20 Haircuts for Thin Hair and a Round Face That Add Lift

What a Round Face and Thin Hair Need From a Cut

• Height at the crown. An inch of lift on top makes the face look longer. Short internal layers at the crown help, and so does drying your roots upward.
• Ends that clear the chin. A hemline at the widest part of the face repeats the roundness. Go at least an inch below the jaw, or short enough to show the jawline clearly.
• An off-center part. A side part creates a diagonal line that reads longer than a center part. Even an inch off center helps on short and medium cuts.
• Face-framing that starts low. Pieces that begin at the chin or below draw the eye down and lengthen the outline. Pieces that start at eye level add width instead.
• Light bangs only. Heavy blunt bangs draw a straight line across the face. Curtain, side-swept or wispy bangs open it up and borrow very little hair.
• Root spray plus flexible hold. Mist a root-lift spray on damp roots, then finish with a flexible hairspray. Most of these cuts take 5 to 10 minutes to style.

1. Tall Textured Pixie

Save

This pixie keeps about 3 inches on top and the sides close to the head. Pushing that top length up and slightly back adds height, which stretches the face visually.

Choppy point cutting gives fine strands enough grip to stand up. Blow-dry the top with your fingers lifting at the roots, then pinch the ends with matte clay.

Best for: fine straight hair and anyone who wants a five-minute routine.

2. Pixie With a Long Diagonal Fringe

Save

A fringe cut on a steep diagonal breaks up the curve of a round face. The longest point falls near the cheekbone, so the eye follows a slanted line instead of a circle.

On thin hair, the fringe also adds density at the front. Dry it in one direction with a small paddle brush and leave the sides smooth.

3. Soft Faux-Hawk Pixie

Save

A faux-hawk lifts the center of the top and keeps the sides flat, creating the strongest vertical line of any short cut. The soft version is subtle enough for the office.

Work a little paste through the top and push it toward the center with your fingertips. Leave the front slightly piecey, not spiked.

4. Long Pixie Swept Off the Forehead

Save

Sweeping the front back shows the forehead and adds height right at the hairline. The longer top, about 4 inches, gives enough length to lift and curve back.

A round brush and a few minutes of drying set the shape. Finish with a light hairspray to hold it without stiffness.

Styling time: 8 minutes.

5. Bixie With Longer Front Pieces

Save

This bixie stays short at the back but leaves the front pieces long enough to reach the chin. They hug the sides of the face and make it look narrower.

Keep the crown textured for lift. Tuck the front pieces behind your ears on some days and let them fall forward on others.

6. Angled Bob That Falls Past the Chin

Save

An angled bob that drops below the chin draws a line down and forward, away from the cheeks. The shorter back adds a little lift behind the crown.

Keep the front at least an inch past the jaw so the ends don't sit at the widest point. Straight or softly bent, it works with thin hair either way.

Ask your stylist for: an A-line bob with the front 1 inch below the chin and a softly graduated back.

7. Side-Parted Bob With a Volumized Crown

Save

A deep side part paired with a full crown creates both diagonal and vertical lines. The heavier side falls over one cheek, which softens the roundness.

Blow-dry the crown up with a round brush and leave the ends smooth. A pump of mousse at the roots keeps the lift into the afternoon.

8. Below-the-Jaw Bob With Soft Waves

Save

Waves add width, so placement matters on a round face. Start them at chin level and leave the top smooth, and the shape looks longer instead of wider.

The bob should clear the jaw by about an inch. Use a 1-inch iron on random vertical sections and brush the waves out gently.

9. Long Bob Tucked Behind One Ear

Save

Tucking one side behind the ear sounds small, but it adds instant asymmetry and shows the jawline. The untucked side falls forward and frames the face.

Ask for the lob to end around the collarbone with a soft, blunt hem. A tiny bobby pin hidden behind the ear keeps the tuck in place.

10. Wavy Lob With Root Lift

Save

Flat roots and wide waves make a round face look rounder. Lift the roots first, then add loose waves through the lengths, and the shape stretches up rather than out.

