Haircuts for Men by Face Shape: Find Your Perfect Style

Before you go for a new haircut, one crucial thing to consider is your face shape. Many men check this box by simply chatting with their barber. But that often ends in disappointment, even when you bring along a picture of your favorite celeb’s hairstyle.

If you still pick styles based on trends rather than what actually suits your facial structure, that’s where things go wrong. Generally, men’s faces fall into six main shape categories: oval, round, square, rectangular (or oblong), heart, and diamond.

In this article, you will learn how to determine your face shape, the best haircut recommendations for each type, and practical styling tips to help you look your best.

Best Hairstyle For Different Face Shapes: Quick Reference Guide

If you need to make a quick decision, the table below will give you an overview of what works for different face shapes for men. However, in the following sections, we break down each facial structure in more detail: 

All these recommendations don’t matter much if you still don’t know what face shape you have.

How to Determine Your Face Shape

 

There are a few ways to go about this. But let’s consider the method that is easy to do. Use a flexible measuring tape or ruler. Stand in front of a mirror and write down these four measurements:

1. Forehead width: Measure across your forehead at the widest part (usually halfway between eyebrows and hairline).

2. Cheekbone width: Place the tape at the top of one cheekbone to the other (across your nose).

3. Jawline: Measure from the tip of your chin to just below your ear (where the jaw angles up). Multiply by 2 for full jaw width.

4. Face length: Measure from the top of your forehead (hairline) to the bottom of your chin.

Here are the likely results you will get: 

This method has helped us at MASC in helping countless customers who contact us for guidance as they shop for hairstyling products. 

Moreover, not every face fits perfectly into one box. You may have mixed features (e.g., oval with a sharp jaw). That’s normal. What you need to do is focus on the dominant features when choosing a hairstyle.

Apart from that, if you already grow a beard, it can influence how you perceive your face shape. Generally, round or heart-shaped faces benefit from structured beards that add length to the jawline.

On the flip side, oblong or rectangular faces look better with shorter beards or full stubble to avoid elongating the face. Let’s now look into each face shape styling in more detail. 

1. Oval Face Shape Hairstyles for Men

An oval face shape is slightly longer than it is wide. Your forehead is a bit wider than your jawline, and your chin is rounded. So there are no sharp angles. 

If you have this shape, you’re in luck, really. There’s no single feature that’s too dominant. Everything is in harmony, so most hairstyles look naturally good.

That’s why celebrities like Justin Timberlake and Jake Gyllenhaal, with oval faces, rock various hairstyles effortlessly. But here’s what actually works. 

Short Textured Crop

 

This is perfect for a neat, low-maintenance style. It adds sharpness and volume on top without elongating the face. It will flatter your appearance if you have straight or wavy hair.

Classic Side Part

 

Side part styles are clean and timeless. The side part adds structure without making your face look longer. You can rock this one if you need a business or formal look.

For side parts, you can use a matte clay or paste like the Hans de Fuko Claymation. Ensure you apply with fingertips, working from back to front.

Modern Pompadour

 

The cool thing about Pompadour styles on an oval face is that it offers volume up top while keeping the sides tight. This is a good pick if you have straight or slightly wavy hair. 

You’ll need a strong-hold pomade and a comb to sweep hair back and up.

Medium-Length Textured Styles

If you want a relaxed look with more natural volume and movement, go for textured styles. The medium length is especially great for wavy or curly hair. Depending on how exactly you want it to look, you essentially need a light hair cream or sea salt spray. Scrunch into damp hair for volume.

AVOID: 

• Generally, you want to avoid very long styles or man buns as a guy with an oval face because these can elongate your face too much. 

• Fingers can also hide your forehead and throw off the face’s natural symmetry.

2. Round Face Hairstyles For Men

The main goal with this face shape is to add structure and angles. You want your face to appear longer and more defined. If you look at guys like Jonah Hill and Bruno Mars, who have round faces, they style their hair to bring out more definition.

Pompadours and Quiffs

 

These styles add height and length to the face. But you want to keep the sides shorter (faded or tapered) to slim down the face even more. For hold and texture, go for matte paste or clay. And, always blow-dry upward at the front with a round brush to build height.

Angular Fringe

 

A fringe cut at an angle gives definition to a round face. But don’t make the mistake of going for straight-across bangs.

Undercut Styles

The cool thing about high-contrast undercuts is that they take volume off the sides and push focus upward. You can even combine it with a textured top or slicked-back style.

Textured Crop with Forward Movement

If you have straight or wavy hair and need a more modern touch, this is a fantastic option. It adds volume at the top and definition around the edges.

AVOID: 

• Stay away from the center parts. They draw attention to your face's widest part and lack the needed angles. Even bowl cuts and mushroom styles add width to the sides of your face, making it appear even rounder.

