Your perfect haircut based on the shape of your face will help emphasize all the features you want to highlight. When you have an oval face, this opens up a lot of different hairstyles to choose from, and you have the flexibility to pick out just about any cut that will look good. The options are endless – and maybe even overwhelming. Good thing we put together a list of the top 15 haircuts for you to choose from to help your oval face look its very best. We have all the haircuts you need to help you make that decision whether you want to go for something bold and adventurous and if you want to keep it nice and simple and go for something understated.
Many clients come to me with the assumption that all cuts will work because of the symmetry and the options seem endless, and this is not the case. Not all hairstyles will compliment you. Years ago, I remember having a client with a stunning oval face and she had a habit of requesting blunt bobs because she thought they were flattering on everyone. Yes, they were fine on her, but it was not until I had the chance to convince her to take some cute face-framing layers that she was shocked. It was the difference between an okay haircut and one that was truly amazing.
I have 15 hairstyles that go beyond “good enough” and actually utilize the advantages of an oval face like yours. I will mention which ones are low maintenance, and which will require an ongoing relationship with the stylist and a few of your own styling tools. Let’s be real though, the true reward of your face shape isn’t about identifying hair styles that simply go with your shape, it’s about identifying styles that truly hit the mark.
#1: Brunette Shag with Choppy Fringe
I know this cut looks effortless in the pics (and it’s definitely not effortless in real life) but I still love it. The choppy fringe that sits at the eye line creates such an intensity on an oval face without being too closed off. The layers here really build volume through the mid lengths and keep everything looking soft and flowing! If you have thinner hair, you do need to keep in mind that you won’t be able to replicate all that texture, but with medium to thick hair, this is one of the best shags I’ve ever seen. You will reach for your texturizing spray almost every morning, and will need to trim your fringe every three to four weeks. But all the maintenance is 100% worth it.
#2: Soft Tousled Layers with Curtain Bangs
Curtain bangs have been around for some time now, and I have seen so many of them I have started to think of them as basic. The example I provided is different though. Every little detail on this haircut is super well done. The weight is nice throughout the haircut, allowing for nice diffused movement around the ends. The layers are soft which means that there will be no breakup during wash and go periods. For oval shaped faces, the bangs are center parted to the cheekbone area which draws focus to the eyes. This haircut is perfect for anyone that wants to look really classy, and doesn’t want to spend a lot of time getting ready. The bangs will grow faster than the rest of the hair and will need to be trimmed, but that only takes about 5 minutes out of the day.
#3: Casual Chestnut Waves with Textured Ends
That chestnut color is working especially well here. It is warm enough to lighten most skin tones without appearing out of place. The length is in that mid-length sweet spot which is long enough that it can be pulled back, but short enough to have real shape when it’s down. The textured ends keep it from looking like a blunt nothing, and the soft wave frames the face without fighting it. I’d classify this as the cut for someone who wants to look like they have amazing hair without anyone being able to say what has changed. A curl booster or a light hold spray will keep that wave pattern nice between washes.
#4: Edgy Short Pixie with Extended Bangs
If you want to go for this look, I suggest getting a long sweeping bang that is angled to one side. The long sweeping bangs add character to the chop while the back is cut short enough to contour the head and show how oval face shaped people are lucky to have such bone structure. With fine hair, this is a nice little trick because those short layers under the crown create the illusion of having much more hair than what is actually there. This haircut will require you to actually put in some work, you will need to go in every four to five weeks to keep those edges really sharp and clean because once they start to soften, it will give the impression that it is grown out and definitely not on purpose. Most people who choose this haircut don’t mind the small amount of daily styling time it requires.
#5: Rich Auburn Bob with Precision Bangs
This haircut has some really good features. The deep, solid, rich color auburn is good, the bob length reaching right to the jaw looks very neat and purposeful on the entire face. Those bangs are cut with precision, and the thickness is incredible. Being cut straight across is a big commitment, but for an oval face, it’s ideal. This is certainly not a wash and go haircut. The ends will need to be kept neat and clean with a flat iron, and the color will need to be maintained to keep the richness, but if you enjoy spending time on your hair, this haircut is definitely one of the best around.
#6: Sleek Chestnut Straight Cut with Subtle Layers
A straight cut hairstyle requires a lot of skill and precision and this one is no exception. It lightly skims past the shoulders with a gentle layered effect that creates a bit of extra movement and keeps the ends looking soft. The shiny and smooth chestnut color makes the look refined, especially on an oval face, while ensuring that it doesn’t look overly simple. This style is best for healthy hair. If your hair is dry or frizzy you’ll need to be a bit more careful with your conditioner and you may want to consider a smoothing serum. The reality is that this style works perfectly for any occasion and keeps things simple and easy.
#7: Flowing Midnight Layers with Sleek Fringe
Long dark layers with an even fringe look best on oval faces. The fringe highlights the eyes and cheekbones, and the long layered lengths add dimension and prevents the hair from looking flat. This look works best for medium to thick hair, as the fringe needs some volume to avoid a wispy look. The reality is you will need to trim your fringe every three weeks like clockwork. Fortunately, if your hair is stick straight or slightly wavy, styling is really easy.
