Finding short hairstyles that are flattering for round faces can be a challenge. It is easy to visually lengthen a round face with long hair, but the wrong short hairstyle can add unwanted width at the cheeks or the appearance of a double chin. However, knowing what to avoid is half the battle, and there are several well-known celebrities with round faces that make short hairstyles work for them, including Cameron Diaz, Mandy Moore, Jaime Pressly, Kirsten Dunst, and Drew Barrymore. If the stylist is careful to layer hair and add volume in the right places, short hairstyles can be very attractive on women with round faces, adding a youthful appeal while still looking sophisticated.
The most important element of good short hairstyles for round faces is the cut. The right length is crucial in order to avoid making round faces look rounder. The best short hairstyles for women with round faces are either well above chin-length, or below the chin but several inches above the shoulders. At all costs, avoid hair that is exactly chin length, however; this length should be worn only by women with long faces.
For very short hair, the pixie cut is a great option because it has short wispy layers that visually break up the volume of the face. For slightly longer hair, shag cuts with wispy ends between the chin and shoulders will achieve the same thing. If your hair is naturally wavy, the wisps at the ends of your hair in this slightly longer style may curl up, adding some much needed volume in the right places, but if it is stick-straight you can achieve the same effect by winding the ends around bobby pins and leaving them in for an hour or so.
Length is not the only issue, though the shape of the hair at the crown of the head can make or break the cut. Flat hair on the crown will make cheeks look rounder, but your stylist can add some visual height there instead by cutting soft, medium length layers.
At home, you can use these layers to elongate your face by backcombing them after applying a volumizing styling product (also known as teasing, backcombing mean combing or brushing the layers in the direction opposite from the way the hair rows naturally).
If your face is round and you want to look sleek, stay away from heavy, blunt bangs and center parts, both of which will only make it appear wider. Ask your stylist to cut long, wispy, layered bangs with a side part. This style is known as framing and it will give the appearance of lengthening your face.
Hair color can also be used in a similar way to balance round faces. A single-process flat color, no matter what that color is, will make your face look rounder, but chunky highlights, either at the crown to add height or going from the crown to the ends to add length, will elongate it. Accenting the right spots with color is a great way to make short hairstyles even more flattering for round faces.
Katrina Kaif FHM Magazine India June 2009
