Narrow Bangs Can Make Your Face Look Bigger — The Importance of Balance and Contrast
When cutting hair, it’s important not just to shape the hair itself, but to consider how you want to present yourself through that style. Do you want to make your neck look slimmer? Make your face look smaller? Appear more youthful? As a hairstylist, I believe my role is to design styles tailored to each person’s specific goals.
Common Mistakes When Trying to Make the Face Look Smaller
One style I often see around town is where people make their bangs extremely narrow and cover the sides of their face with hair in an effort to look smaller-faced.
At first glance, it might seem like this helps hide the face and create a “small face” effect, but it often ends up having the opposite result.
The reason is simple — it looks unnatural.
Human faces and hair have a natural flow and balance. When a hairstyle doesn’t follow that, even non-experts perceive it as “off,” which can actually make the face look bigger.
The Key to a Smaller-Looking Face Is Not “Hiding,” but “Contrast”
The most important thing when trying to make your face look smaller is not to hide everything, but to choose which areas to show and which to conceal.
- Always show the eyes
The eyes play a crucial role in a person’s impression. Hiding them immediately makes the look feel unnatural. - Leave some transparency
Leaving gaps in the bangs allows a hint of skin to show through, creating a soft and airy look. - Emphasize key lines
For example, slightly hiding the cheekbones while revealing the jawline, or covering the forehead while showing the eyebrows — these choices can drastically change the impression.
By intentionally deciding what to show and what to hide, the face naturally appears more sculpted, which results in a slimming, smaller-faced effect.
Finding the Balance That’s Right for You
When you want to make your face look smaller, it’s easy to fall into the habit of just trying to hide it. But that often has the opposite effect. What truly matters is not hiding, but finding a natural balance and contrast.
Because everyone has a different facial structure and bone structure, the ideal design also differs for each person.
I want to help each person find their own style — one that naturally makes their face appear smaller while highlighting their unique features.
