Ever heard the saying, “Why the long face?” Usually, people ask this when someone’s looking sad or down.
The thing is, many women have what’s known as a long face shape (also called rectangular or oblong). And it has nothing to do with feeling down in the dumps!
As a hairdresser, I’m an expert on face shapes and the haircuts that suit each one the best. That includes haircuts for women with long face shapes! I’ve put together this article and photo gallery to help you become an expert yourself.
By the time you’re done reading, you’ll know exactly which hairstyles suit you best. More importantly, you’ll know how to modify any haircut to make you look stunning.
What is a Long Face Shape?
A long face shape is characterized by having a long, narrow face and hollow-looking cheeks. (Source) This face shape is also known as oblong or rectangular.
Not sure if you fall into this category? The easiest and fastest way to determine your face shape is by measuring. A soft or flexible tape measure is the ideal tool, but you can use a ruler too. If your face is longer than it is wide, that’s a good indicator.
Your face will also be narrower than that of someone with an oval face shape. Your jawline, cheeks, and forehead will be just about the same width if you have a long face shape, too.
Short haircuts for women with long face shapes tend to be the most flattering. Medium-length hairstyles work well, too. But long hair will most likely make your face look even longer.
That said, there are exceptions to every rule in the world of hair. You’ll notice a few long hairstyles in the gallery below. In a nutshell, no hairstyle is entirely off-limits when it comes to long face shapes.
The Best Haircut for Your Facial Features
Finding the right hairstyle is about so much more than just your face shape. You see, facial features and face shape aren’t mutually exclusive.
You can have a long face shape and a small nose, or a large nose, or any number of unique details. (Source)
Below, I’ve got specific tips for a wide range of facial features. Keep these in mind as you scroll through the gallery of haircuts for women with long face shapes. And remember, your stylist can customize just about any hairstyle in the gallery to follow these tips!
- Wide or large forehead. Covering your forehead with bangs and facial framing will balance your features. This will also make your face look less long and closer to the ideal oval shape.
- Narrow forehead. Volume and lift around your temples will bring your forehead into proportion. A punky pixie cut, textured bob, or choppy shag would all work well.
- Crooked nose. A side part with an asymmetric haircut creates the optical illusion of a straight nose. Bobs and lobs are timeless options that create this effect. A lixie or asymmetric mullet are great options for an edgier look.
- Small nose. The wrong haircut can make you look too young—like a tween’s yearbook photo. To look youthful in a good way, you’ll want volume at your roots and movement through the sides. A wolf cut mullet would turn heads in the best way. For something more classic, try a chin-length layered bob.
- Large or prominent nose. Bangs and lots of soft facial framing will bring your nose into balance. You can pair these with any haircut, but avoid volume through the sides. A blunt chin-length bob will have this effect and make your face look more oval. Short shags are a great choice, too.
- Small chin. Bringing your hair up and away from your jawline will make your chin look proportional. A bob with choppy layers or a shag with medium layers would be easiest to style this way.
- Large chin. With a large chin, you need to steer clear of chin-length styles. If you want a long hairstyle, ask for facial framing that starts below your chin. Any short hairstyle will make your face look more oval and balance your chin.
Do Bangs Work with Long Faces?
Bangs are one of the best options if you have a long face. Almost every type of fringe will make your face look a tad shorter and wider, more like the ideal oval face shape.
Notice how I said almost. Here are my recommendations for various types of bangs with long face shapes:
- Straight or blunt bangs. These are a great choice for long face shapes. The blunt ends make your face look shorter and wider in the best possible way.
- Swoopy or side-swept bangs. The swoopier, the better! This always-in-style option covers most of your forehead. So, they work well even if you have a small forehead.
- Bottleneck bangs and curtain bangs. You’ll be happy to hear these on-trend bangs are a perfect match for long face shapes. If you’re worried about maintenance, ask for facial framing too. This combo looks great even when it’s been a while since your last salon visit.
- Curly bangs. If you have curly hair and a long face shape, curly bangs are a fabulous choice. You can wear them blunt or opt for a side-swept version—either will be very flattering.
