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What’s This About
With a broader forehead and a narrower chin, you can add height, cover part of the forehead, keep the top close or add fullness lower down; the choice is about where you want emphasis, not about correcting your face.
This guide covers the choices that shape the result, such as:
What crown height does above a broad upper face
How a fringe changes how much forehead shows
Why a slicked-back style shows the forehead rather than narrowing it
Where a mullet’s back length is actually seen
Facial hair as an optional way to add fullness at the chin
and many more!
We also cover what your hair can realistically hold and how to brief your barber.
Key Points
01Height at the crown plays up the broader upper face; it suits you if you want that emphasis, and a closer cut suits you if you do not.
02A fringe covers part of the forehead and a slicked-back style shows all of it; neither changes the forehead’s actual width.
03The curly and wavy entries depend on your natural texture; a product defines curl but does not create it in straight hair.
04Fullness at the chin comes from facial hair or hair length lower down, not from height on top.
If you’re a man with a heart face shape, you possess unique facial features, characterised by a broad forehead, high cheekbones, and a narrow, pointed chin.
These features are a great opportunity to experiment with various hairstyles, and the right one depends on which features you want to emphasise and what your hair can do.
Explore all face shapes and style ideas
Understanding your face shape can help you narrow the options. If you’re unsure, our face shape analysis quiz offers a starting suggestion, though your own mirror observations matter as much. If your cheekbones look clearly wider than your forehead, the diamond haircut guide covers a neighbouring outline.
This article explores ten hairstyles for a broad upper face and a narrower chin; for one-to-one advice, see our expert image consultants for men.
Match This List to Your Actual Hair
A heart-shaped outline, broad through the forehead and narrower at the chin, still needs these checks before you pick from the ten cuts below.
Texture and density: the pompadour and curly top fade need enough density at the crown to hold their shape; fine hair usually needs a volumising mousse first, while thick or coarse hair often needs thinning so height does not look heavy against a narrower chin.
Curl pattern and growth direction: medium-length waves and the curly top fade depend on wave or curl you already have. A curl-defining product sharpens an existing pattern but will not create one in straight hair, so if your hair is straight, the side part, angular fringe or textured quiff will be easier to reproduce. Cowlicks near the crown or hairline should be flagged before an angular fringe or quiff is cut around them.
Hairline: the slicked-back and angular fringe styles change how much forehead and hairline show; if yours is uneven or receding, mention this so the style is adapted rather than assumed.
Upkeep: daily styling and barber upkeep are different commitments. The pompadour and textured quiff usually need blow-drying and product most mornings; the short taper fade and buzz cut need almost no daily styling, but their close sides and neckline lose their sharp edge as they grow, so they need more frequent barber visits.
Two routes: several of these cuts add height and volume at the crown, which plays up the broader upper face. Others, like the short taper fade and buzz cut, keep the top close and let the jaw and chin read as the main feature. Neither is more correct; it depends on whether you want to draw attention to the crown and upper face or to the jaw and chin. Fullness at the chin, if you want it, comes from facial hair or from hair length around the jaw, not from height on top.
Brief your barber: describe your hair’s density and curl pattern, point out any cowlicks or a receding hairline, and say whether you want more emphasis at the crown or a closer, lower-profile cut. That decision, more than the exact style name, is what determines the result.
Mirror check: once the cut is dry and styled as you will wear it, look straight on and note whether the volume sits at the crown, at the temples or lower around the jaw, and how much forehead shows. Then check your profile, where crown height and any back length are most visible.
1. Textured Quiff
The textured quiff adds height and volume at the top. It does not divert attention from a broader forehead; it adds emphasis above it, which suits you if you like a bold upper outline.
Why it works: The height lengthens the face visually, while the textured layers soften the outline at the crown. A side-swept variation lets some hair fall diagonally across the forehead, which covers part of it rather than narrowing it.
Facial hair: Medium stubble adds texture along the jaw and chin, where your growth covers them, if you want more visual weight in the lower face.
2. Side Part with Waves
The side part with waves is a timeless look that frames the face and lets the waves fall partly across the forehead.
Why it works: The soft waves add width at the sides, and the side part sends the hair diagonally rather than straight up, so less height is added at the crown.
Use a curling cream or diffuser to enhance natural waves for a relaxed yet polished look.
Facial hair: A light beard or goatee helps define the lower face, complementing the soft flow of the waves.
3. Slicked Back
For men seeking a sleek, professional appearance, the slicked-back hairstyle is worth considering.
It draws the eye to the crown, but pulling hair back also exposes the forehead and hairline rather than reducing their width.
Why it works: The smooth, sleek top adds structure, and a looser finish gives a softer overall look; neither version changes the chin.
Facial hair: A neatly trimmed beard accentuates the jawline and adds depth to the lower half of the face.
