Short haircuts with bangs are a perfect way to refresh your look and add a playful or edgy twist to your style. Whether you’re aiming for chic, cute, or bold, the right cut and bangs can highlight your best features, frame your face, and bring out your natural beauty. However, not every style suits every face shape. Choosing a haircut that compliments your face shape is key to achieving a flattering, balanced appearance. Knowing what works best for your face can turn a simple haircut into a game-changer for your overall look.
Why Does Face Shape Matter?
Face shape is the foundation of finding the most flattering haircut. There are five primary face shapes: oval, round, square, heart, and long/rectangular. Here’s a quick guide to help you identify yours:
- Oval: Longer than it is wide, with a softly rounded jawline.
- Round: Similar width and height with soft, full cheeks and a rounded jaw.
- Square: Strong, defined jawline and cheekbones with equal width and height.
- Heart: Wider forehead that tapers down to a narrow chin.
- Long/Rectangular: Longer than it is wide with a more angular structure and sometimes a prominent chin.
To figure out your face shape, you can follow this guide.
Best Short Haircuts with Bangs for Oval Faces
Oval faces are the face shapes that can pull off almost any hairstyle! This versatility means you can experiment with a range of short cuts and bangs, but there are a few top picks that really shine:
- Pixie Cut with Side-Swept Bangs: The pixie cut is a classic for oval faces. Pairing it with side-swept bangs softens the look and adds movement, giving you an effortlessly stylish vibe. It’s a great way to keep things fresh and playful while highlighting your cheekbones and eyes.
- Bob Cut with Blunt Bangs: Another excellent choice is a bob with blunt bangs. The straight-across bangs create a chic, modern frame for the face, emphasizing the eyes and cheekbones. This cut works particularly well for oval faces because it doesn’t overwhelm your features; instead, it adds structure and sophistication.
Tips for Oval Faces
- Avoid overly heavy bangs or cuts that completely cover your forehead, as these can make your face appear shorter than it is.
- Experiment with layers and texture to maintain balance and enhance your natural symmetry.
Best Short Haircuts with Bangs for Round Faces
Round faces often benefit from haircuts that create a sense of length and angles to break up the fullness of the cheeks. The goal is to add definition and elongate the appearance of the face. Here are some perfect options:
- Asymmetrical Bobs with Choppy Bangs: An asymmetrical bob, where one side is longer than the other, instantly adds angles and depth. Pair it with choppy bangs that hit just above or at eyebrow level to create a dynamic, edgy look that draws attention away from the roundness.
- Layered Pixie Cut with Side Bangs: A layered pixie cut with side-swept bangs gives the illusion of height and angles, which balances the fullness of a round face. The side bangs, in particular, add a diagonal element that softens the overall shape, making it appear longer.
Tips for Round Faces
- Avoid blunt bangs or any styles that add volume around the cheeks, as these can make your face appear wider.
- Opt for styles with height and asymmetry to elongate and add dimension to your look.
Best Short Haircuts with Bangs for Square Faces
Square faces have strong, defined jawlines and angular features, which can be softened with the right haircut. The focus here is to add softness and movement to counterbalance the sharp angles. Some of the best short haircuts for square faces include:
- Textured Bobs with Wispy Bangs: A textured bob adds movement and layers, which softens the jawline. Wispy bangs further enhance this effect by bringing a light, airy frame to the forehead, making the overall look softer and less structured.
- Layered Cuts with Curtain Bangs: Layered cuts with curtain bangs are also ideal for square faces. The layers help to soften the edges, while curtain bangs split down the middle, framing the face and balancing the sharpness of the jawline.
Tips for Square Faces
- Avoid blunt or straight-across bangs, as they emphasize the strong angles of the face.
- Choose styles that focus on softness and movement to balance and soften your features.
If you’re looking for a hair salon in Ridgewood where stylists can find the best haircut that will perfectly compliment your face shape, make sure to check out Artists and Architects Salon.
Best Short Haircuts with Bangs for Heart-Shaped Faces
Heart-shaped faces feature a wider forehead and a narrower chin, so the aim is to balance these proportions by minimizing volume at the top and adding fullness near the jawline. Here’s how to make it work:
- Layered Pixie Cut with Side-Swept Bangs: A layered pixie cut works wonders for heart-shaped faces, especially when paired with side-swept bangs. The side bangs draw attention to the eyes and cheekbones while downplaying the width of the forehead, creating a balanced and flattering look.
- Chin-Length Bobs with Soft, Feathered Bangs: Chin-length bobs are great for adding volume around the jawline, balancing the narrower chin. Soft, feathered bangs that frame the forehead lightly can help soften the overall look without adding too much volume at the top.
Tips for Heart-Shaped Faces
- Avoid styles that create too much volume at the crown, as this can make the forehead appear even wider.
- Opt for soft, feathered bangs and styles that bring attention to the cheekbones and jawline for a more balanced appearance.
Best Short Haircuts with Bangs for Long/Rectangular Faces
For long or rectangular faces, the goal is to create width and balance the face’s vertical length. The right short haircut can bring harmony by adding volume and width in the right places, while strategic bangs help shorten the appearance of the face. Here are some great options:
- Chin-Length Bobs with Blunt Bangs: A chin-length bob is perfect for long faces as it adds volume at the sides, helping to visually widen the face. Blunt bangs that fall straight across the forehead create a horizontal line, which works wonders in balancing the vertical length and making the face appear shorter.
- Soft Pixie Cut with Piecey Bangs: A pixie cut with soft, piecey bangs is another excellent choice. The layers and texture give a fuller, more balanced look, and the piecey bangs break up the length of the forehead, adding width and dimension to the overall style.
Tips for Long/Rectangular Faces
- Avoid overly long bangs that fall past the eyebrows, as these can elongate the face even further.
- Steer clear of heavy, thick bangs, as they may create a top-heavy effect that emphasizes the length. Opt for softer, textured bangs to add width and balance instead.
If you are more of a fan of longer hair, here are some tips on how to rock a long bob with curtain bangs.
Final Thoughts
Finding the best short haircut with bangs is all about understanding your face shape and choosing styles that compliment your features. Whether you’re working with an oval, round, square, heart, or long face shape, there’s a perfect cut that will enhance your natural beauty.