- Long fringe. When I say “long fringe,” I mean bangs that come to about the tip of your nose. They’re worn more like facial framing than true bangs. You can wear long bangs, so long as your hair isn’t long too. Long bangs with long ends and a long face shape won’t suit you well.
- Layered or wispy bangs. This softer, more lived-in fringe is low maintenance and great for long face shapes. Especially if you have angular features you’d like to soften, a layered or wispy fringe is perfect.
- Baby bangs or micro fringe. You should 100% avoid this trendy option. A very short fringe will draw attention to your forehead and make your face look even longer.
Hair Type Considerations
So far, you’ve learned quite a bit about choosing the right haircut for your face shape and facial features. These are 2 of the biggest factors in picking a great hairstyle.
But they aren’t the only factors.
Your hair type is just as important because it impacts how much maintenance you’ll need to do. And by “maintenance,” I mean both salon visits and daily styling. If your chosen inspiration photo has straight hair but your natural texture is coily, that’s a recipe for major upkeep.
Here are the most important considerations for each hair type:
- Wavy. Wavy hair is a great texture to have with a long face shape. The more movement and texture in your hair, the more oval your face will look. Ask your stylist for layers that show off your waves without adding volume on top.
- Curly (including perms). Curly hair is another good match for women with long face shapes. A layered chin-length bob, short curly shag, or even a curly mullet would all look great with your texture and face shape.
- Coily. You have a lot of options with coily hair and a long face shape. A braided bob or a bob to show off your natural texture will give you a laid-back and youthful appearance. A shoulder-grazing cut will look polished and balance out your proportions. I suggest seeing a stylist who specializes in curls to ensure your hair is layered properly.
- Straight (including relaxed hair). Adding layers to straight hair will make your hair lay smooth and close to your head. This is ideal for making your face look shorter. You’d also look great with a stacked inverted chin-length bob.
- Fine. Having fine hair and a long face shape can be tricky. When your hair gets too long or has too many layers, it’ll fall flat. This makes your face look even longer. A stacked bob or a shag with choppy layers will add volume in all the right places.
- Thick and/or coarse. Thick and coarse hair can vary a lot between people. Some types do best with layers; others not so much. Ask your stylist which will create the most movement in your hair without adding volume on top. No matter what inspiration photo you choose, your stylist should be able to customize it.
- Gray. Gray hairs tend to be very wiry and unruly, or so soft they’re hard to style. If yours are soft, bangs and facial framing will be low maintenance and very flattering. For unruly grays, you want less layers. The weight of your hair helps pull them down and make them behave. A sleek bob or lob would be a good choice for this type of gray hair.
- Damaged or heavily processed. Shorter hairstyles with lots of layers will remove breakage and reduce tangles. Any type of pixie, bob, or even a short shag will make styling easier and make your face look more oval.
How to Style Your Hair When You Have a Long Face Shape
As a woman with a long face shape, how you style your hair makes a huge difference. If you get too much volume in the top or your ends get poofy from blow-drying, you won’t achieve that oval face illusion.
But don’t worry—I’ve got pro styling tips for every hair type.
Fine to Medium Hair
If you have fine to medium hair, styling in easy in some ways and tricky in others. It takes a lot of effort to get volume through the top of your hair, and you want to avoid that anyway.
The challenging part is achieving movement and bounce around the sides of your face. As you’ve likely experienced, these hair types like to lay very smooth and flat. You need a powerful yet lightweight styling product get bounce in all the right places.
My favorite product for your hair type is Pureology Instant Levitation Heat Protectant Spray. The label says it’s for color-treated hair, but I’ve had great results using this on natural and even gray hair.
Mist this over your hair, focusing on the roots and mid-shafts. You can let your hair air dry or use a blow-dryer. Either way, you’ll get weightless bounce and movement!
Thick or Damaged Hair
Styling thick or damaged hair is a bit of a balancing act. You need enough product to smooth frizz and hydrate your hair. But these smoothing, nourishing products are often heavy. They can make your hair look shiny yet lifeless at the same time.
