The 25 Best Bob Styles for Your Face Shape

Hailey Bieber, Bella Hadid, and Ciara with Bob Hairstyles

@haileybieber Instagram / Getty Images / Byrdie

Rocking a bob is like wearing a permanent accessory— it'll always pull together a look and add some extra flair. Of course, there are so many types of bobs to choose from, so when deciding to go for the chop or refresh your already short style, the safest way to do so is by opting for a cut that suits your face shape. Yes, whether you have a heart, round, square, or oval-shaped face, there are styles that'll flatter your features more than others.

Of course, there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to your beauty expression. However, if you're looking to emphasize your favorite parts of your face, there are ways to do so. To help guide us in terms of which bobs will frame each face shape the best, we tapped four celebrity hairstylists.

From curly bobs and side-swept bangs to pin-straight lobs and blunt ends, find the 25 best bob hairstyles for your face shape below. Plus, tips on how to style them.

Meet the Expert

01 of 25

Round: Long Bob (Lob)

Close up of Selena Gomez with bob haircut

@selenagomez / Instagram

“The best bob for a round face shape should lay below the chin to elongate it,” Chicago-based celebrity hairstylist Alex Brown says, touting Selena Gomez and Emma Stone as prime examples. “A deep side part and light face-framing highlights will enhance features on a round face.” 

02 of 25

Round: Pin Straight Lob

Gabrielle Union straight lob

 Allen Berezovsky / WireImage / Getty Images

If you've got natural hair but are looking for a pin-straight finish, never underestimate the power of a quality flatiron. Not only will it give you silky-smooth strands, but it will also keep them healthy. To get Gabrielle Union's sleek look, her stylist recommends the Bio Ionic OnePass Styling Iron.

03 of 25

Round: Blunt Wavy Bob

face-framing bobs lana condor

Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic

Lana Condor's sharp, wavy bob is a lesson in chic proportions. Her middle part brings attention to the center of her face and the blunt edges balance out roundness.

04 of 25

Round: Wavy Lob

Penelope Cruz wavy lob

Dominique Charriau / WireImage / Getty Images

According to L’Oréal Paris celebrity hairstylist Jonathan Colombini, long bobs elongate round face shapes. From her middle part down to her cascading waves, this romantic cut and style certainly complement Penélope Cruz.

05 of 25

Round: Wavy Textured Lob

Emma Stone

 

Jeff Vespa/Getty Images

To recreate Emma Stone's textured look, “I recommend using wave spray to give the lob some movement with this face shape,” says Colombini. First, apply the spray— we suggest Ouai's Wave Spray— to damp or dry strands for added movement. Simply spritz, grab a handful at the ends, and scrunch upwards. Alternatively, you can use a flat iron to create S-waves. Seal the look with texture spray and you're good to go.

06 of 25

Round: Wavy "Wet" Lob

Chrissy Teigen wavy "wet" lob

Steve Granitz / WireImage / Getty Images

According to Angela Soto, a hairstylist and the owner of BAJA Studio in NYC, lobs help bring length to the face while slimming down the width. Her favorite celebrity renditions of the cut include Chrissy Teigen and Kendall Jenner. “Worn super smooth, in a center part, or styled in tousled beach waves with a side tuck behind the ear are the best styles.” Here, Teigen opts for the wet hair look, which also works with the cut.

Byrdie Tip

If on the shorter side of a long bob, consider adding an angle or a touch of length in the front since this can help to elongate a round jawline.

07 of 25

Oval: Side-Swept Curly Bob

face-framing bobs yara shahidi

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

"It’s best to have a shorter length bob with an oval face shape,” Colombini explains, adding that he suggests opting for a chin or just-below-chin-length. 

Yara Shahidi's blunt bob is a perfect example of this. In tandem with her coiled bangs and shiny finish, this look offers the star an off-center yet face-framing appearance. Replicate her super-watt shine by spritzing on Bumble & bumble's Hairdresser's Invisible Oil UV Protective Dry Oil Finishing Spray.

08 of 25

Oval: Chin-Length (or Just Beyond) Bob

Jessica Alba straight bob with flipped out ends
Gregg DeGuire / WireImage / Getty Images

Colombini notes that Jessica Alba is a perfect example of someone who rocked a face-framing bob for her face shape seamlessly. To recreate her flipped ends, use a flat iron and curve outwards once you reach your mid lengths and ends. To keep strands free of damage, especially when exposed to high temperatures, don't forget to use a heat protectant before styling. We like TRESemmé’s Heat Protection Hairspray.

09 of 25

Oval: Wavy Bob with Piece-y Fringe

face-framing bobs rihanna

Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images 

Take a cue from Rihanna and pair your wavy, wet-look bob with a set of piece-y bangs to break up the look. As they're parted down the middle, it draws attention to the middle of her face for a more diamond-like effect.

10 of 25

Oval: '80s-Inspired Blown-Out Bob

Bella Hadid with bangs in a pink blazer.

Taylor Hill / Getty Images 

“This style is best blown-out with a round brush for volume for a retro ‘80s-inspired look, best referenced by Michelle Pfeiffer in Scarface,” Soto notes, adding that Bella Hadid and Katy Perry have brought the popular cut into the modern-day.

11 of 25

Oval: Wavy Bob With Bangs

Kelly Rowland wavy bob with bangs

Albert L. Ortega / Getty Images 

You can also add bangs to the mix. Soto says that since oval shapes tend to have more length in the forehead, they have the ability to wear a full fringe with their bob without it closing in on the face. We're loving this textured take on Kelly Rowland.

