It’s amazing how much your haircut and hair color can change your entire look. The right cut can accentuate your cheekbones, balance out your features, and even make your eyes pop. The wrong one? It can exaggerate what you don’t love — whether that’s length, width, or angles.


If you have a long (oblong) face shape, your forehead, cheeks, and jawline are all about the same width, and your face is longer than it is wide. Celebs like Liv Tyler, Kate Winslet, and Olivia Wilde share this face shape — and prove just how gorgeous it can look with the right haircut.


Here’s the truth: finding the right haircut for a long face is all about balance. And while the cut does the heavy lifting, your products are what make that cut work every single day.

BEST HAIRCUTS FOR A LONG FACE

Haircuts that Flatter a Long Face

The goal? Make your face appear more oval (the most balanced shape). That means creating horizontal lines, adding width at the cheekbones, and steering clear of styles that pull the eye straight down.

Best haircut types for a long face:

  • Round or square layers
  • Bobs (or lobs!)
  • Soft, sexy waves
  • Side-swept styles and retro curls
  • Short or mid-length cuts
  • Accessorize with a wide-brim hat for balance

    👉 Pro Tip: If your eyes sit closer together, creating horizontal lines at eye level (like bangs or wide curls) can help balance spacing.

Haircuts That Flatter A Long Face

1. Short Haircuts: Add Width, Not Height

Skip styles that create too much height or narrow the sides. Instead, aim for volume at the sides with flatter tops and side-swept bangs.

Ashley Simpson’s long, side-swept fringe is the perfect example — it shortens her face visually while creating width.

How to get Ashley's Bangs:

Prep bangs and layers with Cult & King Jelly (medium–thick hair) or Alter Ego CurEgo Filler Foam (fine hair). Both add fullness without stiffness.

Protect from heat styling with Ref Stockholm Heat Protection Spray before blow-drying or ironing.

Use a small flat or paddle brush, like Framar Mini Detangle Brush, to wrap dry one direct, then the next. This will remove cowlicks. Then use a 1 3/4 inch Olivia Garden Round Brush to slightly bevel the ends. Voila! That short cut delivers beautiful softeness and width.

2. Mid-length Haircuts - Layers & Movement

Side parts are your best friend; center parts will only elongate your face. A fringe paired with layered cuts slightly above or below the chin creates softness and balance.

Kelly Rowland’s textured, layered cut is a prime example — the layers add body and draw the eye side to side.

BEST HAIRCUTS FOR A LONG FACE

Create Her Look

Step 1: Apply O&M Rootalicious Root Lifting Mousse (for density) or Alter Ego Hasty Too Headged (for fine hair).

Step 2: Blow-dry with a paddle brush to set the fringe.

Step 3: Smooth any flyaways with Reverie Rake Styling Balm for texture and separation.

Step 4: Finish with Davines Strong Hold Hairspray for a lasting hold and humidity-blocking.

BEST HAIRCUTS FOR A LONG FACE

3. Long Hair - Layer it Up

When it comes to long hair on an oblong face, one-length cuts are your enemy. They create vertical lines that exaggerate the length of your face.

Instead, choose long layers, curtain bangs, and airy texture to build width at the cheekbones and soften angles. The right layers instantly add balance and movement so your look feels full instead of flat.

Take Sarah Jessica Parker, for example. When she wears her hair long and sleek with minimal layering, the narrow silhouette accentuates the length of her face. In contrast, her signature curls and heavily layered style add width, bounce, and softness, beautifully balancing her features.

BEST HAIRCUTS FOR A LONG FACE

4. Curls - The Perfect Match for a Long Face

Curls = instant width and movement. Just look at Sarah Jessica Parker — her curls soften her long face and add balance, while straight styles can exaggerate length.

Keep curls defined with Ouidad VitalCurl+ Define & Shine Styling Gel-Cream. Hydrating, lightweight, and perfect for bounce without crunch.

Ask the Experts

If your bathroom cabinet is full of products that are not right for your hair, let our experts help you shop this time. Tell us all about your hair texture, type, and goals and receive a personalized routine.

START THE QUIZ

Best Products for Curly Hair

Davines Curl Building Serum - MANEPRINT

Davines Curl Building Serum

Davines Curl Building Serum

$34.00
$34.00

Curl Definition

Curl Definition

Men’s Hairstyles for Long Faces

For men, fullness on the sides and controlled length up top is key. Avoid tight fades with tall quiffs — they’ll only elongate the face.

Styling Favorites:

REF Stockholm Rough Paste for medium hold and soft texture.

Byrd Classic Pomade (Jake Gyllenhaal vibes).

Men's Long Haircuts

Are you daring enough to add length? We hope so, because this is one of the sexiest looks on a long face shape. Slight length is your friend as it creates width but doesn’t add height. Don't go for the middle part, one length but have shorter layers that create the horizontal balance. See the difference in Keanu Reeves' two different haircuts. The left accentuates his oblong face, while the right softens it.

Use a product like for a messy air-dried look that still calms frizz and adds movement, like Sparrow 4 Everyone The Magic or Verb Ghost Air Dry Whip.

Best Hair Color for a Long Face

When it comes to color, you want the eye to follow a horizontal silhouette. One all over color creates a vertical line (a big no-no) so go for multidimensional color with a longer shadow root.

Another good look is an ombre or sombre where the highlights get heaviest around the cheekbone. This will cause the eyes to look horizontally widening the silhouette.

Best Hairstyle for a Long Face

Your best bet? A bouncy blowout with waves. Stick to side parts, side-swept bangs, and curls for body. Skip tight top knots or styles with height at the crown.

Stay away from top-buns or any styles that create height and narrowing around the side of your face. See the difference between Sandrah Oh's Updo and luscious curls.

Liv Tyler is another stunner. Her oblong face shape lends to the perfect example of how a cut can create fullness and lift. As you can see in the left photo, Liv's primary hairstyle is straight and long. The narrow silhouette and longer vertical flow accentuate her longer face shape. In contrast, her long locks with heavier layering on the right widens her face and accentuates her beautiful high cheekbones. What a difference the right cut and a fringe makes, right?

Create This Look

Create maximum width and body using the following steps:

Step 1: Apply milk_shake Incredible Milk (For medium to thick hair types) or Ref Stockholm Detangling Spray (For fine to medium hair types) to your mid-shaft and ends.

Step 2: Add OUAI Thickening Spray for fullness.

Step 3: Curl sections away from the face with a 1¼–1½” curling iron.

Step 4: Always protect with Alter Ego Hi-T Security Spray.

Step 5: Set with Alcove Strong Hairspray or finish with O&M Desert Dry Texture Spray for mega volume.

My Fav Dry Texture Sprays

Texture sprays are your last step on dry hair to create mega volume, fullness, and definition.

View all

Best Upstyles for a Long Face

Low chignons with soft face-framing pieces (à la Jennifer Lawrence) add width without height. Perfect for events when you need something elegant and balanced.

Final Word: Cut + Products = Balance

The right cut is step one. But styling products are what turn a good haircut into a perfect one. Whether it’s volume at the sides, heat protection for your fringe, or curl definition, your hair routine matters just as much as the scissors.

👉 Ready to find the perfect routine for your long face shape?

Take our Hair Quiz and get a stylist-curated routine with products designed to bring out your best look.

XOXO,

Natalie Palomino

Written by Natalie Palomino

Natalie Palomino Is a Master Stylist, educator and Founder of MANEPRINT. Through advanced education and commitment to her craft, she built a vast clientele providing haircare education and hair services.

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