Bangs are the ultimate way to add some edge to your look while beautifully framing your face. But the key to pulling off this versatile ‘do is learning how to style bangs to suit your natural texture. By mastering a few simple techniques, you can create a hairstyle with bangs that’s effortlessly chic and totally you. Read more to discover how to style bangs in just a few simple steps.
Why Are Bangs So Popular?
Bangs are having a major moment, and it’s easy to see why. With so many styles of bangs to choose from, there's something for everyone. You can rock bangs at any hair length, from short styles with bangs (hello, French bob) to princess-length locks with airy wisps. Plus, you can choose different styles of bangs based on your vibe and style. For example, blunt bangs scream boldness and edge, while curtain bangs help effortlessly elevate your look and give off retro-cool energy. Meanwhile, side-swept bangs are timelessly romantic, and delicate Korean air bangs add a soft, playful touch to any hairdo.
Good hair day by @nehajiandani
How Do You Choose the Right Style of Bangs?
Despite their many benefits, bangs are generally not a one-size-fits-all look: Your hair type should be a deciding factor in the cut you choose and how you decide to style your bangs. If you're rocking straight hair, you may find that pulling off sharp, sleek bangs is easy and manageable. This is in contrast to wavy, curly, and coily hair, which may require a bit more shaping and styling intervention to get bangs to lay just right. You'll want to team with your stylist to find a look that flatters your face shape, matches your vibe, and works with your hair's natural texture.
It's also essential to keep maintenance in mind. Some styles of bangs, like blunt bangs, need frequent trims or dustings to stay fresh, while other styles, like curtain bangs, can grow out more seamlessly and with less maintenance. Whether you're going for a dramatic transformation or a subtle change, choosing the right bangs means considering the final look and how much time and effort you're ready to invest in keeping them looking their best.
Good hair day by @haleemckenzie
How To Prep Your Bangs for Styling
As with any hairstyle, you'll want to shampoo and condition your hair according to your hair type. Keeping your bangs clean and hydrated prevents product build-up and ensures they fall just right. Make sure your shampoo gives your bangs that fresh, bouncy feel, and use a lightweight conditioner to avoid weighing them down. Pureology’s Pure Volume Duo is a great prep system for bangs; together, the pair helps clarify hair and scale your strands up to add lift and movement from root to tip.
Once you finish shampooing and conditioning, it's all about choosing the right products based on your final style. If you use hot tools, a heat protectant is a non-negotiable to keep your strands looking healthy and sleek. Styling creams or lightweight mousses can help define your fringe’s shape and fight frizz, especially in wavy or curly textures (many of these formulas work well as air-drying products, too).
If your bangs require blow-drying, use a small round brush to shape your bangs while aiming the dryer downward to minimize flyaways. For a salon-like finish, dry them in sections, sweeping from side to side for curtain bangs or straight down for blunt bangs. You'll be left with a smooth, flawless fringe that will look gorgeous all day (or night).
Good hair day by @dama.beauty
How to Style Bangs in 5 Steps
Discover how to style bangs and achieve salon-quality results at home with these simple steps. Plus, a few quick fixes for those inevitable bad bang days.
1. Section your bangs
Start by sectioning your bangs properly. Use a fine-tooth comb to separate your bangs from the rest of your hair, and clip the rest back to keep things clean and precise as you work.
2. Decide whether to heat style
Depending on your hair type and styling goals, you should decide if you want to use hot tools to finesse your bangs. Heatless techniques, like finger coiling, self-grip rollers, and air-drying with clips, can help coax definition out of curly hair types, prevent damage, and minimize frizz. Heat styling, on the other hand, may be necessary to promote volume or help your fringe hold its shape. This brings us to our next point…
Select the right tools
If you choose to go heat-free, you can skip this step. However, if you’ve opted for heat styling, it’s time to pick the best styling tool. First, think of the look you’re trying to achieve and then grab the right tool accordingly. Here’s a quick cheat sheet on the finishes you can expect from dryers, irons, or rollers:
- Blow dryer: Best for creating soft, voluminous, and textured bangs with natural movement.
