20 Heart-Shaped Face Hairstyles That Soften the Forehead

If you have a heart-shaped face, your forehead and cheekbones are the widest points, tapering down to a narrower, sometimes pointed chin. It doesn’t need fixing — just balance: soften the top, add width at the jaw.

Below are 20 looks that do exactly that, from chin-length bobs to soft updos — each with exact words for your stylist.

The Cheat Sheet

Look	Why It Works for Heart-Shaped Faces	Best For
Chin-Length Bob with a Side Part	Width at the jaw, side part breaks up the forehead	Fine to medium hair
Shoulder-Length Lob with Soft Waves	Waves at jaw level widen the lower face	Medium hair, everyday wear
Long Layers with Side-Swept Bangs	Bangs sweep across, softening the forehead	Long hair, most textures
Textured Pixie with a Soft Fringe	Fringe covers the forehead, top stays flat	Short-hair lovers, low upkeep
A-Line Bob	Longer front pieces add width at the chin	Straight to wavy hair
Soft Shag with Wispy Bangs	Wispy fringe softens without a heavy line	Wavy hair, relaxed style
Long Curls with a Deep Side Part	Side part narrows the forehead, curls fill the jaw	Curly or thick hair
Wavy Bob with Side-Swept Fringe	Jaw-level volume plus a diagonal fringe	Medium hair, soft finish
Medium Feathered Layers	Feathered ends flick out around the chin	Medium hair, fine to medium
Long Straight Hair with Face-Framing Layers	Lowest layers add fullness at the jaw	Long straight hair
Curly Shag with Bangs	Curls widen the jaw, bangs soften the top	Naturally curly hair
Braided Half-Up Hairstyle	Flat top, loose pieces frame the chin	Medium to long hair, events
Sleek Ponytail with Volume at the Crown	Height, not width, so the forehead looks smaller	Long hair, polished days
Long Layers with Curtain Bangs	Bangs cover the forehead’s widest corners	Long hair, easy grow-out
Elegant Chignon with Loose Tendrils	Low bun, tendrils soften the hairline	Medium to long hair, formal
Jaw-Length Bob with Soft Curls	Curls flare at chin level, widening the jaw	Wavy or curled hair
Side-Swept Fringe with Long Waves	Diagonal fringe softens the forehead, waves stay low	Long hair, soft finish
Low Textured Ponytail with Face-Framing Pieces	Low gathering keeps fullness at the nape, pieces frame the chin	Medium to long hair, easy days
Shoulder Lob with Layers at the Jaw	Layers start at the jaw, building width where the face narrows	Medium hair, most textures
Half-Up Style with Volume at the Ends	Flat, low top with full curled ends balances the taper	Medium to long hair, events

1. Chin-Length Bob with a Side Part

A bob ending right at the chin puts its fullest line where a heart face is narrowest, widening the jaw and softening the pointed chin. The side part sweeps diagonally across the forehead instead of splitting it open. Trim every five to six weeks.

Best for: Fine to medium hair, everyday wear.

Ask your stylist: “A chin-length bob with a deep side part, ends at my chin with a little texture.”

2. Shoulder-Length Lob with Soft Waves

A lob brushing the shoulders, waved so the movement opens up at jaw level — that fullness lands where your lower face needs width. Curl with a large-barrel iron, leave ends straight, and brush through.

Best for: Most medium hair textures, low-effort styling.

Ask your stylist: “A shoulder-length lob with light layers, waved so the fullness sits around my jaw, not my crown.”

3. Long Layers with Side-Swept Bangs

Long hair keeps weight and movement low, while a side-swept bang crosses the forehead at an angle and takes away its widest look. The diagonal line is softer than a straight fringe. Blow-dry it across with a round brush; trim every three to four weeks.

Best for: Long hair, straight to wavy.

Ask your stylist: “Long layers, side-swept bang from a deep side part, blending into layers at my cheekbone.”

4. Textured Pixie with a Soft Fringe

Short hair suits a heart face when two rules hold: a soft fringe covering part of the forehead, and no volume piled on top. This pixie is brushed forward with piecey texture. Style with a little paste; trim every four to five weeks.

Best for: Any hair type, minimal styling.

Ask your stylist: “A textured pixie with a soft, forward-brushed fringe — keep the top flat, no height, sides tapered.”

5. A-Line Bob

An A-line bob is shorter at the back and angles down to longer pieces at the front, ending around the chin. Those front points widen the narrowest part of your face, while the shorter back keeps the top light. Wear smooth with a side part; trim every six weeks.

Best for: Straight to wavy, fine to medium hair.

Ask your stylist: “An A-line bob, shorter at the nape and angled down to chin length at the front, with a soft side part.”

6. Soft Shag with Wispy Bangs

A gentle shag with feathered layers and a see-through, wispy fringe — the bangs blur the edge of a wide forehead without a heavy blunt line. The layers add movement through the lower half, balancing the chin. Scrunch in texture spray and air-dry.

Best for: Wavy or fine hair needing body.

Ask your stylist: “A soft shag with wispy bangs, layers fuller toward the ends, not the crown.”

7. Long Curls with a Deep Side Part

Long curls balance you on their own: the deep side part sweeps the top diagonally so the forehead looks narrower, and the curls build volume around your jaw and shoulders, opening from the ears down. Define with curl cream on wet hair; never brush dry.

Best for: Curly or thick wavy hair, types 2C to 4A.

Ask your stylist: “Keep my length, layer for my curl pattern, fullness from the ears down, with a deep side part.”

