Men's Haircut Guide for Round Faces & Chubby Cheeks (Foolproof Principles)

Choosing a hairstyle can be ‘tricky’ for men with round faces or chubby cheeks. A wrong cut—for instance, a flat ‘bowl cut’ or sides that are too thick—can make the face appear even wider and disproportionate. The goal isn’t to ‘hide’ the cheeks, but rather to ‘balance’ facial proportions.

The key lies in two things: creating an illusion of ‘height’ at the top and ‘slimming’ the sides. Before you choose a specific style, first understand these 5 foolproof principles for men’s haircuts for round faces. Once you grasp these principles, you’ll never get a bad cut again.

Principle 1: Volume on Top is a Must (Create Height)

This is the golden rule. Round faces tend to have almost equal length and width. To make it appear more oval and ‘longer’, you must ‘lift’ the top part of your hair. Haircuts with a ‘crest’ or volume on top (such as a Quiff, Pompadour, or Faux Hawk) will draw the eyes upward, giving the illusion of a more elongated face.

Avoid: Flat cuts on top, like a very short Buzz Cut or ‘comma hair’ styles that cling to the forehead.

Principle 2: Super Thin Sides (Keep The Sides Slim)

If you add volume on top, you must ‘reduce’ volume on the sides. Haircuts with thick or ‘bushy’ sides (like a classic ‘regular cut’) are the biggest enemy of a round face. This will add width to the widest part of your face (the cheeks).

Must-do: Ask for a high ‘fade’ (gradation), such as a ‘High Fade’ or ‘Skin Fade’, or at least an ‘Undercut’. This will drastically ‘slim’ the sides of the head and create a sharp contrast that emphasizes your jawline structure.

Principle 3: Define “Angles”

Round faces tend to have ‘soft’ lines without many sharp angles. Your haircut must ‘create’ those angles. How?

• Line Up (Hairline): Ask your barber for a sharp, straight ‘line up’ at the temples. This creates the illusion of a defined ‘box’.
• Hard Part (Shaved Part): A shaved part (hard part) creates a diagonal line that ‘breaks’ the roundness.
• Spiky Texture: Styling hair upwards with a ‘spiky’ texture also adds angles.

Hairstyles That Apply These Principles

1. High Fade Quiff / Pompadour
   Why it works: A perfect combination of Principle 1 (high crest volume) and Principle 2 (High Fade on the sides). This is the most effective ‘slimming’ style.
2. French Crop (Slimmed Version)
   Why it works: A standard French Crop has bangs. But for a round face, ensure the bangs are cut ‘choppy’ (randomly textured) and the sides are skin faded (Principle 2). The texture on top also helps (Principle 3).
3. Faux Hawk (Fohawk)
   Why it works: This is the ‘complete package’. Volume is concentrated at the top center (Principle 1), the sides are very thin (Principle 2), and the spiky styling in the middle creates ‘angles’ (Principle 3).
4. Slick Back Undercut
   Why it works: Although ‘flat’, the ‘Slick Back’ style (combed backward) pulls all the hair back, which visually ‘elongates’ the face. This only works if combined with a very thin ‘Undercut’ or ‘Skin Fade’ (Principle 2).

Conclusion

Stop searching for 10-20 hairstyles. Just remember these 3 principles: (1) Volume on Top, (2) Thin on the Sides, (3) Create Angles. Convey these three principles to your barber, and they will know exactly what to do to make your round face look more proportionate and masculine.