- Flat iron: Ideal for sleek, polished, and straight bangs with a smooth finish.
- Hot rollers: Effective for adding volume, curls, and soft flips to bangs for a more glamorous result.
4. Lock in your look
Once styled, set your look with the perfect finishing touch. A texturizing spray like the Matrix High Amplify Proforma Hairspray can add hold and volume, while a smoothing hair oil such as the Shu Uemura Art of Hair Essence Absolue Nourishing Protective Hair Oil can keep things sleek and shiny. Either way, your bangs will look runway-ready.
5. Touch up as needed
Though you don’t need to style your bangs every day (this can be a recipe for breakage and split ends), you may want to use styling and finishing products to refresh your bangs in between styling sessions. You can walk out the door looking your best by using a serum to smooth straight bangs or a curl refresher spray to wake up curly fringe. Keey greasy bangs at bay by having a dry shampoo, like Redken Deep Clean Dry Shampoo, handy for mid-week touch-ups so your bangs can look and feel fresh.
Bad hair day? We’ve all been there. Grab some accessories—headbands, pins, or cute clips. You can even sweep them to the side for a stylish and chic fix.
Good hair day by @ryennesnow.hair
How To Style Bangs Based on Your Hair Type
Your bangs are as unique as your hair type, and styling them to perfection means working with, not against, your natural texture. The right techniques can take your bang haircut from basic to breathtaking. Here’s how to style your bangs and make them look good, no matter your hair type.
Good hair day by @teppei_kuwabara and @chura_crescendo
Straight hair: Straight hair can sometimes leave bangsa too flat—but don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Add a touch of Biolage Professional Hydra Source Blow Dry Shaping Lotion to damp hair before styling to give strands that airy, lifted feel. The lightweight shaping lotion will help hold your ‘do while also providing heat protection. Remember—it’s all about using lightweight products that won't weigh down your bangs and leave them looking limp.
Next, blow-dry your bangs with a medium to large round brush, lifting them up at the roots for extra bounce and lasting body.
Good hair day by @salonnaman
Wavy hair: Your natural waves are the perfect base for creating soft, effortlessly cool bangs. After washing, enhance your texture by scrunching in a light styling cream (our pick is Redken's Hydrating Curl Cream, which also offers heat protection). Then, use a diffuser or let your bangs air-dry to encourage their natural wave pattern formation. Finally, spritz on Pureology’s Style + Protect Beach Waves Sugar Spray to help hold the shape of your waves. The result? Bangs that look perfectly undone, in the best way.
Good hair day by @tippishorter
Curly hair: Curly bangs are a total showstopper. Prevent frizz by applying a curl-defining cream or gel while your hair is damp. Try Mizani True Textures Curl Defining Lotion to give your curls long-lasting moisture and definition. For more definition, wrap small sections of hair around your fingers to help shape each curl. A quick spritz of a curl refresher like Mizani Style Shifter Society Coco Dew Curl (P)restyling Spray during the day can help keep them bouncy and fabulous.
Good hair day by @bytaylorchere
Coily hair: When it comes to coily bangs, it’s aembtheir natural wow factor. Apply the Mizani True Textures Perfect Coil Oil Gel to moisturize, define, and elongate your coils. If you want even more elongation after they dry, stretch the curls slightly by using the banding method, wrapping a hair tie at the root of your bangs. Or use a blow-dryer and aim the nozzle down at the roots while stretching to reduce shrinkage. If you’re all about that volume, let your coils dry naturally and fluff them out gently with your fingers.
Next Up: 24 Types Of Bangs For Every Face Shape And Hair Texture
Ready to try bangs? Use our salon locator to book an appointment now. And be sure to take our Hair Quiz to discover more personalized haircare advice.
Header photo credit: @dama.beauty
