Pro Hairstylists Share 5 Worst Bob Haircuts To Avoid After 40—And More Flattering Ones To Try Instead For A Timeless Look

There are no bad bobs in this world (usually). But there are bobs that don’t work on certain face shapes and end up emphasizing features you maybe would rather not highlight. In those cases, Hair master Justin Hickox has tons of smart tips that can help keep your beautiful bob length, but change its shape enough to be flattering.

With the bob, something as simple as sweeping the bangs to the side or adding wispiness to face-framing layers can make a huge difference. The bob is about its details. These are five of the worst bob haircuts to avoid for certain face shapes — and what to do instead.

Bob With Straight-Across Bangs — Round Face

If you have a round face, you may be interested in haircuts that elongate the face a bit and take the spotlight off a fuller face. Stay away from bobs with thick, straight-across bangs and dense volume at the sides, which tend to add width and the illusion of bulk to the face.

A better bob is one that falls a bit below the chin and has less volume on the side and more on the top. You can still wear bangs, but making them wispier and not straight-across helps.

Too Much Fullness — Square Face

Similar to the round face shape, a square face shape may be one that doesn’t benefit from too much volume on the sides of your face, which adds more width and not the length you may crave. Square bangs that don’t connect to your hair can also make your face look more square.

Making your bob slightly longer with less volume along the cheeks can help lengthen your face, while some layering in the front can soften your facial features and give you volume along the temple.

Too-Long Bob — Rectangular Face

A bob that’s longer than your chin and has too-little volume along the sides actually makes your face look longer and thinner. Keep your bob shorter (to the chin, at least) and add long bangs that are swept to the side to reveal some forehead, while accentuating your cheekbones. Your face shape can also handle a stronger bang, but stay away from keeping it too square.

Too-Short Bob — Heart-Shaped Face

A heart-shaped face often has a stronger jawline and cheekbones and sometimes with a widow’s peak. Staying away from a too-short, too-full bob with straight, square bangs adds broadness to the cheekbones and makes the narrow chin look more narrow. To offset the cheekbones, side-swept bangs take some of the fullness from your cheeks.

Flat, Limp Bob — All Face Shapes

Regardless of face shape, providing style to your bob is important. You may need to minimize volume in your hair in order to de-emphasize fullness in your face, and that’s just fine and great. But that doesn’t mean leaving your bob limp or flat. Adding a root-lifting spray or mousse to your bob can help bring out its texture and create movement that turns a flat bob into a fabulous bob.