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So, you’ve been thinking about getting bangs. Join the club! Fringes are one of those classic hairstyles that never fall out of fashion, making it tempting to try them out for yourself at one point or another.
And it makes sense why the style is so popular. Bangs can be tailored to pretty much all hair curl types and textures, and the types of fringes to choose from vary widely: There are curtain bangsstraight cut fringes, micro bangs, and framing styles, just to name a few. (ICYDK; There are 14 types of bangs!) And that means the style has the potential to flatter just about anyone.
They’re also a great way to quickly and dramatically switch up your look. “They can completely change people’s perception of you and your perception of yourself,” says Julie Dickson, a hairstylist and owner of Joon Dropa salon in New York City, “but you don’t necessarily have to cut any length off of your hair.” What more could you ask for?
Meet the experts: Julie Dickson is a hairstylist and owner of Joon Dropa salon in New York City. Kara Browning is the salon director at The Bird House Salon in New York City. Bryce Scarlett is a celebrity hairstylist who has worked with Margot Robbie, Brie Larson, and Gigi Hadid.
That said, bangs are a relatively large time commitment since they can take a while to grow out (especially if your hair is curly), so it’s not a look you should jump into blindly when feeling unsure about it. If you’re still deciding whether to take the leap, read on to learn everything you should ask yourself first. Pro tip number one: Back awaaay from the scissors—you shouldn’t cut your bangs yourself.
Here’s what else to keep in mind.
Do you know exactly what do you want?
Before sitting down in the salon chair, it’s helpful to have a strong idea of what you’d like your bangs to look like. The better you’re able to demonstrate your goal to your stylist, the more they’ll be able to help you achieve that. Essentially, it’s all about being on the same page, says Kara Browning, director at The Bird House Salon in New York City.
The best way to accomplish this? Reference photos, additions Bryce Scarletta celebrity hairstylist who has worked with Margot Robbie, Brie Larson, and Gigi Hadid. “I like to see as many pictures as possible,” Browning adds. “Both of what you like and what you don’t like.” There are several factors to keep in mind when hunting for reference pictures, Browning says: Your hair type, hair thickness and your face shape. Keeping these traits in mind can help you narrow down the type of fringe that might be best for you.
Photos of people rocking a similar hair type as your own will give you a good understanding of what your bangs will look like on a day-to-day basis, Browning says. Unless you’re planning to straighten your hair everyday, for instance, it’s not very helpful to refer to a picture of someone with pin straight bangs when your own locks are curly, she adds. Similarly, it might not be realistic to aspire to a thick, heavy and blunt fringe if your hair is naturally fine, Browning says. As such, try to use pictures of a celebrity who looks like you, Scarlett says. “See if they’ve had bangs before to see what suits them,” he says. “It’s always fantastic to find a muse that may resemble you.”
A few factors to consider.
Once you’ve got a good idea of the type of style you want, it can be helpful to keep a few things in mind (your stylist will likely factor all of the below into their recommendations, too):
Your face shape. This can play a big role in the type of bang that might be best for you. Rest assured, there’s a style out there for everyone, but that doesn’t necessarily mean all bangs flatter every person, Scarlett says. Beauty is subjective, of course. But Dickson likes to give her clients bangs that will give their face a lifted and sculpted look, she says. For example, folks with a rounder face might want a bang “with a blunt or a geometric edge to it because that’s not going to accentuate the roundness,” Browning says. If you have a heart-shaped face, a curtain bang or wispy fringe might be best, she says. The same is true if you have a more square-shaped face, she adds.
Your hair growth pattern. This is particularly important to consider for the hairs closest to your hairline, Browning says. If you have a strong part in your hair or struggle to tame a cowlickfor instance, it can be tricky to get your bangs to lay down flat, Dickson adds, which can be pretty frustrating. But cowlicks are common, so having one doesn’t mean you can’t get bangs. It just means your stylist may have to get a bit more creative with how they cut and style your fringe.
How much time you can commit to upkeep. Bryce says that how often you need to get them trimmed depends on their style: “If they are extremely blunt and heavy, trim them every three to six weeks,” he says. “If they are thinner and wispier, I would say every eight to twelve weeks.” So if you’re willing to regularly visit the salon to keep your bangs looking fresh, you might be a good candidate for blunt bangs or micro bangs, experts say. If that’s not how you’d like to spend your time, you may be better off with a lower-maintenance cut like curtain bangs.
If you’re still struggling to decide on a specific style of bang after considering all these factors, here’s a good rule of thumb: “I would recommend starting with a softer, thinner bang,” Scarlett says, “and you can always go thicker from there.”
