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How to Hide a Big Forehead With Braids | 8 Methods

For many years, bangs have been the primary way to hide a big forehead. Long or short bangs are a controversial hair choice and don’t work for everyone.

If you find yourself wanting to hide part of your forehead, but you don’t like bangs, you might be looking for other ways to hide a big forehead. Bangs can conveniently hide a forehead but don’t work with every hairstyle or face shape.

If you have natural hair, you might have cornrows or braids. Is there a way to hide a large forehead with braids instead of bangs? The answer is yes.

There are several methods to styling your braids to hide your hair, whether you have a series of small braids or a few larger braids. If you don’t want to commit to wearing bangs or hats all the time, you can use braids to shape your face in a flattering way.

How to Hide a Big Forehead with Braids

The key to hiding a big forehead with braids is with a side part. The deeper your side part is, the more it will cover your forehead. However, you don’t want to go too deep with a side part because this can look a little pop-punk (a great style, but if it’s not yours, it’s not one to go for). 

However, whether you have a head full of braids or want to style your hair in a single braid, you can use your hair to hide and disguise your forehead.

It’s not about what other people think but about how you feel the most comfortable. If you want to change the appearance of your forehead, there are ways to do that.

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How to Hide a Big Forehead With Braids: 6 Methods

Black woman hiding her big forehead with braids in a white shirt over her shoulders

Beatriz Vera/Shutterstock

No matter your hairstyle, you can use it to your advantage. Face shape and hairstyle can work together to minimize the appearance of any of your features, but especially your forehead.

It’s not just about bangs or parting to the side – there are multiple ways to hide a prominent forehead with braids. Here are the top six. 

1. Side Braid 

The first method for minimizing your forehead while using braids involves parting your hair to the side. Take most of your hair and part it to the side so some of it swoops over your forehead.

You can decide how much is too much and how much hides enough of your forehead (without covering your eyes). Once you’ve parted your hair, you can braid it with a french braid or a regular braid, as long as you keep it angled towards the side with the most hair.

This will keep the swoop of hair at the best angle to hide more of your forehead. Having the braid on the same side will hold it in place. You can choose to braid your hair tightly or keep it loose – however you do it, secure it with a hair tie once you’re finished.

No matter your hair texture and personal style, there is a way of doing a side braid that will work with your outfit and hide part of your forehead. This style works well for everybody. 

2. Multiple Braids in a Side Part

If all of your hair is braided, it can be challenging to hide your forehead. However, with a side part, you can still change the overall shape of your face. There are a few ways to do this, but the easiest is to simply keep your hair in a side part and style it from there. 

Whether you plait all of your smaller braids into a larger braid or leave your hair down, a side part will increase the coverage on your forehead.

You can even part your hair down the side and put your braids into a low bun, ponytail, or two larger braids. The critical thing to remember is to keep any bun loose enough to cover your forehead. 

3. Braid Crown

If your hair is loose and not in multiple braids, you might want to put it up without pulling it all back away from your forehead. A tight bun or ponytail can make your forehead look more prominent, and that’s not the look we’re going for.

Instead, work on an elegant, simple braid crown with loose hairs to frame your face. Although the braid crown is challenging to master, it can be a great go-to for parties, events, and weddings.

Starting in the back of your head, french braid your hair around. You can use a YouTube tutorial or a step-by-step how-to guide for a braid crown. It’s possible to accentuate a braided crown with a tiara or flowers. 

There are several variations of the braid crown, which can be done if your hair is already braided. A fishtail braid crown is a unique way to create a crown and has a different style. You can leave loose braids or pieces of hair to frame your face and create a soft, alluring look. 

4. Braided Bangs

Of course, the traditional way to hide a high forehead is with bangs. Bangs go well with every hairstyle, including side braids and braid crowns. You can choose straight bangs or graduated bangs and disguise much of a larger forehead. 

However, you can also have bangs if your hair is braided. It’s uncommon but can look unique and fresh if you want to know what bangs would look like on your hair, bobby pins a few braids on top of your head, or put them in a top-knot with the ends hanging down.

You’ll be able to see exactly how it will look on your head. If you decide to cut bangs into your braids, you can accent them with beads, bangles, or braid-in accents.

You can style them in the same way as regular bangs or pin them back. However, your hair will be significantly shorter once you take your braids out. You can grow it out.

Read Next: How to Put Beads Into Your Braided Hair

5. Hair Height

If you have box braids or cornrows, you might find it even more challenging to hide your forehead. Well, don’t give up and start wearing hats all the time. You don’t need to cover your forehead to make it look smaller.

Instead, you can make your hair look bigger. Adding height to your hair will make your entire face look a little longer and bring a larger forehead into better proportions.

To do this well, experiment with different styles of top knots or high ponytails and try out a few other things. However, with the right type, you’ll notice that your forehead doesn’t look quite as big. Although this isn’t the same as actively hiding your forehead, it can work to contour your face.

Leave one or two braids out of the top not to frame your face and see what that looks like. Everyone’s face and style are different, so you’ll need to try a few different things out to see what you like most. 

6. Tendrils or Hair Accessories

Another standard method to offset a large forehead is to use hair accessories like beads, shells, or clips. Clip these on the sides of your hair near your forehead, tuck a few strands back into bobby pins, or experiment with accessories in your hair. 

Using accessories or leaving tendrils out of hairstyles is not a method to distract from your forehead. Instead, it works to frame your face and complete the look. A few loose braids around your face might give your forehead softer edges and an overall better look. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Woman using braids to hide a big forehead while standing in a crop top outside a building

Dan Rentea/Shutterstock

Here are some frequently asked questions about braids and big foreheads. We hope they answer your questions and help you find the perfect hairstyle. 

Which hairstyles look good on a big forehead?

Many hairstyles look good on a big forehead, especially those with side parts. High buns, side braids, crown braids, and top knots all look excellent with a prominent forehead. Bangs work as well.

How can I reduce my forehead size naturally?

While there is no natural way to reduce the size of your forehead, you can make it look smaller through hairstyles, makeup, and face contouring. Many people get used to the way their forehead looks and don’t feel the need to change after a while.

How many fingers is a big forehead?

While you shouldn’t be comparing yourself to others, and everyone’s face has a unique shape, some people do have larger foreheads than others. A large forehead is usually considered a forehead that fits five finger widths.

So, How Do You Hide a Big Forehead with Braids?

The primary way to hide a prominent forehead is to use a side part. The more hair is on one side of your head, the more likely you are to hide part of your forehead.

However, you can also use a crown braid or a side braid to accentuate one side of your face and leave some loose tendrils or braids around your face. Trust us — your hair (and your confidence) will thank you!