The best product I’ve ever used for these hair types is It’s a 10 Miracle Leave-In Plus Keratin. This product truly does it all without being heavy or sticky. It adds the keratin your hair is missing, protects from heat and UV, fights frizz, and adds shine without sacrificing your hair’s natural body.
All you have to do is mist it on damp hair, focusing on your mid-shafts and ends. But you can do a spritz or two on your roots if they’re damaged or frizzy, too. Brush or comb your hair once you’re done applying and style as desired!
Wavy, Coily, or Curly Hair
When you have any amount of natural wave or curl, you can style one of two ways. Either embrace and amplify your natural texture, or straighten it out with hot tools. I have curly hair myself, and I bounce between different styles every week.
If you’re rocking the curls, I can’t say enough good things about Moroccanoil Curl Defining Cream. I find this product works great on coils, curls, and waves without weighing them down.
This cream is designed to be an all-in-one. So, you can say goodbye to struggling with gel, mousse, and leave-in conditioners. Just scrunch it into damp hair, then air dry or blow-dry. It’s got heat protection built-in and it’ll keep curls defined for 24-48 hours.
Feeling like sleek, straight hair today? You need Oribe Straight Away Smoothing Blowout Cream. This is the only curl-straightening product I’ve found that works without making hair sticky or greasy. It also nourishes to fight split ends and reduce drying time.
To apply, separate your damp hair into sections. I like to clip most of my hair up and start with the hair in the nape of my neck. Then I do the crown and rest of the back as another section. Finally, I part my hair in front and do each side separately.
Take a moment to brush or comb it through all your hair. Then you can blow-dry and flat-iron to your heart’s content! And it should take you less time than usual thanks to this powerful product.
Maintaining Your Haircut
Maintenance is the last consideration to make before choosing a hairstyle. As you now know, it’s not as simple as Googling “best haircuts for women with long face shapes” and choosing the first image you see.
Every hairstyle needs a certain amount of upkeep. And is there anything more frustrating than walking out of the salon feeling gorgeous, just to struggle with styling at home?
I’ve broken down upkeep into levels below. Whether you’re busy with work, chasing kiddos around all day, or just not interested in tons of maintenance, I have tips to keep your routine simple.
Haircut frequency:
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- Annual or biannual salon visits are ideal for you. Try a chin-length bob with lots of layers or a short shag. These options will still look gorgeous and balance your face even when they’re grown out. The same is true with curtain or bottleneck bangs.
- You don’t mind popping in for a trim every couple of months. An inverted bob, pixie cut, or a lob will stay sharp-looking between visits at this cadence. And bangs only need trimming every month or so, making them a great fit for these styles.
- You’ll visit the salon every 2 weeks if that’s what your haircut calls for. Ask your stylist if they have a creative vision that’d look great on you. A shaggy mullet, dramatic pixie, or an extremely stacked bob will balance your face and make you stand out in the best way.
Daily styling:
- You have higher priorities than styling your hair each day. Mornings are crazy enough without carving out time to do your hair, I get it. If you have waves or curls, try a layered chin-length inverted bob. All you’ll need to do is spritz with water or a leave-in conditioner and scrunch before you run out the door. For straight hair, try a short shag. A quick brush-through is all you’ll need each morning.
- You have 15 – 30 minutes to do your hair every morning. With this amount of time and a long face shape, bangs are a clear choice. Choose fringe and a cut that suits your hair type, otherwise styling will take too long each morning. Sleeping on a silk pillowcase can reduce tangles, thereby cutting down the time you spend getting ready each day. (Source)
- You’re comfortable spending up to an hour styling daily. With a routine like this, you can choose any hairstyle from the gallery below. But remember hot tools like blow-dryers cause damage to hair with regular use. If you’re styling with heat daily, invest in a deep conditioner and a heat protectant to prevent breakage.
Hairstyle Inspiration for Women with Long Face Shapes
You’re now an expert on how to choose the best haircuts for your long face shape. Even better, you know how to pick a haircut that suits your lifestyle, too. Below, I’ve put together pictures of the best haircuts and hairstyles for women with long faces. These were chosen for how well they balance out a long face and how stylish they are.