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From close-cropped pixies to textured short bobs with bangs, the 15 most flattering short haircuts for oval faces are designed to perfectly suit a symmetrical, balanced face.
What Are the Best Short Haircuts for Oval Faces?
- Short haircuts are especially flattering on oval faces
- Short cuts with textured layers, bangs, or blunt ends suit an oval face
- Middle, side, and deep side parts work well for oval faces
Your face shape is a major factor in how a new haircut harmonizes with your appearance. Different face shapes – oval, round, heart, and square – are suited for different types of cuts.
If you’re thinking about going short for the first time or trying a new short haircut, seeing short haircuts that work for oval faces will help you settle on a style that perfectly suits you.
The oval face shape is characterized by its natural symmetry and balance. Beyonce, Kim Kardashian, Rihanna, and Tyra Banks all have the coveted oval face shape.
With a facial length that’s slightly longer than it is wide and gentle curves around the forehead and jawline, finding short haircuts for oval faces is easy because not many styles are off-limits for this face shape.
While flattering haircuts for other face shapes focus on creating the illusion of a more balanced, oval face shape, natural oval shapes are free to choose short cuts that highlight favorite facial features, like the eyes, cheekbones, nose, or jawline.
Short haircuts that work well for oval faces range from sleek, blunt styles like close-cropped buzz cuts and chic short pixie cuts to textured bixie cuts and layered short bobs with bangs.
With the natural balance of an oval face shape, you’ll find that different haircut elements (like bangs, layers, and middle and side parts) are universally flattering on you.
If you really want to show off an oval face, choosing short styles that don’t fully cover your forehead or obscure your jawline is key. You’ll find that short styles with a middle part or cropped pixies with very short bangs are ultra-flattering.
Not 100% sure you’re an oval? Take a look at the different face shapes to find out what the most flattering cut will be for you.
Let’s take a look at some of the best short haircuts for oval faces – these are all examples of cuts that will put your best face forward!
15 Flattering Short Haircuts for Oval Faces
Finding the most flattering short haircuts for oval faces can be a journey! With so many styles and cuts that work well with oval faces, the main issue can be the number of cuts you’ll have to consider.
We’ve narrowed it down with the 15 best short haircuts for oval face shapes. You’ll see a range of stylish examples, from ultra-short pixies and crops to longer bobs and bixie cuts.
Which cuts can you picture yourself rocking with confidence?
1. Tousled Pixie With Side-Swept Bangs
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Love a messy-on-purpose haircut? This tousled pixie creates the perfect faux bedhead when you brush the top forward and muss it up with a little mousse or wax.
It’s great for oval face shapes and the soft, side-swept bang perfectly mirrors the gentle curve of an oval jawline.
2. Chic Bixie Cut With Feathery Layers
Fahmida Choudhury Ealin/Shutterstock
Easily one of our favorite short haircuts for oval faces, the bixie cut (a blend of a bob and pixie) is so flattering and easy to take care of. Lightweight layers remove bulk and weight from the ends for a bouncy cut that looks great with a side part.
3. Tousled Crop With Full Bangs
WAYHOME studio/Shutterstock
Go for a short crop that’s slightly longer on top with full bangs that lie across the forehead for the ultimate texture boost. Natural waves pair perfectly with this tousled, carefree style that’s layered and lightweight.
4. Layered Bob With Feathered Curtain Bangs
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A bob layered near the ends is always a go for oval face shapes. With a middle part, this is a go-to look that can be dressed up or down!
Add short curtain bangs feathered back to avoid obscuring the forehead. The overall look is casual and windswept, keeping that harmonious balance with the face shape.
5. Blunt Bob With Disconnected Layers
Andrii Nekrasov/Shutterstock
Blunt bobs and layers don’t usually go together, but this look marries the two! Disconnected, geometric layers feather back when this blunt bob is parted to the side and really flatters an oval face shape.
6. Pompadour Pixie With Undercut
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Adventurous styles like this pixie undercut are so fun to flamboyantly style with a voluminous pompadour!
A short buzz cut along the underside keeps it sleek and tight to show off the cheekbones and jaw while the long top can be styled back in a pompadour, parted down the middle or to the side, or tousled with wavy or curly texture to switch things up.
7. Blunt Bob With Diagonal Part
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Blunt bobs are a great look for oval face shapes because they create an angular style that contrasts with the gentle curves of this face shape.
Part it diagonally by starting at the middle and angling the part back toward the left or right for a volume boost on top.
8. Long Pixie Cut With Heavy Bangs
Bojan Milinkov/Shutterstock
Thick hair doesn’t have to be thinned out to look great in a short haircut that suits oval faces. Try a heavily layered shag pixie with full bangs swept over to the side and keep some extra length around the sides and back.
9. Fierce Buzzed Crop
Reshetnikov_art/Shutterstock
Bold women call for bold styles! If you’re considering chopping it all off, why not go with a short crop that’s gently tapered? This buzz cut is ultra-short and it’s oh-so-freeing to let your features shine.
10. Textured Chin-Length Bob With Short Layers
Roman Samborskyi/Shutterstock
Short layers remove a lot of bulk from the ends of a style, making any natural wave or curl a little tighter and encouraging lots of movement and play in the cut. This chin-length bob with a side part is ideal for an oval face.
11. Soft Side-Swept Crop With Razored Bangs
Andrii Iemelianenko/Shutterstock
Softly layered with a sleek shape, this crop isn’t closely tapered around the back and sides like shorter pixie cuts. Instead, it’s feathery with lots of movement and side-swept, razored bangs in front for interest.
12. Tapered Mushroom Cut With Blunt Bangs
Olena Serzhanova/Shutterstock
Mushroom cuts put a modern spin on the classic bowl cut, bringing edgy layers, blunt bangs, and tapered length to the look for an updated shape that perfectly suits an oval face.
