Alas, another thing to add to the list of things you didn’t know you needed to think about, but you do. Well, actually, you don’t need to think about your hair part at all — love your hairline for what it is! — but if you’ve been feeling blah about your hair lately or you just really, really want to find your perfect part, we’ve got the easiest little trick for finding it.
Basically, it’s all about the symmetry of your face. Just as with contouring, which can emphasize the angles of your face, drawing a part that works with your face shape can give you an entirely new appearance — in a good way. And the easiest way to do it is by looking at the arch of your eyebrows. Just trust us.
Take a rattail comb and place it against your forehead starting at the arch of your brow and angling it toward your hairline. This is essentially the drawing guide for your new part. Trace the line back through your hair, and divide your hair into the side part. Boom: It’s that easy (sorry if you expected something harder).
Why is this universally flattering? Because it’s incredibly forgiving on your face. Generally, a side part tricks the eye into seeing a softer symmetry to your face, which obscures any imbalances (say, a slightly crooked mouth, or uneven eyes). This is also why a true center part is often difficult to wear, since it splits the face in half and accentuates every unbalanced angle and feature.
Of course, there’s no mathematical equation for figuring out the best part for your hair or face shape, and if you love your middle part and hate yourself in a side part, then rock what you know. Because when it comes down to it, the best look is one that you’re comfortable in.
If all of this sounded like gibberish, check out this video below of beauty vlogger Silvia Reis discussing every single facet of hair parting that you didn’t know existed.