Haircuts for a long (oblong) face
Clearly longer than it is wide, with the forehead, cheekbones and jaw close in width. The usual aim is to add width at the sides and break up the length.
How to tell if you have a long face
Hold your hair back. On a long face the distance from hairline to chin is well over the width, and the three widths, forehead, cheekbones and jaw, are close to each other, so the sides of the face look fairly straight. The jaw can be soft (oblong) or angular (some guides call that rectangular).
Long is often confused with oval and with diamond. An oval is shorter and narrows toward the chin; a diamond has cheekbones clearly wider than the forehead and jaw. Close-up selfies also stretch a face, so a long result from a phone held near the face is worth measuring again from further away.
How we measure it
Our tool reads long when the length is more than about 1.45 times the widest line and the forehead is close to the cheekbones in width.
Why these cuts work
Width at the sides and a break in the vertical line are what balance a long face. Waves and curls with volume at the cheeks, a chin-length bob, and bangs, whether curtain, blunt or wispy, all make the face read shorter.
Very long, straight, one-length hair does the reverse: it adds another long vertical line. Height on top does it too, which is why a lot of volume at the crown is usually not suggested.
For men, the same goes for a tall quiff or pompadour over shaved sides: it makes the face read longer. Medium height on top, fuller sides and a fringe brushed forward are the common suggestions.
Haircuts that suit a long face
- Short
- A blunt bob or a French bob cut to the chin; the hem then draws a line across the face.
- Medium
- Shoulder-length face-framing layers that begin around the cheekbones, or sculptural curls, which fill out the sides.
- Long
- A hime cut, whose blunt bangs and cheek-length side pieces interrupt the length, or a butterfly cut.
For women
Bangs, bobs, and waves with width at the sides.
Curtain bangs
French bob
Hime cut
Blunt bob
Italian bob
Butterfly cut
Face framing layers
Long waves
Blunt bangs
See all 16 women’s styles for long faces
For men
A forward fringe and fuller sides.
Korean perm
Medium wavy flow
Curtain fringe
Textured fringe
Bro flow
Men's shag
Mod cut
Middle part
Boy bangs
Beards
Keep the chin short and let the sides fill out; a moustache or sideburns add width. A beard that runs below the chin adds length.
See all 15 men’s styles for long faces
Example photos are AI-generated. Open one to see it larger, or try it on your own photo.
What to avoid
Very long, straight hair cut to one length and a lot of height at the crown both stretch the face. On men, a tall pompadour or quiff over skin-faded sides, and a long goatee or full beard below the chin, add length.
Less often suggested in our catalog
- Men: High fade, Modern pompadour, Two block cut, Full beard, Goatee, Van dyke
Questions
What haircut is best for a long face?
Cuts that add width and shorten the line: a chin-length or Italian bob, waves with volume at the sides, layers around the cheeks, and bangs. For men, a fringe brushed forward, a curtain fringe or a medium-length flow with fuller sides.
What is the difference between a long and an oblong face?
Many guides use the two words for the same shape: clearly longer than wide, with straight sides. Some split it in two, oblong when the jaw is soft and rectangular when the jaw is angular. We call both long.
Do bangs make a long face look shorter?
Yes, that is their main job on a long face. Blunt, wispy or curtain bangs all cut across the length of the forehead, so the face reads shorter.
Should I keep my hair long if my face is long?
You can. Add layers that create width around the cheekbones, or waves, so the hair doesn't fall in one straight line. Shoulder length or a lob is often suggested over very long, straight hair.