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Diamond face, women's cuts

Hairstyles for a diamond face: women's cuts

A diamond face is widest at the cheekbones, with a narrower forehead and jaw. A hairstyle can either soften that width or add weight at the top and bottom so the cheekbones have company.

The cuts below avoid placing volume exactly on the cheekbone. That single rule removes most of the styles that make a diamond face look unbalanced.

Measure first

Not sure of your shape? The free detector measures a photo on your device and draws the lines it used.

Check my shapeThe diamond face guide

The shortlist

What works, and where it sits

The diamond's widest line is in the middle, so every cut here adds width above or below it. None of them tries to hide the cheekbones; they simply give the eye another line to follow.

  1. 1

    Chin-length bob

    A bob that ends at the jaw adds width where the face is narrow and pulls the eye down from the cheekbones. Keep the cut slightly longer at the front.

    Diamond face with chin-length bob
  2. 2

    Side bangs

    Side bangs add width across the forehead, which is the narrowest part of a diamond face. Ask for the bangs to fall just past the brow.

    Diamond face with side bangs
  3. 3

    Lob with temple layers

    Shoulder-length hair with layers that start at the temple and the jaw gives width at both ends of the face. Avoid layers that start at the cheekbone.

    Diamond face with lob with temple layers
  4. 4

    Soft updo with face-framing pieces

    If you wear your hair up, leave a piece at each temple and one at the jaw. A tight pull-back with no width at the top makes the cheekbones look wider.

    Diamond face with soft updo with face-framing pieces
  5. 5

    Textured shoulder cut with a middle part

    A center part works on a diamond face when the hair has texture and a little volume at the temples. The texture keeps the parting from looking like a hard vertical line.

    Diamond face with textured shoulder cut with a middle part

Less useful

What works against it

None of these is a rule. They are the choices that tend to undo the balance the rest of the page builds.

  • Volume at the cheekbone

    A round brush blow-dry that flares at the cheek adds width exactly where the face is already widest. Keep the flare lower, at the jaw.

  • A tight, flat pull-back

    Sleek hair with no width at the forehead or jaw leaves the cheekbones as the only wide line on the face.

In practice

Hairstyles for a diamond face: what to ask for

Ask for width at the forehead and the jaw, and keep the volume at the cheekbone modest. Side bangs or curtain bangs add width at the top; a chin-length cut adds it at the bottom. The two together change the outline more than either one alone.

If your hair is long, ask for layers that begin below the chin rather than at the cheekbone. Layers at eye level add volume exactly where the face is widest, which is the one placement a diamond face should avoid.

Soft, slightly uneven bangs suit the shape better than a solid block. They give the forehead some width without a hard horizontal line, and leave room for the cheekbones to stay the feature.

If you have a strong side part, use it. A deep part creates a diagonal across the forehead and adds width where the face is narrow, which is the same job as side bangs with less upkeep. If you prefer a center part, keep the front layers long enough to reach the cheekbone so the forehead does not look pinched. A little volume at the root on one side is enough; you do not need a full blow dry to change the outline.

Questions

Questions about haircuts for women

Can a diamond face wear a center part?

Yes, if the hair has some texture and volume at the temples. A flat center part with long straight hair emphasises the narrow forehead.

Are bangs good for a diamond face?

Side-swept and curtain bangs are. They add width at the forehead and soften the top of the cheekbone. A very short, blunt bangs can work too, but keep them light.

What length suits a diamond face best?

Chin to collarbone, with layers at the jaw. Very long, straight hair with no layers tends to make the cheekbones look sharper.