Face-Framing Layers: 20 Great Haircut Ideas

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There’s no better way to make a fresh start than to get a good haircut and change things up a bit.

Now if you’ve been looking online lately there are lots of different trending hairstyles, from pixies and shags, wolf cuts and mullets, even mohawks, and pretty much everything in between. 

Maybe it’s because everyone is so desperate for a change… any change, that they’re going all out.

Now you don’t have to take drastic measures to make a big change. You can completely transform your look by simply adding face-framing layers. They also happen to be trending at the moment. For those of you who are thinking the mullet should have stayed in the 80s and are looking to revamp your style rather than completely change it, face-framing layers are the answer.

We’ve put together 20 of our favorite face-framing layer haircut ideas for your inspiration.


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Face-Framing Layer Haircut Ideas

Face framing layers can be added to pretty much any hairstyle and can work with any hair texture – from long to short, thick to thin, straight to wavy. Regardless of your face shape, face-framing layers will give any hairstyle a boost while accentuating your best features.

Face framing layers can be worn with or without bangs. These layers often start from the cheekbone or at jaw length or longer, depending on the look you’re going for, and your face shape. As you can see, face-framing bangs are not a one-size-fits-all.

The face-framing layers that will be right for you will balance out your natural face shape and highlight your best features while drawing attention away from those you’d rather minimize.

#1. Lob With Face Framing Layers

The lob, or long bob, is currently one of the most popular hairstyles. But it can sometimes look a little flat and weighed down. Face framing cheekbone and chin-length layers around the face accentuate cheekbones and give the hair more movement and dimension.

Credit: Instagram / __crewsalon__

#2. Face Framing Chin-Length Layered Bob With Deep Side Part

The short, tousled bob with a deep side part is a breezy, lived-in style for thicker hair textures. The deep side part adds more volume, while the face-framing layers make sure all the attention is focused in the right places.

Credit: Instagram / chrisjones_hair

#3. Contrasting Layered Underlights

Put some pizzazz into long, boring hair! By adding face-framing layers and contrasting underlights around the face, it transforms boring to beautiful.

Credit: Instagram / colorbymaddie

#4. Side Swept Vintage Pixie

Side-swept layers on long pixie with longer face-framing side pieces are a great way to add flair for fine to medium hair and create a chic and stylish cut with a vintage feel.

Credit: Instagram / stylist.miranda

#5. Retro Face Framing Layers

Hairstyles from decades past cycle around again. The key is to keep the aspects of what made them popular, but update them to be contemporary and relevant.

Here, 70s inspired flippy face-framing layers are paired with a modern color palette, making this do a super cool nod to a decade gone by without looking like it’s stuck there.

Credit: Instagram / bleachedandblown

#6. Short Curtain Bangs with Face Framing Layers

A choppy shoulder-length layered cut with center-parted curtain bangs that graze the cheekbones is the ultimate in effortless casual. The tousled “I woke up looking like this” do is super popular at the moment, probably because of its easy wearability and how it draws attention to the eyes and cheekbones.

Credit: Instagram / yukistylist

#7. Face Framing “Money Pieces”

Contrasting highlights on face-framing layers are the “money pieces” that make sure all the attention is squarely focused on your face.

Credit: Instagram / daltonsdolls

#8. 70s Inspired Shag With Face Framing Layers

It’s a little Farrah Fawcette meets Stevie Nicks. These outward feathering face-framing layers add a soft touch to a choppy shag.

Credit: Instagram / bleachedandblown

#9. Choppy Cut with Face Framing Layers

Bangs and shorter layers around the sides and back help to create volume at the crown for finer hair, while face-framing side layers are styled forward, in front of the ear to complete the look.

Credit: Instagram / brianaguilarhair

#10. Face Framing Layers On Long Hair

For those with longer, oval face shapes, cheekbone-length face-framing layers create the appearance of fuller cheeks, while longer, chin-length layers around the face will slim down rounder face shapes.

Credit: Instagram / frame.amsterdam

#11. Face Framing Layers With A Blunt Fringe

You can most certainly rock a blunt fringe with face-framing layers. Starting at chin length, these longer layers with the blunt bangs focus attention on the eyes and cheekbones, rather than the forehead.

Credit: Instagram / the_hair_goddess_miami

#12. Pixie Bob With Face Framing Layers

This finely layered pixie bob paired with a finely layered fringe makes for the perfect face-framing hairstyle.

Credit: Instagram / stylist.miranda

#13. Face Framing Layers For Long, Fine Hair

All over long layers with some face-framing pieces at different lengths will give long, fine hair more volume and movement.

Credit: Instagram / kid_cutit

#14. Shag With Face Framing Curtain Bangs

A shag haircut with center-parted curtain bangs that seamlessly blend into layers that frame the face is great for heart and diamond-shaped faces. The style is relatively low maintenance. Blow-dry your hair, head upside down, and apply a little volumizing or texturizing spray to the roots.

Credit: Instagram / salsalhair

#15. Side Parted Face Framing Layers For Medium To Thick Hair

You’ve grown your hair out – you’ve been waiting so long and now what do you have? Long hair, yes, but what is it doing for you? This is a perfect example of how getting a shorter cut with face-framing layers can make a world of difference.

Even if your hair is thick, length can weigh it down making your hair look thinner, drab and lifeless.

A properly cut shorter style will accentuate your hair’s natural volume and highlight all your best features. With the right parting and layers for your face shape, you can take your look from plain Jane to sophistication personified, for a whole new you.

Credit: Instagram / ruteboazhair

#16. Long Thick Hair With Face Framing Layers And Balayage

Long thick hair can look heavy and weighed down. Adding long face-framing layers and a good balayage will give drab, limp, and lifeless long hair new life by creating dimension, movement, and volume.

Credit: Instagram / colorbymaddie

#17. Short Bob With Face Framing Layers for Straight Hair

Chunky face-framing layers and piecey bangs make for a sculpted, yet fun and edgy look that will take you from day to night. Easy to style, you can create a bit of lift and volume using a texturizing spray and using a texturizing paste to define chunky pieces.

Credit: Instagram / chrisjones_hair

#18. Face Framing Layers With A Cowlick

If you are dealing with a cowlick, you’ll know that it makes it hard to pick a style that can work with it. Rather than fighting nature, embrace it! Go toward longer, center parted curtain bangs or layers. This retro 80s-inspired style takes full advantage of a cowlick by using face-framing layers to create the volume and fullness that made the 80s the decade of big hair.

Credit: Instagram / matildadjerf

#19. Choppy Lob With Face Framing Layers

Cheekbone-grazing curtain bangs that blend into chin-length face-framing layers are the perfect accent for this choppy lob.

Credit: Instagram / yukistylist

#20. Side Swept Face Framing Layers

Long side-swept layers help finer hair appear thicker, creating the illusion of more hair density. Opt for longer chin-grazing layers so you have the option of tucking it behind your ears or putting into a sleek updo.

Credit: Instagram / glamgirlgabi

Written by Kayla Young

Kayla is the founder of LuxeLuminous. She has worked professionally in the tanning industry for years. She has been interested in esthetics since childhood, and has tried every hair, skin, and makeup product ever produced (more or less).