12 of 25

Oval: Flipped-under Bob

Kim Kardashian West

Getty Images / Christopher Polk

Prefer flipped-under bobs? Let Kim Kardashian be your muse. “My personal favorite for someone with an oval face shape is a blunt, chin-length bob like the one Kim Kardashian wore,” Brown shares. For added gloss, we recommend applying a shine serum like Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum or trying a DIY version.

13 of 25

Oval: Wavy Layered Lob

Jourdan Dunn wavy layered lob

Jamie McCarthy / Getty Images 

Jourdan Dunn's piecey chin-length bob looks lovely with her oval face shape. While shorter hair can at times appear too voluminous (think: poufy), by adding soft layers and working with hair's natural texture, you can achieve a look that is face-framing and flattering. The effect is both edgy and effortless.

14 of 25

Square: Mid-Length Layered Bob

Hailey Bieber

Getty Images / Steve Granitz

Soto says square face shapes can’t go wrong with strong, mid-length bobs. “Because of the strong jawline, this length defines that line, bringing out the beauty of this strong feature as opposed to trying to take away from it,” she says, pointing out that Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Hailey Bieber have worn this look well.

15 of 25

Square: Tapered Lob

Nicole Richie tapered lob

Michael Kovac / Getty Images 

Nicole Richie's tapered lob is très chic. With one side of her hair tucked under, she nails an asymmetrical style without committing to fully cutting her hair to chin length.

16 of 25

Square: Voluminous Natural Curls

face-framing bob hairstyles tracee ellis ross

Corbis/Corbis via Getty Image

Calling all curly folks! This one's for you. First, apply a curl-enhancing product like Pattern's Styling Cream and then either let your hair air dry or use a diffuser like DevaCurl's DevaFuser to emphasize your curls.

17 of 25

Square: Choppy Bob

Olivia Wilde choppy bob

John Shearer / Getty Images 

If you're looking for something a bit messier, perhaps it's time to consider a choppy, layered bob. Switching up your part is an easy, yet effective way to freshen up your look (which may say something about your personality). Next, sweep your hair into a side part to draw attention to your cheekbones, as seen here on Olivia Wilde.

18 of 25

Square: Tucked in Lob

Zoe Kravitz braided blonde tucked lob

Jason Kempin / Getty Images

If you're looking for a quick and easy way to transform your look but aren't convinced about going under the scissors, you might want to take note of Zoë Kravitz's tucked-in hair look. This technique gives the illusion of a lob with the help of a high collar and is a fun and fast way to keep things fresh.

19 of 25

Square: Fringe Bob

Zendaya with bangs and a red velvet jacket.

 Jon Kopaloff / Getty Images

Looking to add another style element to the mix? “Adding fringe to a bob is a great way to soften and balance square-shaped faces,” Brown explains. Rather than wear a blunt bang straight across, which can bring attention to the widest part of your face (read: forehead), Zendaya opts for uneven ends, which add softness from texturizing.

20 of 25

Heart: Texturized Lob with Side-Swept Bangs

face-framing bobs taylor swift

Steve Granitz/WireImage 

Take a note from Taylor Swift and sweep your bangs to the side to give your lob extra movement. Then, to amp up the volume and give the look a bit of edge, use a volumizing texturizing spray such as Living Proof's Full Dry Volume & Texture Spray liberally.

21 of 25

Heart: Thick, Wavy Lob

Ciara

Getty Images / Rich Fury 

“A huge part of a haircut is making sure you have the extra hair on the sides that are long enough to fill the gap, especially when you have a bang or long layers,” says celebrity hairstylist Sarah Potempa. Ciara's blonde wavy lob is perfectly styled to just that.

Byrdie Tip

If you don’t have lots of extra volume and/or if you have fine hair, adding a clip-in hair extension to fill in the front and sides will complement a heart-shaped face. 

22 of 25

Heart: Natural Bob

Tika Sumpter

Imeh Akpanudosen / Getty Images

Rock your natural hair as a bob, as seen here on Tika Sumpter. Her chin-length curls help to soften a heart-shaped face and add movement and fun to the classic bob.

23 of 25

Heart: Tucked Lob

Reese Witherspoon Hair

Gregg DeGuire / Stringer / Getty Imgeas

Potempa says that the key to the heart-shaped haircut looking balanced is to have something across the forehead (whether fully or side-swept) and something to fill in the negative space between the chin and shoulders—as Reese Witherspoon does, above. “That’s why the lob is great,” she exclaims.

24 of 25

Heart: Shaggy Lob

Julianne Hough blonde volumized shag with bangs

Tommaso Boddi / Getty Images 


“A lob is the perfect choice for heart-shaped faces,” Colombini says. He suggests opting for a more lived-in texture—like Julianne Hough's shag look—over something more structured. Blow-dry hair with a round brush to create volume and use a root lifting product like BosleyMD Volumizing & Thickening Styling Mousse to achieve this look.

25 of 25

Heart: Piecey Textured Lob

Rowan Blanchard textured lob

Jeffrey Mayer / WireImage / Getty Images

Rowan Blanchard's textured lob creates fullness around her jawline which serves to bring balance and symmetry to her heart-shaped face. Also, by keeping a bit of length with her style, she avoids the boxy appearance that can accompany a shorter cut.

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