How to Get a Middle Part With Straight Hair (and Keep It)

6 min read · Glowmaxx

Here's how to get a middle part with straight hair: grow the front to at least the bridge of your nose, get the top cut with light layers so it isn't one heavy length, part it down the middle while it's wet, then blow-dry each side up and away from the part for a minute. Repeat daily for a week or two and your hair learns the new part. Straight hair flops out of a middle part because it's too heavy, too flat or trained the other way, and every step here fixes one of those.

If you're not sure whether the middle part is working or just making your face look flat in photos, Glowmaxx scores your hair from one selfie and tells you. Start my glow-up

Does your hair need a cut first?

Probably, yes. Most "my middle part won't stay" problems are cut problems.

Length check

• Fringe length: pull the front down. It should reach at least the bridge of your nose, ideally your cheekbones. Shorter than that and it'll stick up instead of falling.
• Sides: a low taper or scissor-cut sides keep it clean without fighting the curtains.

How to get a middle part haircut, men's version

Tell your barber: "I'm going for a middle part. Keep length at the front, at least to my nose. Add light layers through the top so it's not heavy. Taper the sides low, no fade line." That's all you need. If you have a strong cowlick at the front, read middle part with a cowlick first.

Middle part vs side part

Training a part from a side part

If you've had a side part for years, your hair has a memory. It'll snap back. Here's how to get a middle part from a side part.

The 10-day training routine

1. Wet your hair fully every morning. Dry hair doesn't retrain.
2. Comb a clean part straight down from the middle of your forehead. Line it up with your nose.
3. Push each side away from the part, using your fingers.
4. Blow-dry it in place (see below). Heat sets the direction.
5. At night, if it's long enough, brush it into the middle part before bed.

Expect a few days of it fighting you. Most straight hair settles within one to two weeks.

How to get a middle part without products

You can. Water plus a blow-dryer does most of the work. No blow-dryer? Part it wet, then lie the hair flat on each side with your palms and let it air-dry without touching it. It's less lift, but it trains the part.

Blow-dry for lift (2 minutes)

Straight hair's biggest enemy is flatness. A middle part with no lift at the roots looks like two sheets hanging off your head. Two minutes fixes it.

1. Towel-dry until damp, not dripping.
2. Part it in the middle.
3. Lift one side at the root with your fingers and point the dryer up from underneath. About 30 seconds per side.
4. Brush the ends back and away from your face so the curtains flick out.
5. Hit the cool setting for 10 seconds on each side. Cool air sets the shape.

That's the whole middle part flow move: roots up, ends back.

The annoying bit is you can't tell if it's working from the mirror, because you see it the same way every day. Glowmaxx scores your hair from 1 to 10 with a one-line note on each daily selfie, keeps your streak and timeline, and the day-one vs today card shows whether the training actually changed anything. Start my glow-up

Products for straight hair (1A to 2A)

Hair type 1A is very straight and fine. 2A is straight with a slight bend. Both need light products, because heavy ones weigh them down.

• Sea salt spray: texture and grip. Spray on damp hair before blow-drying.
• Pre-styler or volume spray: lift at the roots. The best for 1A hair.
• Light matte paste or cream: a pea-sized amount on the ends, never the roots.
• Skip: heavy gels, pomades and oils. They make straight hair separate and go greasy.

How to get a middle part with 1A hair

1A needs the most help. Get light layers, use a volume spray at the roots, blow-dry up, and keep product to the ends only. Wash every day or every other day, since fine hair gets flat fast when oily.

How to get a middle part to stay all day

The morning looks great, then by lunch it's collapsed. Here's how to maintain middle part flow.

• Don't touch it. Running your hands through it pulls it flat.
• Bring a small comb to reset the part after PE or a hat.
• Wash more often if you're oily. Oil is the number one reason straight hair goes limp by afternoon.
• Push it back with damp fingers if it falls. Water resets straight hair better than more product.
• Avoid hats for the first week of training.

Middle part styles to try

Classic curtains (e-boy middle part)

Longer front, curtains falling to the cheekbones, low taper sides. The e-boy middle part look.

Middle part flow

Longer all over, tucked behind the ears or flowing past them. Best for 2A hair with a bit of bend.

Short middle part

Just long enough to split, about to your eyebrows, with more texture. Easier if your school has hair rules.

Middle part mullet

Curtains in front, length at the back. See how to ask your barber for a mullet.

Check your middle part in one selfie

You now know how to get a middle part with straight hair. The last step is checking it works for you. Take a selfie and Glowmaxx scores your hair and four other levers, gives you a glow score out of 100 and three moves for today aimed at whatever's weakest.

Start my glow-up

FAQ

How do I get my straight hair to stay in a middle part?

Part it wet, blow-dry each side up from the roots and away from the part, then finish with cool air. Do it every day for one to two weeks so your hair learns the direction. A light volume spray helps fine hair hold it.

How long does it take to train hair to a middle part?

Usually one to two weeks of daily wetting, parting and blow-drying. Hair that had a side part for years may take a bit longer. Stick with it; skipping days resets progress.

Can you get a middle part with short hair?

You need the front long enough to reach at least your brows, and ideally your nose. Shorter than that and it tends to stand up. Grow it a few weeks and ask your barber to leave the front alone.

Why does my middle part look flat?

Straight hair is heavy and lies on the scalp. Lift the roots with a blow-dryer, use a light volume or sea salt spray, and avoid heavy products. Washing more often also helps if your scalp gets oily.

What haircut do I ask for to get a middle part?

Ask for length kept at the front (at least to your nose), light layers through the top, and a low taper or scissor-cut sides. Say "I want to wear a middle part" so your barber cuts for it.