8. Wavy Bob with Side-Swept Fringe

A bob between chin and jaw length, in soft waves with the fringe swept to one side. The waves flare at the jaw, widening your lower face, while the swept fringe breaks up the forehead. Ten minutes with a curling wand — curl away from the face, keep the fringe smooth.

Best for: Medium hair, soft romantic finish.

Ask your stylist: “A wavy bob ending at my jaw, side-swept fringe blending into the front layers.”

Not sure if your face is heart-shaped or square? Our guide to hairstyles for square faces shows the difference — a square face is wide at the jaw, while a heart face is wide at the forehead and narrow at the chin.

9. Medium Feathered Layers

Feathered layers flick outward, and on medium-length hair those flicks land around the chin and jaw — exactly where a heart face needs width. The top stays smooth and close, so nothing competes with your forehead. Blow-dry with a round brush, rolling ends outward.

Best for: Medium, fine to medium hair needing lift.

Ask your stylist: “Medium feathered layers flicking out around my chin, smooth and flat through the top.”

10. Long Straight Hair with Face-Framing Layers

Long, sleek hair works when the face-framing layers start low — at or below the chin. Layers at the cheekbones add width high up, where you already have plenty; chin-level layers build fullness where your face narrows. Flat-iron with heat protectant.

Best for: Long straight or relaxed hair.

Ask your stylist: “Keep my hair long and straight, face-framing layers starting at my chin — nothing shorter at my cheekbones.”

11. Curly Shag with Bangs

A shag cut for natural curls, with a soft curly fringe. The bangs take the edge off a wide forehead, and the layers let curls spread around your jaw, not at the crown. Ask for a dry cut; refresh day two with a water-and-conditioner mist.

Best for: Naturally curly hair, types 3A to 4A.

Ask your stylist: “A curly shag with a soft fringe, cut dry, volume shaped around my jaw, not on top.”

12. Braided Half-Up Hairstyle

A braid along the hairline or crown, the rest left loose — pulled-back styles suit a heart face when the top stays soft, not scraped tight. Leave two pieces at the front to frame your chin, and let the lengths move around your jaw. Best on day-two hair with texture spray.

Best for: Medium to long hair, weddings and parties.

Ask your stylist: “A soft braided half-up style, top loose and low, face-framing pieces left out in front.”

13. Sleek Ponytail with Volume at the Crown

The trick is height, not width: a gentle lift at the crown lengthens the face, so the forehead reads as less wide, with sleek, flat sides. Keep the lift small and behind the hairline. Smooth sides with gel; backcomb the crown lightly.

Best for: Medium to long hair, polished looks.

Ask your stylist: “Show me a sleek ponytail with slight crown lift and flat sides, and trim a front piece I can leave out.”

14. Long Layers with Curtain Bangs

Curtain bangs are close to perfect for a heart face: they part in the middle and sweep over the corners of the forehead, covering its widest points. Long layers keep the remaining fullness low, around the jaw. Blow-dry bangs forward first, then sweep apart; trim every four weeks.

Best for: Long hair, straight to wavy.

Ask your stylist: “Long layers with curtain bangs over the corners of my forehead, blending into layers from my chin.”

15. Elegant Chignon with Loose Tendrils

A low chignon sits at the nape, so its fullness lands low, not on top — the opposite of what a heart face should avoid. Loose tendrils soften the hairline and draw soft lines toward the chin. Secure with pins; finish with a light hairspray mist.

Best for: Medium to long hair, weddings and formal events.

Ask your stylist: “A low chignon at the nape, soft tendrils left loose at the front.”

16. Jaw-Length Bob with Soft Curls

A bob ending right at the jaw, worn in soft curls rather than straight. The curls flare outward exactly at chin level, adding width where a heart face is narrowest, while the top stays smooth and close so the forehead gains nothing. Curl with a medium barrel and brush out once for softness.

Best for: Wavy hair, or straight hair curled for the day.

Ask your stylist: “A jaw-length bob I can wear in soft curls — smooth on top, fullness at my chin.”

17. Side-Swept Fringe with Long Waves

Long waves with one strong styling decision: a fringe swept fully to one side. The diagonal sweep covers one corner of the forehead and breaks up its width, while the waves stay low and full around the jaw and shoulders. Blow-dry the fringe across first, then let it fall into the waves.

Best for: Long hair, straight to wavy.

Ask your stylist: “Long waves with a side-swept fringe from a deep side part, fullness kept low.”

18. Low Textured Ponytail with Face-Framing Pieces

A ponytail gathered low at the nape, worn textured rather than sleek, with two pieces left loose to frame the chin. Low is the key word: the gathering sits below the jaw’s line, so nothing adds width or height up top. Add texture spray before gathering so it looks soft, not flat.

Best for: Medium to long hair, easy and busy days.

Ask your stylist: “Show me a low textured ponytail with face-framing pieces left out at my chin.”

19. Shoulder Lob with Layers at the Jaw

A shoulder-length lob where the layers are deliberately cut low — starting at the jaw instead of the cheekbones. Those low layers flick and build outward around the chin, balancing the taper, while the upper half stays smooth and simple. It is the easiest everyday version of this face shape’s best trick.

Best for: Medium hair, most textures, everyday wear.

Ask your stylist: “A shoulder lob with layers starting at my jaw — nothing shorter at my cheekbones.”

20. Half-Up Style with Volume at the Ends

A half-up style with the balance flipped: the top section lies flat and low, gathered without any lift, while the loose ends below are curled big and full. All the volume sits at the bottom, widening the lower half of the style to match your forehead. Finish with a simple clip — no height, no pouf.

Best for: Medium to long hair, parties and photos.

Ask your stylist: “A half-up style, top kept flat and low, with big soft curls through the ends.”

Frequently Asked Questions