A diamond face shape has its widest point at the cheekbones, with the forehead and jaw both noticeably narrower and the chin coming to a visible point. It is the least common of the main face shapes and gets mistaken for a heart shape often, since both share that pointed chin.
Layered Bob
Italian Bob
Blunt Bangs
Side Part Lob
Beach Waves Mid
Buzz Cut FadeThe goal with diamond face shape hairstyles is to add width at the two narrow points, the forehead and the jaw, so the face reads as more balanced instead of emphasizing the cheekbones even further.
Diamond versus heart: the key difference
Both diamond and heart shapes come to a point at the chin, which is why they get confused. The difference is where the face is widest. A heart shape is widest at the forehead and narrows steadily down to the chin, covered in the guide to heart shaped face hairstyles. A diamond shape is widest at the cheekbones, with the forehead and jaw both narrower than that midpoint.
For the full range of options across every shape, see the best hairstyle for your face.
The geometry that works
Because the cheekbones are already the widest point on a diamond face, the goal is to add width above and below that point rather than at it. Bangs and hairline detail add width at the forehead. Fullness or a hemline at the jaw adds width at the chin. Both pull visual balance away from the cheekbones and toward the rest of the face.
What tends to fight the shape is anything leaving both the forehead and jaw looking narrow and exposed, like hair pulled tightly back with no bangs, or a very short cut with no volume anywhere. Adding width at the forehead specifically is the same core idea behind hairstyles for a big forehead, even though the two topics start from different face shapes.
Hairstyles for women with a diamond face shape
1. Bangs or curtain bangs
Bangs across the forehead are one of the most direct tools for a diamond face shape, since they add width at the narrowest point above the cheekbones. Curtain bangs, which part and sweep to each side, are a softer option than a blunt, straight-across style.
2. Chin-length bob
A chin-length bob adds fullness right at the jaw, the other narrow point on a diamond face. A layered bob or an Italian bob both bring rounded volume to that area.
3. Side-swept styles
A side part with some volume falling across the forehead does a softer version of what blunt bangs do, adding width at the top without as much commitment. This pairs well with a side part lob for length that also brings fullness to the jaw.
4. Waves at the jaw and below
Loose waves starting around the jawline add movement and width exactly where a diamond face benefits from it. Beach waves are a low-effort way to bring in that fullness.
5. What to be cautious with
Very short pixies with no fullness at the temples or jaw can leave the cheekbones as the dominant feature with nothing to balance them. If you want short hair, look for versions with some width at the sides or a longer top, rather than an extremely close crop.
Hairstyles for men with a diamond face shape
The same width-at-the-narrow-points logic applies to a diamond face shape haircut for men, just with different tools.
6. A textured top or forward bangs
A style with some length and texture at the front, like a textured crop, adds width at the forehead rather than leaving it bare. This is generally a better direction than a style slicked fully back and off the face.
7. Curtains or a middle part
A longer top parted in the center, sometimes called curtains, brings visual weight to both sides of the forehead, which helps balance out prominent cheekbones.
8. A beard for jaw width
Facial hair with some width and fullness at the jaw is one of the most effective tools for balancing a diamond face shape, since it directly addresses the narrow chin and jawline without needing a haircut change at all.
9. What to avoid
A related consideration: double chin coverage
If you are also looking to soften a double chin alongside balancing a diamond face shape, the two goals overlap: both benefit from fullness around the jawline rather than hair pulled tightly away from the face. A closer look at hairstyles to hide a double chin covers this in more detail, and a lot of the same techniques, a chin-length bob or waves starting at the jaw, work for both goals at once. If your face is on the longer side in addition to being diamond shaped, the guidance for long face hairstyles is also worth cross-referencing, since both shapes benefit from horizontal weight rather than added vertical length.
See it on your own face first
Because a diamond face shape is relatively rare and often confused with heart, double-check your own geometry before picking a style based on the name alone. HairGlam lets you apply any of these cuts, from a chin-length bob to a textured crop, onto a photo of your own face, so you can see how the width actually balances out before you book.
See it on your own face in HairGlam
See it on your own face in three taps
- Add one selfie. Front on, even light, hair off your face. No account.
- Pick a cut, a color or a makeup look from 299 in the catalog.
- See it in seconds on your own face, then save it for your stylist.
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Questions people ask
What is the rarest face shape?
What bangs suit a diamond face shape?
Should a diamond face avoid short hair?
What is the best haircut for a diamond face shape man?
Read next
The best hairstyle for your face: a shape by shape guide
Oblong face hairstyles: the cuts that add width, not length
Best haircut for a big forehead, for men and women
Hairstyles to hide a double chin: what actually draws the eye up
Square face haircut ideas for women that soften the jaw