#8: Playful Chestnut Waves with Wispy Bangs
The soft bangs serve to openly display one’s forehead and allow the natural symmetry of the oval shape face to be visible and not get boxed in. The loosely styled waves create enough volume to offer a boost to the finer hair while the mid lengths work as well. The chestnut coloration has a beautiful warm quality that appears stunning in photos and even more lovely in person. I’ll be honest, this is one of those styles where the gap between ‘just styled’ and ‘second day’ can be extremely noticeable, so having a texturizing spray as well as a bit of a touch up with a curling wand will be highly recommended. If you happen to touch your face, the bangs can flatten very easily so you may want to be aware of that beforehand.
#9: Subtle Caramel Highlights with Precision Fringe
The balayage here is stunning. It goes from a deeper color to a caramel shade, and it looks like it has been naturally created. The hair color looks like a natural color treatment by the sun over summer. This is also an oval face. The precise fringe gives great structure to the style while the below highlights add depth and dimension. Together, it all adds to the great overall look while not doing too much. This is a medium density hair design, that can adapt in either hairstyle direction. If the hair is slightly thick or if it is slightly thin, it will be fine. To maintain the seamless blend, the color will need refreshing every couple of months to keep the blend. Daily styling will be manageable. The fringe will need to be trimmed, and the highlights will need maintenance.
#10: Flowing Chestnut Balayage with Seamless Curtain Bangs
The balayage technique offers a soft transition to lighter colors at the tips of the hair. This technique creates openness for oval face shapes. The brightness draws the eye down and out, rather than placing a heavy contrast to the features. The curtain bangs are so well blended that they are part of the hairstyle and not a separate addition, and that shows good work. The hairstyle has a lovely movement, and looks great if blown by the wind or tucked behind the ear and that’s what really matters. The wave pattern is so natural that it won’t fight you in the mornings. However, to keep the color as interesting as it is means committing to frequent salon visits.
#11: Windswept Chestnut Waves with Soft Fringe
Soft waves always look good on oval faces and the light wispy bangs help prevent the haircut from being too plain. The rich chestnut color looks good in all lengths of hair. The color provides a nice depth and reflects light beautifully. The length provides many styling options, you can wear it down, in a half-up style, or fully pulled back and all styles will look good. The fringe on this example looks nice and separated, and on an oval face it keeps the forehead nicely visible instead of completely covered which is good. Because of the waves, you will want to invest in a good conditioning mask for weekly use because healthy waves at this length will look good and there is no styling trick to replace that. It’s a shame when hair looks tired because it could have looked beautiful with much less effort put into styling.
#12: Effortless Brunette Waves with Subtle Layering
Here’s what I give clients when they say “easy but not boring,” and it delivers. The layers are placed just right to frame the face without being overwhelming, and for oval faces the cut enhances the features instead of restructuring them. There’s a little blonde lift at the ends that gives just enough dimension to the base and makes the brunette feel alive. The wave holds up with the medium thickness and does not need to be coaxed into it every day. A light pass with a curling iron is all you need to define the front pieces, and this looks good a bit undone too, which is the mark of a good cut!
#13: Charming Chestnut Curls with Arched Fringe
I like how the front fringe captures the natural shape of the brows instead of just cutting across them. This being an oval face, the echo of the shape is what pulls everything together. The lovely color together with the texture and the romance of the style instead of the structure with the curls and the looser gloss finish creates a beautiful result here. I won’t pretend that this is a low-maintenance cut. Curls are still going to need to be defined, and diffused, or intentionally air dried, and the fringe will take over and needs to be styled separately from the rest. This is a great choice for someone wanting a more lively and youthful outcome from the styling routine.
#14: Chic Chocolate Waves with Delicate Face-Framing
Face-framing layers are so good they give the illusion of bangs. This means you can get the effect without the commitment of having to grow the bangs out. On oval faces, the front pieces that are shorter can make the whole look softer. The longer bottom layers also help guide the eye downward. The chocolate color is warm and rich, making the whole thing look classy and expensive. This will work best with thick to medium hair. If the hair is fine, the layers may end up looking too separated. The volume at the crown is key as it gives the hair a gentle lift and as the shape is more defined, it looks like the haircut had intention instead of just relying on styling to create that shape.
#15: Bold Black Textured Pixie with Tapered Edges
This type of pixie cut is an art form that involves collaboration between you and your hairdresser, as maintaining the appearance requires some effort on your part. However, once you have gone through the effort, the results are certainly worth it. The tapered ends and texturized tops of this style create a contrast that is great for defining an oval face. The micro fringing cut just above the eyebrows is a detail that elevates the overall look and transforms this cut from a simple pixie to one with the most depth and interest. The clean and polished sides and back are a huge plus in the daily wearability of the style and help to make it effortless. Medium thickness straight hair works best to hold shape and not become too bulky at the ends as hair like this is able to maintain its shape between salon visits. Maintenance on the spikes requires a cut every four to five weeks, but the daily hair routine is almost nonexistent, which really is the goal of most styles.
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