3. Square Face Hairstyles for Men

Some of the big names that come to mind when we think of square-faced men are David Beckham, Taron Egerton, and Tom Hardy, among many others. 

When picking a hairstyle, the number one priority is to highlight your masculine jawline while softening any harsh edges on top or around the corners of the forehead.

Classic Crew Cuts with Textured Tops

 

This one will keep the sides neat while the slightly longer top creates a natural lift. That’s not even the best part. The texture avoids overly rigid lines, making the look more versatile.

Meanwhile, when styling, you want the texture without stiffness. So, avoid gels or hard waxes. They make styles too stiff and geometric.

Side Parts with Length

 

A side part gives your style direction and creates diagonal lines. And that fulfills one key objective: soften your face’s squareness. It’s better to allow some length on top and taper the sides rather than buzz them short.

Meanwhile, shoulder-length or swept-back styles can also work beautifully on square faces.

AVOID: 

• Since you have a square face already, angular flat tops won’t work. These echo the sharpness of your face and can make your head appear too blocky.

• Blunt bangs will create a horizontal line that flattens the forehead. Nobody wants to look at their photograph to see that they look ‘wider.’

4. Rectangular or Oblong Face Hairstyles for Men

Since rectangular face shapes don’t have much width, and the sides of the face are typically straight, you want to minimize height on top and add volume to the sides.

That’s why popular faces like Adam Driver, Keanu Reeves, and Ben Affleck often choose styles that reduce length and create fuller silhouettes.

Medium-Length Cuts with Layers

Apart from making your facial structure more defined, this style adds fullness and movement around the head, reducing the focus on face length. It is especially good for wavy or thick hair.

Fringes or Bangs

 

Forward-facing styles like a fringe or soft bangs shorten the face visually. That’s already a winner. These styles particularly work well with straight or slightly wavy hair. Angular or messy fringes are ideal.

You’ll need the right kit to manage fringes. Use a small round brush and blow-dry hair forward and slightly to the side. You can use a light styling cream or mousse to keep the fringe flexible, not stiff.

Textured Crops

Short to medium textured crops that bring hair forward (instead of up) work perfectly. It’s an effortless way to reduce the “vertical stretch” of the face.

AVOID: 

• Avoid styles that add more height and exaggerate the face length. Very short sides with tall tops is one of them. Slicking hair back with no volume on the sides stretches the face further, too. 

5. Heart Face Hairstyles for Men

 

One thing that makes a heart face stand out is its quite upside-down-triangle look. It means the chin may appear smaller than the rest of the face. So the priority is to pick hairstyles that balance the wider upper half (forehead or cheekbones) with the chin or jaw.

Layered Cuts with Texture

Layers create movement and help blend the wider upper and narrower lower parts of the face.

This style is a no-brainer for straight or wavy hair, especially when paired with a loose, tousled look. Moreover, for wavy or fine hair, you can use sea salt spray or volumizing mousse to build subtle texture without heaviness.

Styles with Fullness Around Temples and Sides

With these kinds of styles, you get volume at the sides (temples, around the ears), which adds width to the lower face visually. Don’t be tempted to do tight fades. The goal is to keep the side length softly tapered or layered for balance.

AVOID: 

• High quiffs or pompadours add vertical emphasis. That exaggerates your heart-shaped face in a not-so-great way.

6. Diamond Face Hairstyles For Men

A diamond face shape is longer than it is wide, and the cheekbones are the most prominent feature. Thus, the right hairstyle should reduce the angular look and bring symmetry to the face.

The hairstyle preferences of celebrities like Robert Pattinson and Cillian Murphy can already give you some ideas. 

Styles with Volume at the Forehead

 

Think in the direction of soft pompadours or brushed-up quiffs (but with width, not just height). Volume at the hairline draws attention upward and away from the cheekbones.

Textured Fringes

A slightly messy or side-swept fringe helps break up sharp angles and adds softness. There has never been a “no-no” for these styles on diamond face shapes. 

Brush Backs with Width at the Temples

 

Instead of slicking hair straight back (which can elongate the face), brush it back and out slightly at the temples. This adds volume to narrow areas and offsets the cheekbones.

AVOID: 

• Super short fades or undercuts emphasize the cheekbones and make the forehead look smaller. So it’s not a good idea at all. 

Finally, There Are Odds… 

If you’re experiencing a receding hairline, you may be wondering how these styles will turn out. 

No matter your face shape, the goal, especially with a receding hairline, is to avoid sharp contrasts and focus on soft, blended styles. Short, textured crops or a buzz cut with a fade can minimize the appearance of recession. To achieve that added fullness, volumizing powders and thickening sprays can help.