Best Hairstyles for Heart Face Shape (Women & Men)
Best Hairstyles for Heart Face Shape (Women & Men)
A heart face shape is defined by a wider forehead, prominent cheekbones, and a jaw that narrows to a pointed or softly pointed chin — like an inverted triangle. It's one of the most distinctive and attractive face shapes, seen on celebrities like Scarlett Johansson, Reese Witherspoon, and Ryan Gosling.
The styling goal for heart faces: minimize the forehead width and add volume or width at the jaw to create visual balance between the top and bottom of the face.
Not sure if you have a heart face? Use our free AI face shape detector for a precise result in seconds.
Best Hairstyles for Heart Face Women
1. Side-Swept Bangs
Side-swept bangs are arguably the most flattering bang style for a heart face. Instead of cutting straight across the widest part of your forehead, a side sweep creates a diagonal line that reduces the perceived width of the forehead on one side.
The asymmetry draws the eye diagonally rather than straight across — a subtle but powerful visual effect.
Pro tip: Keep the sweep gentle and wispy, not heavy. A heavy, structured sweep can look stiff and draw more attention to the forehead.
2. Chin-Length Bob with Volume
For most face shapes, a chin-length bob risks emphasizing jaw width. For heart faces, it does the opposite — it adds exactly the visual width you need at the narrowest point of your face.
Add soft waves or a slight flick outward at the ends to maximize the width-adding effect.
This is one of the few face shapes where a chin-length bob is actively recommended.
3. Long Layers with Volume at the Bottom
Long hair with layers that add volume starting at the chin or below creates width exactly where a heart face needs it — at the jaw level. As the hair falls and spreads at the bottom, it visually balances the wide forehead.
Avoid long, flat, straight styles with no volume — the lack of width at the bottom amplifies the inverted triangle effect.
4. Curtain Bangs (Longer Style)
Unlike side-swept bangs, curtain bangs part in the center and sweep gently to each side. For heart faces, longer curtain bangs that extend below the eyebrow or even to the cheekbone are ideal — they add some visual weight around the upper face without creating a strong horizontal line.
Shorter curtain bangs that sit above the brow can emphasize the forehead's width.
5. Lob Below the Chin
A lob that ends just below the chin (rather than at or above) adds balance to a heart face. The slight length creates a connection between the jaw and the collarbone that visually extends the lower face.
Try a slightly inverted lob with slightly shorter back — the angled cut creates volume at the sides that balances the pointed chin.
6. Half-Up Styles
A half-up, half-down hairstyle keeps some volume around the jaw while pulling some hair away from the wide forehead — creating a natural balance. Braided half-up styles add visual interest and further reduce the emphasis on forehead width.
7. Deep Side Part
A deep side part creates strong asymmetry at the forehead, reducing the sense of a wide, centered brow. Pair it with hair that falls naturally over one side of the forehead for the most dramatic narrowing effect.
Best Hairstyles for Heart Face Men
High and Tight with Textured Top
For men with heart faces, keeping the sides short and the top textured (rather than voluminous) avoids adding width to an already-wide forehead. Focus volume and height toward the center of the top, not the sides.
Medium-Length Side Part
A medium-length cut with a defined side part creates asymmetry at the forehead while keeping the sides relatively flat — reducing perceived forehead width.
Short Beard or Chin Strap
A beard adds visual width to the jaw — exactly what a heart face needs for balance. A chin strap beard or a goatee adds definition and apparent width to the chin, balancing the wider forehead.
See our full men's beard guide: Face Shape Beard Styles for Men
Hairstyles to Avoid with a Heart Face
Buns or Updos Without Face-Framing Pieces
A tight, slick updo that pulls all hair away from the face fully exposes the wide forehead without any visual softening. If you love updos, leave face-framing pieces out around the forehead.
Short, Layered Cuts at Cheekbone Level
Layers that end at cheekbone level add visual width at the widest part of a heart face — the cheekbones — making the inverted triangle effect more pronounced.
Very Short Buzz Cut (Men)
Without hair to add width to the jaw area, a buzz cut leaves a heart face fully exposed with no visual balance between the wide forehead and narrow jaw.
Voluminous Styles Above the Ear
Any style that adds width at or above the ears amplifies the forehead width that heart faces are working to minimize.
Face Shape Color Strategy
Dark roots with lighter ends (ombre or balayage) create visual weight at the bottom of the hair, which translates to more visual weight at jaw level — exactly the balance a heart face needs.
Avoid heavy highlights at the top of the head that draw the eye upward to an already-prominent forehead.
Confirm Your Heart Face Shape
Heart and diamond faces are often confused — both have prominent cheekbones, but diamond faces also have a narrow forehead (while heart faces have a wide one). Use our AI tool to distinguish between the two.
Related guides:
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