20+ Narrow Forehead Hairstyles Ideas You’ll Want to Save

Have you ever looked in the mirror and felt your forehead looks too small at the top? You are not alone. Many women with a narrow forehead feel their face looks a little closed in, and the right hairstyle can change that in minutes. The trick is not to hide your forehead. The trick is to add soft width near your temples so your face looks open and balanced. A side part, a light fringe, or a few layers that curve outward can do more than a whole new cut. In this list you will find 20 plus narrow forehead hairstyles for short hair, medium hair, and long hair. Each idea comes with clear steps you can try at home or show to your stylist. Pick the ones that fit your hair type and your daily routine, save your favorites, and test them one by one until you find the look that feels like you.

Side Swept Bangs

Side swept bangs push hair across the forehead at a soft angle. They cover part of the hairline while they leave the rest open and light, and that angled line makes the forehead look wider and less tall. The look works on straight hair, wavy hair, and thick hair. Ask your stylist to cut the bangs on a slant so they fall to one side on their own, and keep the ends soft so they blend into the rest of the cut.

You can wear these bangs long or short. A longer sweep feels soft and grown up, while a shorter sweep feels fresh and neat. A quick blow dry with a round brush helps them sit in place all day. Avoid a hard straight edge across the forehead, because a blunt line can make a narrow forehead look even smaller.

Curtain Bangs Soft

Curtain bangs part in the middle and fall to both sides. They frame the forehead and add width near the temples, which is exactly what a narrow forehead needs. They work well on medium and long hair. Keep the center short and the sides longer for a soft shape, and trim them every few weeks to keep the curtain shape neat.

This style is easy to grow out. The longer side pieces blend into face framing layers, so the cut still looks good between trims. Use a round brush and a low heat setting to shape the two sides away from the face. If you want more fringe options, see our guide to bangs for your face shape.

Temple Volume Waves

Quick Tip: Use a wide barrel iron on the two front sections only. Curl away from the face, let the curls cool, then shake them out with your fingers. This gives width right where a narrow forehead needs it most.

Temple volume waves focus on the sides of the head, not the top. The waves start near the cheekbones and temples, which helps the face look wider and more balanced. This idea works on medium and long hair. Keep the roots fairly flat so the volume stays low and soft, and avoid big lift at the crown, because height on top pulls the eye upward instead of outward.

Layered Bob Cut

Before: A blunt one length bob can sit close to the head and make the forehead look smaller. The straight edge draws the eye down and the sides look flat.

After: Layers through the sides lift the hair outward. The bob gains movement, the temples look fuller, and the face looks wider and softer. The shape feels light and easy to style.

A layered bob suits many hair types. Fine hair gains body from the layers, and thick hair feels lighter and easier to manage. Ask for soft layers that start near the cheekbones so the width lands in the right place. If your forehead is also short, these short forehead hairstyles offer more width adding ideas.

Wispy Fringe Style

A wispy fringe softens the hairline without hiding it. The gaps let skin show through, so the forehead still looks open. This style suits straight and slightly wavy hair, and it grows out with little fuss. Ask for a light, see through fringe instead of a thick blunt fringe, and keep it just above the brows so your eyes stay visible.

• Let a few longer pieces fall at the sides near the temples.
• Blow dry with a small round brush for a soft, airy finish.
• Use a tiny amount of light hold spray to keep the shape.

For round faces, these fringe bangs round face ideas show a similar soft fringe approach.

Deep Side Part

A deep side part is one of the fastest ways to change the shape of the forehead area. The hair sweeps across and creates a diagonal line that widens the look. It works on short, medium, and long hair. Use a comb to set the part while the hair is damp, and place it above the outer edge of one eyebrow for the widest effect.

This is the best first test if you are not ready for a cut. Try it for a full day and take a photo in natural light to see the change. If the part keeps slipping back, a little light hold spray on the roots will help. Pair it with a few loose waves at the ends to add even more width at the sides.

Face Framing Layers

Face framing layers draw the eye to the sides of the face. They add movement and width right where it helps most. This idea works on straight, wavy, and curly hair. The layers also make long hair feel lighter and easier to style. Start the shortest layer near the cheekbones to add width at the temples, and ask for layers that curve away from the face.

