Heart Face Shape: Best Hairstyles, Glasses & Styling Tips

A heart face shape is defined by a wider forehead and cheekbones that taper down to a narrow, often pointed chin. It's one of the more recognizable shapes once you know what to look for, and it responds especially well to styling that draws the eye downward to balance the width up top. If you're not sure this is your shape yet, our face shape guide walks through how to measure and compare all six shapes before you commit to a styling direction.

How to Tell If You Have a Heart Face Shape

The forehead is the widest point of the face, often paired with cheekbones that sit just slightly narrower. From there, the face narrows steadily through the jaw and ends in a chin that's noticeably pointed or tapered — sometimes with a slight point at the very tip. Unlike an oval, where width tapers gently and evenly, a heart shape has a clear, faster narrowing from cheekbone to chin. Many heart-shaped faces also have a subtle widow's peak at the hairline, which reinforces the forehead's width.

Heart vs. Diamond: Where the Width Sits

Heart and diamond shapes both narrow to a pointed chin, which makes them easy to mix up. The difference is where the face is widest. On a heart shape, the forehead is the widest point. On a diamond, the cheekbones are widest, and the forehead is actually narrower than the cheekbones — not wider. If your forehead is the broadest part of your face, you're looking at a heart shape, not a diamond.

Heart vs. Oval: The Chin Test

Oval faces also taper from cheekbone to chin, which can look heart-like at a glance. The tell is the chin itself and how gradual the taper is. An oval's chin is softly rounded and the narrowing happens smoothly across the whole face. A heart shape's chin is more pointed, and the width drops off more sharply right around the cheekbones and jaw, rather than tapering evenly from top to bottom.

The Styling Goal for Heart Faces: Add Width at the Jaw

The forehead already draws attention, so the styling goal is to bring visual weight back down toward the jaw and chin, softening the contrast between the two. That doesn't mean hiding the forehead — it means building balance underneath it. Fullness or width at the jawline, chin-grazing hair lengths, and earrings that widen near the bottom all work in this direction. Anything that adds extra width or height at the very top of the head, like heavy volume at the crown, tends to exaggerate the imbalance instead of correcting it.

Best Glasses for a Heart Face Shape

Frames that are wider at the bottom than the top work best, since they echo the narrower chin instead of competing with the broad forehead. Light, rimless, or bottom-heavy frames — including some cat-eye styles with a subtler upsweep — keep attention from stacking on top of an already-wide brow line. Round and oval frames are also flattering here, since their curves soften the more angular taper of the jaw and chin.

What to avoid: frames with heavy, decorated, or upswept top rims. Anything that adds visual weight above the eyes — thick brow bars, embellished top corners, aggressive cat-eye angles — pulls even more focus to the forehead and widens the face where it's already widest.

The Best Sunglasses Shapes to Try

Aviators are a strong match for a heart face — the wider bottom lens balances a narrower chin, and the shape as a whole avoids adding bulk near the temples. Round sunglasses work for the same reason as round eyeglasses: they counter angularity with curves. Steer clear of oversized square or geometric frames with hard top corners, which read as extra width exactly where the face doesn't need it.

Hairstyles That Work Well on a Heart Face

Chin-length lobs and long bobs are one of the most reliable cuts for this shape — the ends land right at the jaw and add fullness exactly where the face needs it. Side-swept bangs or a soft fringe help minimize forehead width without a blunt, straight-across line that can look heavy. A deep side part also breaks up the forehead's width more effectively than a center part.

Longer layers that start below the chin also work well, especially with waves or curls added near the ends for extra width at the jaw. Avoid styles that pile volume at the crown or pull hair tightly back with no width lower down, like a high sleek ponytail — both emphasize the forehead-to-chin taper instead of softening it.

Earrings That Suit a Heart Face

Earrings that are narrow at the top and widen toward the bottom — teardrops, chandeliers, and triangle shapes — mirror the pointed chin while adding width lower on the face. Studs are fine for everyday wear, but avoid anything top-heavy or wide at the earlobe, like large button studs or wide hoops sitting high on the ear, since they add bulk near the widest part of the face rather than the narrowest.

FAQ

What is the most flattering haircut for a heart-shaped face?

A chin-length lob or long bob with side-swept bangs is generally the most flattering option. It adds fullness at the jaw, which balances the wider forehead, and the side-swept fringe softens the hairline without a heavy blunt edge.

Do heart-shaped faces suit bangs?

Yes, with the right style. Side-swept or wispy fringe works well because it covers part of the forehead's width without a hard horizontal line. Blunt, full bangs cut straight across tend to look heavier here, since they add emphasis right where the face is already widest.

What glasses should heart-shaped faces avoid?

Avoid frames with decorated, thick, or upswept top rims, including bold cat-eye shapes. These pull attention upward and outward, adding visual weight to the forehead and cheekbone area that's already the widest part of the face.

Does a heart-shaped face need a fringe to look balanced?

No — bangs are optional, not required. Balance can also come from a deep side part, chin-length layers, or earrings that widen at the bottom. A fringe is simply one of several tools that happen to work particularly well on this shape.