Keep the lob at the collarbone so the waves have room to fall below the jaw.

1. Spray root lifter on damp roots and dry them upward.
2. Curl the lengths from the chin down with a 1.5-inch wand.
3. Shake out the waves and mist the crown with flexible hairspray.

11. Shoulder Cut With a Chin-Length Face Frame

Save

The shortest pieces here start at the chin, so they skim past the cheeks and point downward. Behind them, the back stays one length, which keeps thin ends full.

Blow-dry the frame outward over a medium round brush. It looks polished in about 10 minutes.

12. Shaggy Shoulder Cut With Curtain Bangs

Save

Curtain bangs part at the center and curve out past the cheekbones, carving a soft arch around a round face. The shaggy crown layers add the lift.

Keep the shag light: most layers up top, ends left solid. Shape the bangs over a mini round brush, or roll them in a Velcro roller while you do your makeup.

Stylist tip: have the bangs cut long enough to tuck behind your ears. That makes the growing-out phase much easier.

13. Collarbone Cut With Long Side Bangs

Save

Long side bangs create a diagonal line from the forehead to the cheekbone. They cover part of the forehead and break up the width of the face.

The rest of the cut falls to the collarbone with a blunt hem. Dry the bangs with the nozzle pointing down so they sweep smoothly.

14. Shoulder-Length Cut With Vertical Waves

Save

Curling hair in vertical sections makes waves fall downward instead of out. That lengthening effect suits round faces, and the texture makes thin hair look denser.

Hold the wand straight down and wrap 1-inch sections around it. Leave the last inch of each section out for a modern finish.

15. Medium Cut With a Lifted Crown and Tucked Sides

Save

This cut is about the silhouette: height on top, narrow at the sides. Hidden layers in the crown give lift, and the sides are long enough to tuck.

Set one large Velcro roller at the crown while you get ready. Tuck both sides and finish with a mist of hairspray.

16. Long Layers Starting Below the Chin

Save

On long thin hair, layers should begin below the chin and fall in a gentle slope. They give movement around the face without adding width at the cheeks.

Keep the hem blunt so the ends stay thick. Curl just the face-framing layers outward for movement.

17. Long Sleek Cut With an Off-Center Part

Save

Long, straight hair with a part an inch or two off center draws long vertical lines on both sides of the face. It's simple and very flattering on round faces.

Smooth it with a flat iron and a drop of light serum on the ends. A little root spray at the part keeps the crown from lying flat.

Best for: straight thin hair that won't hold a curl.

18. Long Waves With Wispy Curtain Bangs

Save

Wispy curtain bangs are lighter than full curtain bangs and need only a narrow section. On long waves, they draw attention to the eyes and open up the center of the face.

Wave everything below the chin and leave the roots smooth. A small round brush styles the bangs in two minutes.

19. Long Shag With a Lifted Crown

Save

A long shag stacks its shortest layers at the crown, right where a round face needs height. The lengths stay long and fairly blunt, so thin hair keeps its fullness at the ends.

Diffuse with a light mousse on wavy hair, or rough-dry straight hair and add texture spray at the crown.

20. Long Curly Cut With Height at the Crown

Save

Curly hair often spreads wide at the cheeks and lies flat on top. Cutting the crown curls a little shorter flips that, putting the volume on top.

Diffuse upside down, then use a pick at the roots once dry. Clip the crown roots up with small clips while drying for extra lift.

Parting and Styling Tricks for a Round Face

Small styling choices add up on a round face:

• Lift the top, not the sides. Volume at the crown lengthens the face. Width at cheek level adds roundness.
• Start curls below the cheekbones. Begin waves at chin level and keep the top smooth.
• Tuck one side. Asymmetry breaks the circle and shows your jawline.
• Try a half-up crown twist. Twist the top section back, push it forward slightly for height and pin it.

For more ideas, see our short haircuts for women with round faces, or browse haircuts for thin hair for women at every length. Over 50? Our round face haircuts for women over 50 are worth a look.