Do:

• Keep the layers soft and blended, not choppy.
• Ask for layers that curve away from the face.

Do not:

• Start layers too high, or the top can look flat.
• Cut the front pieces too short, or they can stick out.
• Use heavy thinning near the face, or the layers can look thin.

If you are unsure which fringe suits you, check our guide to face structure for bangs.

Voluminous Blowout Look

Styling time: about 20 to 30 minutes
Maintenance: low, with a refresh on day two
Skill level: easy to medium
Best use: work days, photos, and nights out

A voluminous blowout lifts the hair at the sides and gives a smooth, full shape. Dry the hair with a large round brush and point the brush outward at the temples. This builds width in the right spot. Finish with a cool shot from the dryer to set the shape and add shine.

Work in small sections and dry each one fully before you move on, because half dry sections fall flat fast. A light mousse at the roots helps the sides hold their lift. This blowout also pairs well with many haircuts for small foreheads.

Textured Pixie Cut

A textured pixie can add width when the sides stay soft and a little full. Short hair often hugs the head, so texture matters here. Ask for longer pieces on top that you can sweep to one side, plus light layers at the temples. The result looks fresh, modern, and easy to wear.

This cut suits women who like low upkeep hair. A small amount of styling cream gives hold without stiffness. You can change the look by sweeping the top to the left or right, or by adding a little lift at the sides with your fingers. Avoid a tight slicked back finish, because it removes the soft width this cut is meant to give.

Loose Beach Waves

Loose beach waves give a relaxed look that still flatters a narrow forehead. The soft waves widen the face at the sides, and the loose shape keeps the whole style easy. This idea works best on medium and long hair with some natural wave or bend. Start the waves below the cheekbones to keep the width at the sides, and keep the roots smooth so the volume stays low and natural.

• Use a large barrel iron or braids left in overnight.
• Shake the waves out with your fingers for a soft finish.
• Add a light sea salt spray for texture without stiffness.

For more slimming styles, see our hairstyles to make face look thinner.

Shaggy Mid Length

Quick Tip: Ask for a shag with lots of layers through the mid lengths. The layers push hair outward at the sides, which helps a narrow forehead look wider. A soft fringe finishes the shape.

A shaggy mid length cut is full of movement. The layers fall in different directions, so the hair looks thick and lively. This cut works well on wavy and curly hair. It also grows out nicely, since the layers keep their shape as the hair gets longer.

Style it with your fingers instead of a brush to keep the messy texture. A little texturizing spray at the ends adds hold without weight. Skip heavy smoothing products, because a flat finish takes away the outward push that makes this cut work.

Pinned Back Sides

Before: Hair left loose and flat at the sides can make the forehead area look closed in. The face can look longer and the temples can look bare.

After: Two small pins pull the front sections back with a little lift. The sides gain soft volume, the face opens up, and the look feels neat and put together.

Pinned back sides are quick and simple. Pull the two front sections back, twist them once for lift, and pin them near the temples. Leave a few loose strands at the front to keep the look soft and natural. This takes less than five minutes, so it is a great fix for busy mornings or a quick change before you go out.

Curly Temple Curls

Curly temple curls use natural texture to add width right where it helps. The curls sit full at the sides and frame the face in a soft way. This idea works on wavy, curly, and coily hair. Keep the top smooth so the shape stays balanced, and let the fullness live at the sides.

1. Wash and condition the curls, then apply a curl cream while the hair is damp.
2. Scrunch the curls upward near the temples to build width.
3. Let the hair air dry or use a diffuser on low heat.
4. Fluff the roots at the sides gently once the hair is dry.
5. Refresh the curls on day two with a light water mist.

Sleek Low Ponytail

A sleek low ponytail is neat and easy. Brush the hair back with a soft touch and keep a little volume at the sides. Leave two loose front pieces out to frame the face. This small detail makes the whole style feel softer and more flattering.

The trick is to avoid pulling the hair tight. A tight pull flattens the sides and closes in the forehead area. Tie the ponytail low at the nape, then gently loosen the hair above the tie with your fingers for a little lift. This style works for work, school, and days when you want a clean look in under five minutes.

