You may be harming yourself if you look at the never-ending supply of celebrity bobs and convince yourself not to get one. We assure you that there is a bob that will look fantastic on you, even though switching from a mermaid-length mane to a chin- or collarbone-length cut may be intimidating. There are ways to make a bob fit your face, according to some of the industry’s most well-known stylists. It all comes down to knowing the precise length whether fringe is necessary, and when to add layers naturally.
Naturally, we are aware that you cannot accomplish this on your own. To create the best guide for choosing the ideal bob for any face shape we spoke with four famous stylists experts.
Get to Know the Experts
Jonathan Colombini is a Schwarzkopf Global Color Expert and a hairstylist for celebrities. He has collaborated with artists such as Geena Davis Kat Graham, and Kristin Chenoweth.
Baja Studio is owned by Angela Soto, a hairstylist in New York City.
Renowned hairstylist Sarah Potempa works with celebrities like Romee Strijd Camila Cabello, and Lea Michele. She created the Beachwaver as well.
Face Shape: Round
According to Chicago celebrity hairstylist Alex Brown, the best bob for a round face shape should lay below the chin to elongate it. He cites Emma Stone and Selena Gomez as examples. A round face will look its best with a deep side part and light face-framing highlights.
Don’t undervalue the effectiveness of a good flatiron if you have naturally curly hair and want it to be perfectly straight. It will maintain the health of your hair in addition to making it feel silky and smooth.
According to L’Oréal Paris celebrity hairstylist Jonathan Colombini, long bobs also known as lobs draw the eye upward giving the appearance of longer faces. Mindy Kaling’s features including her subtle inward curve and deep side part are really highlighted by this romantic cut and style.
According to New York City hairstylist and Baja Studio owner Angela Soto, lobs give the appearance of a longer thinner face two of her favorite celebrities who have made the cut are Chrissy Teigen and Kendall Jenner. The best styles are worn super smooth with a center part or styled in tousled beach waves with a side tuck behind the ear.
If your bob is on the shorter side you might want to add an angle or a little length to the front. This can help make a round jawline look longer.
Oval Face Shape
Colombini says that an oval face shape looks best with a shorter bob which is the opposite of a round face shape. He says that Jessica Alba used to wear the cut perfectly. He says to choose a length that is either chin-length or just below the chin.
Use a flat iron and bend the ends in once you get to the middle and ends to get Alba’s flipped ends back. Don’t forget to use a heat protectant before styling to keep your strands from getting damaged especially when they are exposed to high temperatures.
Brown says for someone with an oval face shape my favourite style is a blunt chin-length bob like the one Kim Kardashian West wore in 2018. We suggest using a shine serum to make it even shinier.
You can also add fringe to the mix Soto says that oval shapes can wear a full fringe with their bob because their foreheads are longer so the fringe doesn’t close in on their faces we love this textured look for Kerry Washington.
The rolled shoulder-length bob on Jourdan Dunn looks great with her oval face. Shorter hair can sometimes look too big but you can get a flattering face-framing look by adding soft layers and working with the hair’s natural texture. The result is both elegant and easy.
Square: Mid-Length Bob
Soto says that square faces look great with strong mid-length bobs. This length defines that line because of the strong jawline bringing out the beauty of this strong feature instead of trying to hide it she says adding that Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Hailey Bieber have both rocked the look.
Jennifer Hudson’s tapered lob is very stylish Hudson nails an airy and defined asymmetrical style by embracing her natural texture. Did we say that this style also lets her show off her beautiful necklace stack good job.
If you love Zoë Kravitz it’s time to think about getting a layered bob that’s sweet and airy. Changing the way you part your hair is a simple but effective way to change your look.
Brown says that if you want to soften your jawline instead of draw attention to it you should think about getting a textured piecey bob. To get the same look use a wide-barrel wand or curling iron and part your hair down the middle. After they cool down use your fingers or a comb to loosen up your curls a little. Use a hairspray that lets your hair move.
Heart: Lob with Long Bangs or Layers
Colombini says a lob is the best style for heart-shaped faces. He says you should choose a texture that looks more lived-in like Khloe Kardashian’s tousled waves instead of something more structured and polished.
Khloe Kardashian’s curved bob gives her hair volume and shape which helps her face look more balanced and symmetrical. Also by keeping her hair round she doesn’t get the boxy look that can happen with a shorter blunt cut because her face is heart-shaped and delicate.
Brown says adding fringe to a bob is a great way to soften and balance heart-shaped faces. He also points out that Zendaya Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Richie have all done it.
Sarah Potempa a celebrity hairstylist says that to make the heart-shaped haircut look balanced you need to have something across the forehead either fully or side-swept and something to fill in the empty space between the chin and shoulders like Reese Witherspoon does in the picture above. That’s why the lob is so great she says.
Face Shape and Recommended Bob
| Face Shape | Recommended Bob Style |
|---|---|
| Round | Long bob below chin |
| Oval | Blunt chin-length bob |
| Square | Mid-length strong bob |
| Heart | Lob with fringe |
