Hairstyles for Heart Shaped Face Types
The best hairstyles for heart shaped face types add fullness around the jaw and soften the forehead. Chin-length bobs, side-swept or curtain bangs and layers that start at the chin balance a wide forehead and a narrow, pointed chin. Men usually do best with a little fringe and medium-length sides.
A heart shaped face has a forehead wider than the jaw, high cheekbones, and a chin that tapers to a point. Check with the free face shape detector or read the heart shaped face guide. If your forehead is narrow and your cheekbones are the widest point, you may be diamond instead.
The balancing idea
A heart shaped face is like an inverted triangle. The top is wide and the bottom is narrow. Haircuts can move visual weight in two ways:
- Add width at the bottom. Hair that is fullest between the cheekbones and the chin fills in the narrow lower face.
- Reduce width at the top. Fringes and side parts cover part of the forehead, and smooth hair at the temples keeps the upper face from looking wider.
Avoid the opposite: big volume at the crown and temples with flat, thin ends at the jaw. That makes the triangle more extreme.
Heart shaped face haircuts for women
| Style | Why it works | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Chin-length bob | Fullness right where the face is narrowest | Ask for a slight bevel under |
| Collarbone lob with waves | Volume at the jaw and neck | Wave from the cheekbone down |
| Side-swept bangs | Covers part of the forehead diagonally | Sweep toward the wider side |
| Curtain bangs | Narrows the forehead, frames the cheekbones | Keep them long, near the cheek |
| Long layers starting at the chin | Adds width low, keeps length | Not layers at the temples |
| Pixie with long fringe | Shows cheekbones, softens forehead | Keep the crown flat |
| Low side bun with loose pieces | Weight at the nape | Avoid tight high buns |
| Deep side part | Breaks up the wide forehead | — |
Wavy and curly hair
Curls are a great match for a heart shaped face because they add width at the jaw naturally. Shape curly cuts so they are fullest from the cheekbones down. Keep the top close and let the ends spread.
Fine hair
Fine hair can look thin at the ends, which emphasises the narrow chin. A blunt, chin-length bob gives the most visible fullness. Use texture spray at the ends rather than root volume.
Heart shaped face men hairstyles
| Style | Ask the barber for | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Textured fringe | Taper, top pushed forward | Covers part of a broad forehead |
| Side-swept crop | Medium sides, top swept to one side | Diagonal line across the forehead |
| Mid-length flow | 4–6 inches, natural movement | Adds width at the jaw |
| Classic side part, softer sides | Scissor cut sides, not a skin fade | Keeps the temples from looking wider |
| Messy medium cut | Choppy layers, some volume at the sides | Casual, balances the chin |
Very high pompadours and skin fades with a lot of volume on top make a heart shaped face look more top-heavy. If you love a fade, keep it low and pair it with a fringe.
Bangs for heart shaped face types
Bangs are one of the most useful tools here. Side-swept bangs cut across the forehead at a diagonal; curtain bangs part in the centre and fall toward the cheeks, narrowing the top of the face. Wispy bangs keep the forehead partly visible. Heavy, short, blunt bangs are the exception; they can make the forehead look like a wide block.
What to approach with care
- Slicked-back styles that expose the full forehead.
- Volume at the crown and temples.
- Short layers around the temples.
- Long, flat, one-length hair with thin ends at the chin.
Hair, glasses and makeup together
Bottom-heavy frames balance a heart shaped face the way a bob does; see glasses for heart shaped face. Contour on the forehead edges and blush low on the cheeks also help; see makeup for heart shaped face.
Ask-for script
"I have a heart shaped face. I'd like the fullness between my cheekbones and chin, a long side-swept fringe, and nothing tall on top." For men: "Keep the sides a bit longer, scissor not skin fade, and leave me a fringe I can push to the side."
Hairstyles for heart shaped face types at different lengths
Short: pixie with a long side fringe, or a chin bob. Medium: a collarbone lob with waves from the cheekbones down. Long: layers starting at the chin, a deep side part and loose curls at the ends.
A guide, not a rule
Many faces sit between heart and oval. If your chin is only slightly narrow, most oval advice also works. Use these hairstyles for heart shaped face types as a guide and trust your mirror.
Frequently asked questions
What hairstyle suits a heart shaped face?
Styles that add width at the jaw and soften the forehead: a chin-length or collarbone bob, side-swept or curtain bangs, long layers that start at the chin, and waves at the lower half.
Are bangs good for a heart shaped face?
Yes. Side-swept, wispy or curtain bangs make a wide forehead look narrower. Avoid very short, heavy bangs.
What men's haircut suits a heart shaped face?
Medium-length cuts with some fringe or a side part: a textured fringe, a side-swept crop or a mid-length flow. Avoid very tall volume and very short sides that widen the forehead.
Should a heart shaped face avoid short hair?
No. A pixie with a long side fringe works. Avoid very short crops that are slicked back and add volume at the crown.