There are a few things to consider when thinking about how to style your curtain bangs. Though versatile and flattering for pretty much everyone, not all curtain bangs are the same. How you style curtain bangs with straight hair will differ from how you style naturally curly hair. And if you’re looking for easy ways to style curtain bangs at home, you’ll need the right tools.
Here, the experts break down all their tips and tricks to styling the universally beloved bangs for every hair type. Read on to learn more.
Key Takeaways
- Curtain bangs are versatile and flattering, but styling them depends on your hair type.
- When styling curtain bangs, experts say you’ll want to work with your natural hair texture.
Why try curtain bangs now?
Curtain bangs never go out of style, but they’re particularly popular at the moment amongst celebrities, the fashion set, and influencers. Suki Waterhouse has long sworn by her mussed-up curtain bangs, while Dakota Johnson, Laura Harrier, Anne Hathaway, and Daisy Edgar-Jones are all also fans.
Our Favorite Way to Style Curtain Bangs
If you’ve got curtain bangs and don’t really know how to style them, you’re not alone. Even those that are freshly cut don’t necessarily fall into the perfect position after being washed. The key, says hairstylist Larry King, lies in the direction you style them.
“You shouldn’t really dry curtain bangs while hair is parted in the middle, because you end up getting a flick around the face, instead of it flowing into the rest of the haircut,” he explains. “Instead, blow-dry the whole fringe forward over your face.” As you pull hair forward, make sure to curl it around a round brush to help the fringe settle into the rest of the cut. Then you can part it in the middle.
For grit and hold, King also recommends using a hair mousse. “You can do this using a comb, or if you’re looking for major volume, apply the mousse to the round brush itself, then blow-dry,” he explains. Once you’ve achieved a strong shape and hold to the fringe, mess the hair up with your fingers and use a styling cream to separate the hair a bit. “Daisy Edgar-Jones’s hair is the perfect example of this at the moment—her hairstylist adds lots of texture and separation to the hair,” he says.
Another way to achieve the curtain bangs of your dreams? “Add a very soft mousse, something that’s not very sticky, to the hair, then slowly pin the fringe into the area you want it,” says King. “If it’s a long fringe, you can pin it back behind the ears, for example.” After that, he recommends using a diffuser to dry the style, which will help keep the pinned look in place until it’s let out. Then, like magic, it should fall into place.
Styling Tips for Different Hair Types
How you style your curtain bangs depends on what hair type you have. The experts break it down like this:
Celebrity hairstylist David von Cannon says curtain bangs work great with wavy hair because hair naturally has movement. He recommends keeping them slightly longer and softly layered so they part easily. You’ll want to use a light wave spray and style them away from the face with a round brush or diffuser.
“The key here is stretching and smoothing, not straightening flat,” says celebrity hairstylist Joseph Maine. He recommends blow-drying curly bangs with tension. Depending on how you want your curls to look, use a dryer with a concentrator attachment, thermal brush, or diffuser.
Von Cannon says that soft and wispy curtain bangs work best if you’re working with fine hair. You’ll want to focus on a light lift at the roots and then blow-dry to get that airy feel.
How to Style Curtain Bangs with Different Tools and Products
In general, you’ll want to use a round brush and a blow-dryer to style your curtain bangs. Von Cannon recommends a small-to-medium round brush, which is helpful for straight hairstyles, and a diffuser for wavy and curly hair. Maine likes using a thermal brush for ease, a flat iron for touch-ups, and creaseless clips for setting hair into place.
As for styling products, Maine recommends a lightweight thermal protectant, a volumizing or smoothing cream, and a flexible hairspray. Von Cannon agrees, and his favorites include a wave spray like the R+Co Bleu Rose Water Spray and the Living Proof Full Blow-Dry Thickening Cream.
How to Fix Curtain Bangs Throughout the Day
If your curtain bangs lose their shape as you go about your day, it’s an easy fix. Von Cannon says that you can reset them with your fingers or a comb and set them with a light styler or with water to reactivate the original styling. Maine adds that you can use dry shampoo (but sparingly) at the root to boost volume and keep bangs from looking too oily.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
One of the first mistakes you’ll want to avoid, says Von Cannon, is cutting your bangs too short; longer lengths are not only more versatile, they’re also easier to style and more forgiving as they grow out. You’ll want to work with and not against your natural texture, as curtain bangs work best with how your hair naturally falls, he says.
And though they are considered the universal bang, Maine adds that you’ll still want to consider your face shape when cutting your curtain bangs. “Curtain bangs should frame, not overwhelm,” he says.
Both experts say that overstyling happens way too often, but it’s an easy mistake to fix. Von Cannon says that too much product or heat can make curtain bangs look heavy and disconnected (“they should feel soft and natural,” he says), so be sure to use lightweight styling products and don’t overuse those hot tools. The best way to style them is to add lift and use the right tools, like a round brush, to get that soft movement.
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