Hairstyles for a Diamond Face

Balance the two ends against the middle. The cheekbones are the widest line and the forehead and chin the narrowest, so the cut broadens the top and bottom while keeping the cheekbone lean. Where a heart face only needs weight moved down, a diamond needs it added at both the brow and the jaw.

The reasoning follows the outline. Fullness at the cheekbone stacks width onto the one place the face is already widest, exaggerating the middle. Fullness at the forehead and jaw fills the two places it narrows, so the three levels read closer together. The trick is doing both at once: build at the ends, stay flat at the center.

Add body top and bottom. A chin-length bob or a lob finishing near the jaw puts fullness at the lower narrow point and broadens the chin. Layers that stop below the cheekbone, not on it, keep weight off the widest line while adding movement lower down. Texture around the jaw, flicked out rather than tucked in, fills the base.

At the top, a little forehead volume helps rather than hurts, since the brow is narrow. A soft, full fringe or lift at the front broadens the upper third. The combination to aim for is fullness at the two ends with the sides kept close through the cheekbone, so the cut works against the pinch at both narrow points instead of feeding the wide one.

Unlike most shapes, a diamond usually wants a fringe that adds to the forehead rather than trimming it. A soft, full fringe or a curtain fringe with body broadens the narrow brow and brings the top of the face closer in width to the cheekbones. A side-swept fringe works too, laying a diagonal that widens the forehead's apparent span.

The one thing to avoid is a fringe that narrows the top further or exposes the temples. Slicked-back fronts and tightly parted styles pull the forehead in and make the cheekbone dominate even more. Keep some width and softness up front. A diamond is one of the few outlines where a fuller fringe is a fix rather than a risk, precisely because the forehead is the narrow point that needs filling.

Where the hair sits against the cheekbone decides most of the result. Tucking hair behind the ears bares the cheekbone and lets it dominate, so leave face-framing pieces down and forward instead. Keep the sides relatively flat through the middle third, and let any volume live above and below it.

Length past the cheekbone helps by drawing the eye down toward the jaw. A center-heavy, high-volume crown, on the other hand, can narrow the forehead's apparent width and stretch the face, which works against the goal. Aim for soft width at the ends and a lean, uncluttered cheekbone. The detector confirms whether the cheekbones truly lead or the shape reads closer to oval.

When you wear hair up, resist the urge to pull it tight and smooth. A slicked, high style strips the forehead and chin of width and leaves the cheekbone standing alone, which is the exact imbalance the cut works to avoid. A softer updo with volume left at the crown and loose pieces around the jaw keeps the two narrow ends filled. Product choice matters too: a light mousse holds body at the forehead and jaw, while heavy gel that flattens everything against the head sharpens the cheekbone further.

A short list of misses. Fullness level with the cheekbone doubles the width at the widest line. Slicked-back and tightly pulled styles narrow both the forehead and the chin and leave the cheekbone alone in the middle. Tucking everything behind the ears does the same by exposing the cheek.

Tall crown volume also misses, since it narrows the top rather than widening it. As with every shape, none of these fail universally; they fail on a diamond because each one either loads the cheekbone or starves the two ends. If a cut leaves your cheekbones looking severe and your forehead pinched, one of these is why. Confirm the reading before booking anything.

Fill the two narrow ends and keep the cheekbone lean, and the widest-in-the-middle outline evens out.

Hairstyles for a diamond face balance prominent cheekbones against a narrow forehead and chin by adding width at both ends and keeping it off the middle. Reach for chin-length ends, a fuller fringe, and pieces left down and forward; avoid cheekbone-level fullness, slicked-back fronts and hair tucked behind the ears. The diamond is the rare shape that wants a fringe with body. Confirm the reading with the detector, then see the women's guide for named cuts or face shape for men for the clipper version.