Tips for Great Bangs With Curly Hair

By Devon Abelman, Allure

Bangs are a commitment no matter what your hair texture is. However, if you have natually curly hair, you have an added dose of unpredictability. If they are too short, they could spring up like a Jack-in-the-box. If they are too long, they end up looking like an uneven, chunky layer. I speak from experience, as someone with natural ringlets. In high school, I used to straighten my blunt Zooey Deschanel bangs every morning, and if the iron got too hot, I'd have major flyaways. I got so tired of the process that I ended up pinning them back until they grew out. To avoid all of this happening to me and my fellow curly-haired people in the future, I asked hairsty lists to share their tips for cutting bangs if you have curly hair.
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1. Keep your climate in mind.

Before you even get to the salon, consider the humidity in your city. You're probably fully aware of how the moisture in the air affects your curl pattern. The same applies to bangs. Humidity can make them "pop up and become bigger," says hairstylist Wes Sharpton, who you can find giving the perfect, effortless textured cuts at Hairstory in New York City. You'll want to let your stylist know if this happens, so they can make adjustments to your bang trim.

2. Long, 70's-style bangs are your best bet.

Every stylist I talked to used the '70s as a reference for the best bang style for curly hair across the board, particularly Jennifer Beals's long bangs in Flashdance. (More recently, Zendaya has tried out the style, as well as model Mica Arganaraz.) "I find [people with naturally curly hair] have more options with a longer length, like wearing it to the side or a center part," celebrity hairstylist Ryan Trygstad tells Allure. "I would recommend brow length in the middle and gradually get longer toward the temples." You also have the option pin your bangs back off your face when they are longer, he adds.

Shorter bangs, on the other hand, can be harder to control. "If the bangs are cut too short, it isn’t always flattering," say Luca Blandi, a celebrity hairstylist who recently gave me the perfect shoulder-grazing lob at Oscar Blandi Salon in New York City. "As a stylist, I know that shorter bangs with curly hair is harder to style."
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3. Ask your stylist to cut your bangs dry.

Cutting your whole head in general when it's dry is always a good choice, but it's particularly helpful for your bangs. It takes out the guesswork for how your bangs will dry into their natural texture. "If you have naturally curly hair, you should consider how much your curls will shrink up when it’s cut shorter," Sharpton explains. "The best approach is to have them cut dry. There is less surprise whenever they curl and pop up."

4. They should start a bit longer, too.

No, your stylist won't think you're bossy if you ask them to also do this. You'll be much happier in the long run for speaking up. Why? "It can be useful to ask your stylist to start a little longer so that you can check them out after they’re cut and see how your hair responds," Sharpton suggests. You can go home, wash your hair yourself, and see how your bangs dry with your daily routine. From there, you can always go shorter.
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5. If they are done right, you shouldn't have to do anything to them at home.

As Sharpton puts it, "the point of wearing your naturally curly hair curly is that it requires less manipulation, so there isn’t a lot of heat styling." With that in mind, you shouldn't have to break out a flatiron like I did in high school. Instead, all you need is a dime-sized amount of two products and time to air dry your hair. The order in which you should apply the products, though, and which ones to use depends on who you ask

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