4. Pompadour
The pompadour is a bold choice that adds height and volume at the crown. Because a heart face already has a broader upper portion, more height there is a look to choose deliberately rather than an automatic balance; if you would rather not add emphasis upward, a lower-profile cut from this list, such as the short taper fade, is the alternative.
Why it works: Its height lengthens the face visually and makes the crown the focal point, so it suits you if you want a bold upper outline; it does not add width or fullness at the chin. Use a strong-hold pomade to sculpt the style and ensure it holds throughout the day.
Facial hair: If you want fullness at the chin to sit alongside the pompadour’s volume, a medium-length beard can add it, where your growth allows.
5. Curly Top Fade
The curly top fade celebrates natural texture while keeping the sides neat and clean, making it an option if your hair has natural curl.
Why it works: The close sides put the emphasis on the curls at the top, which adds height above a broader forehead rather than softening it. The fade itself is a graduated transition on the sides and back and does not change the chin. If you would rather not add height, keep the curls shorter on top and let a little fall forward over the forehead.
Facial hair: Stubble or a short beard adds definition to the jawline and some fullness at the chin, where your growth allows.
6. Angular Fringe
The angular fringe brings focus to the eyes and covers part of the forehead, which changes how much of it shows rather than its width.
Why it works: The asymmetrical fringe creates visual interest and brings hair down over the upper face, so less forehead is visible.
Facial hair: A subtle beard enhances the jawline and complements the fringe’s sharp angles.
7. Medium-Length Waves
Medium-length waves add natural movement and volume, making them an option if your hair has natural wave and you want softer movement around the face.
Why it works: The added texture and layers place volume at the sides and around the cheekbones as well as on top, rather than concentrating it at the crown.
Facial hair: Light stubble works beautifully to accentuate the jawline without overwhelming the look.
8. Short Taper Fade
The short taper fade is a clean and versatile style that keeps the sides sharp while allowing for customisation on top.
Why it works: The neat sides show the cheekbones and keep the upper outline close; the length on top can be styled forward or to the side, but it does not change the chin or jaw.
Facial hair: A clean-shaven look or minimal stubble enhances the sharp lines of the fade.
9. Modern Mullet
The modern mullet combines retro flair with a contemporary twist, offering volume at the back while maintaining structure around the face.
Why it works: Length at the back is mostly visible from the side and behind, so its effect on how the chin reads from the front depends on your actual hair length and density there; check the look in profile, not just face-on, before committing to it.
Facial hair: A clean-shaven face lets the mullet take centre stage.
10. Buzz Cut
The buzz cut is a bold, low-maintenance style that highlights the cheekbones and your natural features.
Why it works: Its uniform length enhances the angular features while creating a sharp, clean look.
Facial hair: A short beard or stubble adds definition to the chin, complementing the simplicity of the cut.
Conclusion
Heart face shapes offer a unique canvas for a variety of hairstyles; from voluminous quiffs to minimalist buzz cuts, each of these 10 styles places emphasis in different ways.
If you are unsure which description fits, this face shape quiz can offer a starting point, but it is optional; take a photograph of the cut you like to your barber and ask how it would adapt to your hair and features.
A cut you like and can maintain is the one worth asking for.
Style Like A True Gentleman
Before you go, here is a simple order to follow, whether you work alone or with an image consultant.
Professional styling usually starts with knowing your body shape and seasonal colour palette, which help you choose well-fitting clothes in colours that suit your skin, eyes and hair.
Then you can plan outfits for each occasion, location, season and time of day, with garments, footwear, and accessories from heritage fashion brands that fit the way you want to look.
Take our three quizzes below, then book a paid consultation if you would like personal help:
1. Find Your Body Shape
Different garments flatter different silhouettes, so knowing your body shape is a useful first step.
To check your body shape, take our body shape quiz for men.
Next, take the second quiz to check your colour palette.
2. Find Your Seasonal Colours
Remember, the garments that compose your outfits come in various colours, and it helps to choose shades that suit your natural colouring.
To do that, find your seasonal colour palette by taking our seasonal colour quiz for men.
3. Find Your Fashion Style
Once you know your body shape and colour palette, the next step is to find your personal fashion style.
You can start with our fashion style quiz for men; it gives style suggestions, outfit ideas, relevant fashion brands, and much more.
Professional Image Consultancy with The VOU
If you would like personal help, you can book a paid consultation with our expert image consultants and fashion stylists.
Our styling services for men are paid consultations; the shop page lists what each one includes.
Remember, wearing luxury brands isn’t enough (see logo-heavy luxury brands and how to wear them); it also helps to know your body shape, colour palette, and ideal personal style, and then to dress by occasion, location, season, and time of day.
Contact us if you would like to book a paid consultation.