How to maintain your bangs at home.
Regardless of the type of fringe, stylists strongly recommend visiting a professional for touch-ups rather than trying to cut them yourself, at least at first. Hairstylists use certain scissors and specialized techniques to cut bangs. And when you’re not experienced, it’s easy to accidentally make them look jagged, uneven, or shorter than you originally intended, Browning says. After visiting your stylist, “you can ask the professional to help you learn how to maintain them at home” if you’re not up for paying for trims regularly, Scarlett says. (Although some salons offer bang maintenance haircuts for free.)
Trimming your bangs won’t be the only aspect of maintaining them. You also have to style them. Every day. For multiple months. (More on that below.) Everyone’s hair grows at different rates, but for many, bangs can take a full year to grow out to the point where they’re unnoticeable, Browning says. So if the idea of having to style them day after day feels intimidating, you may want to think twice before heading to the salon—especially if you have curly hair. “If you have curly hair, the grow-out period is even longer,” Scarlett says. “It’s more of a commitment.”
Bangs can also potentially cause more breakouts on your forehead, especially if your hair and skin tend to be on the oily side. When you have bangs, your hair touches your face…a tear. So if you aren’t diligently washing your face and hair, you might find yourself experiencing more acne in that area than normal.
It’s not inevitable, though! Just be sure to follow the best at home skincare routine for acne (which involves a gentle cleanser, an acne treatment product, a retinoid, a moisturizer, and SPF) and wash your hair before it gets too oily, too.
The at-home tools you’ll need for maintenance.
The exact way you’d like to style your bangs is up to you, of course. But there are some staples that stylists recommend you have in your drawer. They include:
Hair brush: Browning is a fan of boar bristle paddle brushes as opposed to round brushes for styling bangs, she says. They’re good for smoothing hair out, and when they’re used with heat styling tools like blow dryers, they can help you create your desired bang shape while keeping them pretty close to your face, too, she says. Round brushes, meanwhile, can sometimes create an unnatural curl that’s too rounded and far from the forehead, she adds.
Dry shampoo: For many people, dry shampoo is essential for having a fringe, Scarlett says. Remember how they can get oily, fast? Well, dry shampoo can help you keep your bangs looking fresh, even when you’ve had to skip washing your hair once or twice. (‘Cause hey, life happens.) But keep in mind that dry shampoo isn’t the best option for folks with curly hair, Dickson says, because it can easily lead to build up and create frizz.
Hair clips: If there’s a specific shape you’re trying to create with your bangs, clips are the perfect way to do that without exposing your hair to heat and running the risk of damage, Dickson says. She’s a fan of creaseless flat clips, she adds, which can be used after bangs are washed and styled to help hold a shape in place. “And then it usually lasts all day,” she says.
A spray bottle: Anyone who’s ever had bangs knows that, oftentimes, “when you wake up in the morning, you’ll look crazy,” Dickson says. But don’t worry, there’s an easy solution: water. Investing in a good ol’ spray bottle will help you wet your hair, brush your bangs in the direction you want, and then style them using a blow dryer, curl defining creams or mousses (depending on the texture and thickness of your bangs) or simply by letting them air dry. And then, boom, you’ve got a picture-perfect fringe.
Here are some specific bang essentials that Women’s Health editors love:
The Boar Hair Brush No. 003 for Fine, Thin Hair
This brush practically does it all: It helps tame frizz, increase volume and smooth out your tresses. However, it’s best for wavy and straight hair, and may not be the best option for folks rocking curly and coily bangs.
Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo
If you’re struggling with a buildup of sweat, dirt and oil in your bangs, this dry shampoo can help. Bonus points: It smells good, too.
Living Proof
Continuous Mist Spray Bottle
If you wake up and your bangs are looking unkempt, look no further than this spray bottle. It offers smooth, clog-free spraying and delivers an even, ultra-fine mist. Use it to help refresh bangs in the morning or in between hair wash days.
KITSCH
Creaseless Hair Clips for Women
These professional-strength hair clips can help secure hold on your bangs without leaving bends or dents in your hair. Plus, they can be used to hold your bangs out of the way while you wash your face, sleep, or exercise.
KITSCH
Phew…let’s be real, bangs can be a lot of work. They require upkeep and styling, and there’s oh so many styles to choose from. But as long as you’re ready to commit to them, bangs can be one of the most fun, flattering ways to switch things up. So if you’re still on the fence, take this as your sign: maybe it’s time to embrace the fringe. “I think everyone should go for it at least once,” Browning says.
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