Draw Attention away from Your Teeth

Woman with a stylish short haircut
Photo: StockLite/Shutterstock
Q: I’m a 20-year-old woman, and I’m not proud of my mouth. My teeth are crooked, and I feel they’re the first thing people notice about me. I’ve read that the right hairstyle can draw attention away from features you don’t like and instead emphasize your best ones.
 
How can I use a haircut to take attention away from my mouth and teeth? Are there certain elements in a hairstyle that direct the eye toward other parts of the face? My hair is currently straight and shoulder length, but I’m open to just about anything (long, medium, or even short hairstyles) if they’ll help me feel more confident.
 
A: One of the most effective ways to shift attention away from a feature you’re self-conscious about is to make something else the focal point. A great haircut can do that. Rather than trying to hide your mouth, the goal is to create visual interest elsewhere so that people notice your hair, your eyes, or your overall look first.
 
There are many ways to accomplish this. You can choose a dramatic haircut with asymmetrical lines, bold layering, or striking differences in length. These elements create movement and visual interest that draw the eye upward and around the face.
 

Hair Color & Styling

Hair color is another powerful tool. Glossy hair always attracts attention, and strategically placed highlights, lowlights, balayage, or fashion colors can make your hairstyle the feature people remember. Even subtle color enhancements can add dimension and shine without looking overdone.
 
Styling plays a major role as well. Soft waves, voluminous blowouts, textured pixie cuts, or sleek geometric styles can all become the center of attention. Hairstyles with movement tend to keep the eye traveling upward and around the head instead of settling on one facial feature.
 

Strategic Face-Framing

Face-framing elements deserve special consideration. Layers that begin around the cheekbones or eyes help direct attention to the upper half of the face. Side-swept bangs, curtain bangs, or a deep side part can also emphasize your eyes and eyebrows while softening the overall balance of your features. Volume at the crown of the head adds height and pulls the eye upward as well.
 
Just keep one simple rule in mind: avoid layers or blunt cuts that end right at your chin or mouth. Horizontal lines at that level act like little arrows directing the eye straight to your jaw and lips. Instead, aim for hairstyles that rest above your cheekbones or fall well below your collarbone.
 
Complementing your haircut with simple styling choices can amplify the effect. For instance, pairing an eye-focused haircut with subtle, nude lip shades rather than bright, high-contrast lipsticks keeps the focal point firmly on your upper face.
 
Face-framing hairstyles to move attention away from your mouth
 

Matching the Style to Your Personality

Many people choose a combination of techniques. The haircut provides the structure, the color adds dimension, and the styling brings everything together. When these elements work in harmony, they guide the viewer's attention toward your strongest features rather than the one you're hoping to minimize.
 
The exact look that's right for you depends on your personality and comfort level. Someone who enjoys making a fashion statement may love a bold asymmetrical haircut, vivid color accents, or a highly textured pixie. Someone who prefers a more classic appearance might feel much more comfortable with a sophisticated style that still accomplishes the same visual effect.
 

Tailoring Specific Hair Lengths

A hairstyle doesn't have to be shocking to be effective. Sometimes elegance is even more memorable than drama. A sleek, angled bob that falls past the jawline with clean lines, enhanced by a subtle tint and a gloss treatment for exceptional shine, can look very chic while naturally drawing attention to your hair's healthy appearance rather than any single facial feature.
 
If you prefer longer hair, consider long layers starting at the cheekbone with plenty of movement instead of one solid length. Soft waves, curtain bangs, or face-framing pieces can create balance and keep the hairstyle visually engaging.
 
Medium-length cuts like textured long bobs that land past the collarbone are another excellent option because they flatter many face shapes without drawing the eye to your lower face.
 
Elegant hairstyles to move attention away from your mouth
 

Long-Term Options

Remember that at 20, you have options if you ever decide you want to address your teeth directly. Modern orthodontics (like clear aligners or discreet bonding) are faster and far less visible than traditional metal braces, meaning you aren't stuck with a smile you dislike forever.
 
Confidence has a tremendous influence on how people perceive you. Rather than trying to disguise one feature, choose a hairstyle that celebrates your individuality and highlights what you love most about your appearance. Whether it's your eyes, your cheekbones, your hair color, or your personal style, making those features the stars of the show is far more effective than trying to make your mouth disappear.
 
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See also:
 
Hair coloring techniques for special effects
 
Hairstyle to draw attention to the eyes
 
Hairstyles to draw attention away from your chin