13. Shaggy Pixie Cut With Long Bangs
Inna photographer/Shutterstock
A lightweight, layered pixie cut is one of the best short haircuts for oval faces, especially when parted to the side and boosted with volume around the top sides.
Heavy layering and “collapsing” the cut with internal layers near the ends keeps the shape sleek yet voluminous.
14. Long Pixie With Textured Bangs
Burdun Iliya/Shutterstock
A tapered pixie cut hugs the oval shape of the head with long, layered bangs to accentuate the balance and add a little texture to the cut. Volume is concentrated on the sides, not the top, which is a key element to flatter an oval face.
15. Wavy Ear-Length Bob With Textured Ends
YuriyZhuravov/Shutterstock
Give a basic ear-length bob a modern twist that really suits an oval face shape by cutting into the ends to create more texture and a slightly choppy look. Big curls or waves add volume to the sides, which oval faces really benefit from!
Things to Consider
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What else should you think about when you’re considering getting one of these short haircuts for oval faces? Here are some helpful tips, tricks, and things to consider.
- Be honest with yourself about upkeep. Getting a gorgeous new short haircut is all fun and games – until you realize the work you’ll have to put in to style it each day. Some cuts are more low-maintenance than others. The shorter a cut is, the easier it is to style. The more layers a cut has, the more styling time it requires. Be honest with yourself and think about how much time you’re willing to put into styling daily before you settle on your next cut.
- Decide how short you’re willing to go. Since all lengths can work well for oval face shapes, consider how short you’re willing to go to narrow your options down. Ultra-short pixies and crops are beautiful in their simplicity, but won’t work for everyone. Do you want enough length to try other hairstyles, like braids, twists, or mini ponytails? Are you comfortable without bangs? Do you think longer bangs can help you transition into a shorter style? These are all important questions to consider.
- Get regular trims. Keeping up a short haircut is a little more involved than keeping a medium or long hairstyle. Short haircuts start to look grown-out much faster and require regular trims to look their best. Plan on getting to the salon for a trim every 2-7 weeks, depending on how short your cut is and how precise it is. Tousled, messy cuts can generally go longer between trims while blunt, precision cuts need trims every 2-4 weeks.
- “Try on” your haircut before committing. Our virtual hairstyle try-on tool lets you see how you’d look with a range of different cuts and styles, including the short haircuts for oval faces in our list above! Try out different lengths, cuts, bangs, layers, and colors to see how you like it before the first snip.
- Make sure you’re equipped to style it. Your stylist can be a major help when it comes to learning how to keep your new short haircut looking salon-fresh at home! Pay attention to the products and tools your stylist uses to create your finished look and see if you can recreate it at home. At minimum, you’ll probably want a good hair dryer, flat iron, and styling product (mousse, gel, pomade, etc.) that suits your hair texture. Take a peek at the best 3 methods for styling pixie cuts while you’re at it!
Frequently Asked Questions
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Still mulling over which short haircuts for oval faces will best suit you? Check out the most frequently asked questions to learn more.
Is short hair good for oval faces?
Yes! Short hair works well on oval faces because this face shape has a natural symmetry that harmonizes well with short styles.
With an oval face, you can confidently go as short as a buzzed crop or pixie. But if you’re not ready to part with that much length, short bixies and bobs are just as flattering!
What is the best haircut for an oval face?
Some of the best short haircuts for an oval face include ultra-short crops, messy pixies with long bangs, textured bixie (bob/pixie) cuts, and ear-to-chin length bobs with layers or sleek, blunt ends.
Medium and long haircuts for oval faces should focus on feathery layers that frame the face, medium to long textured bangs, and extra volume at the crown to visually lift the style.
Oval faces have some of the most versatility when it comes to choosing haircuts that will flatter and suit this face shape.
What hairstyles don't suit oval faces?
While many hairstyles are perfectly suited for oval faces, hairstyles that don’t work for ovals include top-heavy cuts with lots of volume on top and sleeker sides (like tapered pixie cuts with a long quiff) and long, blunt styles without layers.
Both of these styles will create the illusion of a longer face, something that ovals should avoid.
Do layers look good on an oval face?
Layers are absolutely ideal on an oval face. Layers help break up the length of a haircut while removing excess bulk. Lightweight layers help direct attention to your cheekbones, jawline, and eyes for the most flattering look.
What is the best length for an oval face?
The best haircut length for an oval face really depends on the facial features you want to highlight. Since oval faces look great with short, medium, and long styles, it’s all about where you want to direct attention.
Short haircuts for oval faces are especially flattering because they bare it all - your gently curved jawline, subtle cheekbones, and balanced features.
Medium and long haircuts are well-suited for oval faces when the right elements (layers, bangs, and textured ends) are in place. Try a middle part to show off your face’s natural symmetry!
Update Your Look With Short Haircuts for Oval Faces
Shaking things up aesthetically can start with a simple haircut change. For oval faces, a new short haircut can update your appearance, show off that gorgeous mug, and give you a whole new range of styling options to dive into.
Short haircuts for oval faces don’t have to follow many rules. Great cuts for oval faces can be blunt or choppy, voluminous or sleek, and edgy or classic. It’s all about your preferences!
A great place to start with short haircuts for oval faces is choosing a general length you’re comfortable with – be it chin-length, ear-length, or cropped short like a pixie.
From there, decide if you want long bangs to style in different ways, how you’ll part it, and whether or not you want layers or blunt ends.
Short haircuts for oval face shapes are so fun to embrace and you’re going to love the instant update these cuts give to your style. We can’t wait to see which cut you choose to start your short hair adventure!