatile and would be great for anyone with straight or wavy hair. You must be willing to style your bangs every day with a blow dryer, but the rest of the style is low maintenance. The choppy layers are short and fun, but long enough to pull back into a ponytail or bun.
Medium Shag For an Oblong Face
Shag hairstyles for oblong faces is an effortless look that isn’t super high maintenance.
To recreate this hairstyle, use Davines This is a Texturizing Dust on the scalp to boost the roots and This is a Dry Texturizing Spray to add some grit to the hair. I love the texturizing spray because even if I am a little heavy-handed with the spray, it doesn’t weigh the hair down too much creating a lived-in look for your client.
To maintain haircuts for long faces with bangs, get frequent bangs trims because they will be the thing that needs the most maintenance. Other than that, it’s easy to have fun with this look.
Edgy Textured Pixie
A pixie cut for a long face looks great with bangs and texture.
I used a razor for about 90% of the haircut and I just love how it gave this hair extra life.
To maintain this look, I highly recommend a pomade. Using a pomade lets you spike up the hair a bit and you can piece out the fringe for that messy yet sleek look. I used Johnny B Xtra Hold pomade.
This hair would be perfect for someone that is willing to style their hair daily but doesn’t want to spend lots of time on it. While the hair is wet, simply add some pomade to create the texture you want and you’re done.
This particular pixie was done on a client with fairly thick hair, so we were able to create a ton of texture with it. I believe this is the best haircut for an edgy client with a long face that wants a look that’s easy to style.
Long Straight Hair with a Blunt Cut
One most popular haircuts for long faces is shoulder-leng shags with textured bangs.
This look showcases the hair cutting technique I use for creating a straight contour line on shoulder length hair. I have personalized the look with a short texturized bang. It’s my favorite detail!
To maintain this hairstyle, it’s necessary to find a proper hair care solution. In this case, I have used Redken Frizz Dismiss shampoo and conditioner and the Redken Satinwear 04 thermal smoothing blow dry lotion. These products help with long-term protection, density, and shine without weighing the hair down
This haircut is suitable for girls with healthy and thick hair. It doesn’t really matter if the hair is thin or dense, the main thing is that it must be straight.
Short Textured Blonde Blunt Bob
Short hairstyles for long faces look flattering on a blonde textured blunt bob. My favorite thing about this specific look is the mixture of movement and texture, as well as the blunt lines that can make the hair appear fuller. It is such a fun haircut!
For bob hairstyles like this one, I love a well textured hairspray of dry shampoo, a powder-based spray. Bedroom.Hair by Kevin Murphy is my personal favorite. These types of sprays can help add volume and show off the texture and shape of the cut.
Clients with finer-textured hair are great candidates for this cut because it helps to make the hair look much fuller. It is also great for ladies with pin-straight hair that need lower maintenance but still want a styled look.
Chin-Length Bob with Soft Layers
A chin-length bob with soft layers suits long faces well with its wispy ends and long side-swept bangs.
I️ love this hairstyle for women with oblong faces because it is feminine and flirty. It is fun and the minimal layers give it soft movement, especially when waved.
My product recommendations for this look and texture would be Kerastase Lincroyable Blowdry Creme and Materialiste for thickening. You can air dry, round brush, flat wrap or curl. I️ used a 1 1/4-inch barrel curling iron.
To add texture, volume and long wear, I️ recommend my favorite Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray.
This look is for fine hair or minimal textured hair. The cut for the woman who likes the effortless look. She styles her hair for events and weekend dates and can still pull it back for workouts and errands.
Flattering Medium-Length Cut
This is the perfect medium-length haircut for long faces. A long middle part is a great option for long faces. Curls add roundness to the whole look, giving a fuller visage.
Shoulder-Length Bob for Thin Hair
Ash brown highlights create a softer look for any oblong face shape. The more effortless and bigger the waves are, the fresher you look.
Collarbone-Length Waves with Deep Side Part
Waves are flattering for a long face. This a great style for hair with little to no layering. You can get away with only restyling the top if you want to stretch your wash days. Trendy, easy and haute for a long face!
How To Style:
- Apply styling foam to damp hair.
- Blow dry hair away from face with a medium round brush.
- Dry a side part into the hair.
- Use a curling wand or iron to curl just the ends away from the face.
- Brush through curls with fingers, reshaping them into waves.
- Finish with shine spray.
Recommended Products:
Vita Volume is a great lightweight volumizing foam by Keratin Complex that gives weightless volume.
Best Hair Type:
This look will give finer hair types more natural volume.
Naturally Curly Hair with Center Part
The best type of hairstyle for long faces frame your face. They help your face appear shorter.
This style is for those of us who love a great curl look and have a more oblong face. With so much texture and movement going on in the hair, longer facial features can get lost in all the hair action. With this much volume and texture, a center part helps to keep balance for the overall look.
This a great look for women with oblong faces to try the center part trend if you haven’t already!
How To Style:
- Spritz dry hair with a heat protectant and comb throughout.
- Section hair into sections about the size of the base of your iron rod.
- Spray each section with a working styling spray and comb through.
- Wrap sections of hair around a medium curling iron or wand. Wrap the curl into a pin curl and pin it to the head to cool. Repeat this curling process throughout the entire head.
- Spray hair with working spray and allow it to settle on all the pin curls. One by one, unpin the curls and let them fall.
- Comb through hair with fingers, reshaping your curls into perfect ringlets. Use a shine gloss to define the curls if desired.
Recommended Products:
Glotion Potion by Keratin Complex creates softness and shine, even in coarse hair textures, and uses shine-enhancing silicones to smooth the cuticle and add weightless moisture and gloss.
Best Face Shape and Hair Type:
This look works well on longer face shapes. Naturally curly or wavy hair will hold this look best.
Long Layered Shag with Curtain Bangs
The long layered shag with curtain bangs is the most popular cut right now. This classic 70s style has made a comeback with a softer, more modern effect. To get that super romantic finish, reach for a blowout brush like Sutra’s “Professional 2″ Blowout Brush” ($79.99).
Medium-Length Shag with Choppy Bangs
