I have had so many curl mishaps in the past that my sister keeps a collection of photographs of legendary horrible hairdos to dissuade me should I decide to cut the front of my hair again. That has not stopped me from cutting my own curly bangs courtesy of a YouTube tutorial (below”> by the hilarious Mell. This wasn’t just a few wisps, I actually snipped my way to a whole new look.
However, I made mistakesin my quest for Natasha Lyonne’s curly bangs and I don’t want you to do the same, so we’re talking to a expert curl stylist about the best ways to cut and style curly bangs.
How to Cut Bangs on Curly Wavy Hair by Manes by Mell:
Embedded content: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTq03RkdRroThis is the video tutorial I followed. Bangs were a good decision for my fine curly hair. They instantly refreshed my layered cut, gave life to a section that is both unruly and flat at the same time, and made me feel somewhat edgy. They were a bit uneven, however, and required a quick fix from my hairdresser. I also made the mistake of cutting my hair when it was picked out. I recommend ensuring that your hair is in a styler cast before you break out the scissors.
In order to help you, my curly friend, embark on a successful bangs adventure, I enlisted the help of curly hair expert Evan Joseph of Evan Joseph Salon located in Columbus, Ohio. He is a fan of the fringe because he says that curly hair tends to have a lot of weight in the front, and bangs help relieve that weight. He prefers bangs to be proportionate to the rest of the cut.
Bang Cutting Mistakes to Avoid
Some mistakes that he sees people make when cutting bangs include the following:
- cutting curly bangs when the hair is wet
- cutting curly bangs in a straight line (as you know curls can shrink to different lengths”>
- starting the bangs too far forward in the front of the hair so that the other hairs fall forward and over the bangs
He suggests starting the bangs where the head starts to curve downward. He also recommends not cutting the hair too short. Cutting just below the brow or longer is optimal. If you want curtain bangs, for example, you will want hair that is even longer than the brow. (Yes, curlies can do the trendy curtain bangs, too.”>
Bangs Need Conditioning & Styling Too
For styling, he likes to ensure that the bangs are well-conditioned, and then he goes in with a styler. Some products he is loving right now are:
This brings up an important point: keep those bangs hydrated if you want good curl definition. Even if you plan to pick and fluff them out, moisturize first before using your styler. In the example styles that Evan provided, you can see the bangs are perfectly moisturized with lots of sheen and bounce.
Try slightly shorter bangs to draw attention to your eyes and brow bone, as shown below:
Image Source: @evanjosephcurls
The image below shows a gorgeous full fringe that just skims the brow.
Image Source: @evanjosephcurls
The pretty, elegant style highlights shiny, bouncy curls.
Image Source: @evanjosephcurls
If you’re rocking this latest copper curls trend, then bangs will help emphasize the beauty of your look.
Image Source: @evanjosephcurls
The following style with lots of layers and volume and curtain bangs is runway-worthy.
Image Source: @evanjosephcurls
How to Deal with Cowlicks
If you are ready to take the plunge with bangs, I have one last tip for those of you who, like me, have cowlicks in front of their heads. While these can be an asset when you are parting your hair against them (to bump up the volume at your hairline”>, they can also be a challenge because your bangs may have spots where the hair sticks up. To avoid this, I like to run a styling cream through wet bangs using my fingers in order to weigh down the hair, and then scrunch and shingle the bangs. I then create a horizontal line of hair clips across the forehead. This will encourage the bangs to lay evenly, and it also gives me a wave in the front of my hair.
What are your favorite bangs tips? Let us know in the comments.
Read next:25 Photos That Will Make You Want Curly Bangs
This article has been updated.
