Laura Harrier’s curtain bangs work just as well when she wears her hair up as down. MEGA
Curtain bangs are one of the most versatile, face-framing cuts you can have. Flattering on every face shape, popular with French girls, and easy to grow out if you don’t like them, they’re the non-committal way to tap into bangs and a fresh new look.
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. British Vogue’s August cover star, Suki Waterhouse, has long sworn by her mussed-up curtain bangs, while Dakota Johnson, Laura Harrier, and Anne Hathaway are all also fans. Not forgetting Daisy Edgar-Jones, whose hair game has leveled up by several notches during her recent Twisters press tour.
How 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 perfect position after being washed. The key, says hairstylist Larry King, lies in the direction you style them.
Blow dry forward
“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.
Use mousse
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.
Pin and diffuse
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.
This article was originally published on Vogue.com.
