Ladies, as a stylist with 20 years of experience, I’ve seen how the wrong haircut can turn a normal forehead into what feels like a five-head! After 50, our faces change, and suddenly those styles that once flattered us can work against us. Let me share the top offenders that make foreheads look larger and the bang blunders that compound the problem.
1. The Severe Slicked-Back Style
Pulling your hair straight back creates an optical illusion that stretches your forehead to infinity! I’ve watched clients gasp when they realize this sleek look actually emphasizes every inch of forehead real estate.
Think of your hairline as beachfront property – you wouldn’t want to clear all the landscaping, would you?
2. The Super-Straight Hairstyle
The super straight hairstyle might look sleek, but for older women with bigger foreheads, it can feel a bit too harsh. Without layers or volume, it draws attention upward and flattens the face, making the forehead appear even more prominent. A softer style with side bangs, texture, or lift around the crown works wonders instead, adding balance and flattering your features beautifully.
3. The Flat-Ironed Center Part
Though trendy among the TikTok crowd, a dead-center part with pin-straight hair frames your face like curtains opening on a Broadway stage – with your forehead as the star!
Meanwhile, those flat-ironed strands create zero volume where you need it most. Your forehead will thank you for choosing a different act.
4. The Tight Curly Perm
While curls can add fabulous volume, those tight little ringlets popular in the 80s create a dramatic contrast against smooth skin. The texture difference actually highlights your forehead’s expansiveness!
I’ve seen this happen countless times in my salon – tight curls make foreheads appear to stretch for days.
5. The Extreme Asymmetrical Cut
Though edgy asymmetrical cuts can be striking, when one side is completely exposed, your forehead suddenly becomes the focal point of your entire look. Where’s the balance, darling?
Just yesterday, I transformed a client’s severe asymmetrical style into something more forehead-friendly. Her relief was immediate!
6. The Pixie Cut Gone Wrong
A pixie that’s too short on top but long at the nape creates an optical illusion that elongates everything above the eyes. I call this the ‘accidental forehead enhancer.’
If you’re going short, remember: volume on top is your forehead’s best friend! Without it, you’re essentially showcasing your forehead like it’s on display at an art gallery.
7. The Scraped-Back Low Ponytail
Nothing says ‘please stare at my expansive forehead’ quite like hair pulled tightly back into a low-hanging ponytail. This style creates tension that can actually make your hairline recede over time!
Why torture your follicles while emphasizing what you’re trying to minimize? It’s a lose-lose situation I see far too often.
8. The Half-Up Bouffant Disaster
Though volume is generally your friend, that 1960s-inspired half-up style with teased crown creates an unfortunate focal point. Your forehead and that poufy section start competing for attention – and neither wins!
I’ve rescued countless clients from this particular style trap. Height at the crown only emphasizes length in the face.
9. The Overgrown Shag
When layers grow out unevenly, they can create a mushroom effect that draws the eye straight to your forehead. Those heavy, shapeless layers hanging around your face actually frame what you’re trying to downplay!
Many of my clients are shocked when they see how their ‘convenient’ grow-out phase is actually highlighting their foreheads.
10. The Super-Short Blunt Bob
While bobs can be chic, a too-short, one-length version creates a harsh horizontal line across your face. This style essentially draws a boundary that says, ‘Everything above this line is forehead territory!’
I’ve seen women age ten years with this single cut. The severity of that blunt line does your beautiful face no favors.
11. Mistake: Too-Short Micro Bangs
Those tiny baby bangs that barely cover an inch of forehead? They’re like putting a spotlight on exactly what you’re trying to minimize! Rather than concealing, they create a clear dividing line.
I’ve had to console too many clients who thought these trendy micro-bangs would be the solution to their forehead concerns.
12. Mistake: The Wispy, Separated Bang
Those sparse, separated strands some call bangs? They’re actually forehead highlighters! When light passes between those skinny pieces, it creates shadows that accentuate every inch of skin behind them.
I call these ‘now-you-see-it-now-you-don’t’ bangs because they’re essentially transparent. Your forehead deserves better coverage!
13. Mistake: The Triangle Bang Formation
When bangs are cut in that dreaded triangle shape – shorter at the sides and longer in the middle – they create an arrow pointing directly at your forehead! It’s like hanging a sign saying, ‘Look at this space!’
The geometric precision of this mistake actually emphasizes what you’re trying to minimize. Geometry and foreheads rarely mix well!
14. Mistake: The Straight-Across Heavy Curtain
Heavy, thick bangs cut in a perfect straight line might seem like good coverage, but they actually create a harsh horizontal boundary. This severe line draws the eye straight across, emphasizing width rather than creating softness.
I’ve watched clients age before my eyes with this unforgiving style. Your face deserves gentle framing, not a rigid partition!
15. Mistake: The Side-Swept Comb-Over
That long, swooping side bang that stretches from ear to ear? It’s giving major comb-over energy! When these bangs separate throughout the day (and they always do), they draw attention to exactly what you’re trying to disguise.
Plus, constantly touching and readjusting them is a dead giveaway. Your forehead insecurities become your most obvious feature!