Feathered Long Layers

Feathered long layers add gentle movement and width through the lengths. The flicked ends draw the eye outward and keep long hair from hanging flat. This idea suits straight and wavy hair and looks lovely with a side part or soft bangs. Ask for feathered ends that flick outward at the sides, and keep the longest layer past the shoulders for a soft shape.

Do:

• Use a round brush to turn the ends outward when drying.

Do not:

• Add too many short layers on top, or the shape can look heavy.
• Flat iron the ends inward every day, or the width is lost.
• Skip trims, since feathered ends need clean edges to look soft.

Braided Crown Style

Styling time: about 15 to 20 minutes
Maintenance: low, holds well through the day
Skill level: easy to medium
Best use: weddings, parties, and photo days

A braided crown wraps a braid across the top of the head and adds shape near the hairline. The braid creates a soft band of width, which helps a narrow forehead look wider. Pull a few strands loose at the temples to keep the look soft and romantic.

Start the braid behind one ear and work it across the front, pinning as you go. Keep the braid loose rather than tight, and gently pull at the edges to make it look fuller. A little light hold spray will keep it in place through a long event.

Bouncy Shoulder Curls

Bouncy shoulder curls add fullness at the sides without much work. The curls bounce outward at the temples and cheeks, which widens the face in a natural way. This length is easy to manage. It is long enough to curl and short enough to style fast.

Use a medium barrel iron and curl the sections away from the face. Let each curl cool before you touch it. Then brush through the curls with your fingers for a soft, bouncy finish that lasts through the day. Curling away from the face matters most, because curls that fall inward close the face instead of opening it.

Asymmetric Bob Cut

An asymmetric bob is a fun choice for a narrow forehead. The uneven lengths create interest and the longer side adds width where it counts. This cut works on straight and wavy hair and looks great with a soft fringe or side swept bangs. One side sits a little longer than the other for a modern shape, and a soft side part helps the asymmetry fall in a natural way.

• The longer side adds width and draws the eye across the face.
• The shorter side keeps the cut neat and easy to style.
• Trim every six to eight weeks to keep the shape sharp.

Soft Updo Twist

Quick Tip: Before you pin the hair up, pull the two front sections loose and let them fall softly. Then twist the back hair up and pin it. The loose front pieces keep the forehead area open and soft.

A soft updo twist works for work, dinner, and events. The twist at the back keeps the hair neat, while the loose front pieces add width near the temples. Keep the updo a little loose, not tight, so the shape stays soft and comfortable all day.

If the twist slips, add one more pin at the base and a light mist of hold spray. The goal is a relaxed twist, not a stiff one, so check the front pieces in the mirror before you leave and loosen them a touch if they sit too close to the face.

Tousled Lob Cut

Before: A flat lob with no layers can hang straight down and make the face look narrow. The sides stay close to the head and the forehead area gets little help.

After: Tousled texture and soft layers push the hair outward. The lob gains width, movement, and a relaxed feel. The face looks wider and the whole style looks fresh.

A tousled lob sits near the shoulders and suits most hair types. Use a texturizing spray and scrunch the ends while the hair dries. The result is a casual cut that still looks styled and neat. Ask your stylist for soft layers through the ends so the tousled texture holds its shape between washes.

Half Up Waves

Half up waves give the best of both worlds. The top stays neat and out of the way, while the loose waves add width at the sides. This style works for school, work, and casual days out. It also keeps the hair off the face without pulling it tight.

1. Part the hair from ear to ear and gather the top half.
2. Twist or braid the top section once for a little lift.
3. Secure it at the back of the head with a small clip.
4. Leave the bottom half down in soft waves.
5. Pull two small pieces loose at the front to frame the face.

Add the waves to the bottom half first, then gather the top, so the shape stays full. If your hair is fine, a little texturizing spray at the roots of the top section helps the clip hold all day.

The best narrow forehead hairstyles are the ones that feel easy, soft, and true to you. You do not need a big change to see a difference. A side part, soft bangs, or gentle volume at the temples can shift the whole look. Try one idea from this list, take a photo, and see how it feels through the day. Pick the idea that fits your hair and your day, and enjoy the extra confidence it brings. Save this post on Pinterest so you can find it again, share it with a friend who might love it, and come back when you want a fresh idea.