The Ultimate Guide To Styling Your Bangs
ALL PHOTOGRAPHES BY LAUREN PERLSTEIN; HAIR STYLED BY SHAUN SURETHING.
Of all the many hair trends that come and go, there’s one that we rely on to always be relevant. It’s more enduring than the jaw-length bob, more classic than the swoop, and suitable for nearly every hair length. That’s right, we’re talking about bangs. While many of us here at R29 have had a fringe of some sort since we were five years old (literally), others are brand-new members of the Bangs Society. And, despite our various levels of fringe expertise, we were all wondering the same thing: What in the world can we do to change up our bangs?
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You see, while we love our bangs dearly, they’re often overlooked when it comes to styling. Sometimes we just find ourselves itching to switch our part, to change the texture, even to cut them ourselves. So, we called up Shaun SureThing, lead stylist and co-owner of Seagull Salon, for some fresh, creative ways to play with our bangs. Seagull is known for creating some of the edgiest ‘dos in town, so we knew he was just the person to take our fringes from basic to eye-catching.
Read on for everything you ever wanted to know about styling bangs of all kinds — and, if you don’t have bangs, we’ve even included how to fake them.
Alex McGinn, associate sales development manager
When you have curly hair, styling bangs is tricky business. Short, curly bangs can often enter poodle territory. And, straightened bangs, while pretty, can look overdone — especially if you’re going for more of an effortless vibe. So, we asked SureThing to show us how to make the texture of Alex’s bangs blend seamlessly with the rest of her gorgeous locks.
First, secure all the hair back except for your bangs and a few longer pieces framing your face. Spray them with water to dampen them, and then separate into five pieces. Twist each piece with your fingers while working in a texturizing cream. (We used Kevin Murphy Hair Resort Beach Texturizer.)
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Secure each twist with clips, and then blowdry.
Undo the clips and gently massage the twists at their roots, separating out the hair. Work in an anti-frizz cream to make each wave smooth and piece-y at the ends.
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Run a comb through it once — or not, depending on how defined you want the pieces to be. And, there you go: a wavy texture that looks completely natural and blends perfectly.
Amanda Saviñón, photo assistant
So, let’s say you don’t have bangs, but don’t want to miss out on the fun, either. There’s a totally attainable fringe in your future. Read on.
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First, tie a ponytail on top of your head, as close to your forehead as possible. Don’t pull it all the way through, though. Make a loop through the hair band so that your hair hangs to the bang length you want.
Fasten your favorite headscarf around your hairline.
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Next, straighten the “bangs” so that they fall naturally into your face.
Just like that, the perfect bohemian bangs were born.
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Leeann Duggan, staff writer
Long, blunt bangs are classic and chic. But, if you want to change them up for something a little more daring, a quick snip or two is just the trick.
SureThing handed Leeann a pair of chunking shears, and instructed her to give her bangs a single chop about one inch up. This created a jagged divide of short and long pieces. After the initial chop, she went in with thinning shears, snipping the very ends of the shorter pieces so that they blended with the longer pieces.
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The final look is extremely flattering, and — like any DIY haircut — a little bit punk rock. However, if you’re not feeling up for this self-cut, we recommend just taking this picture of Leeann to your stylist. She’ll know what to do.
Piera Gelardi, executive creative director
Middle bangs are great just how they are. But, why not change 'em up? While most middle bangs aren’t long enough to become side bangs, SureThing showed us a little magic trick to create the illusion of the perfect side-swept fringe.
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Create a deep side part, brushing your hair tightly behind your ear. Your bangs should now be underneath a curtain of longer hair, so that it looks like you have a heavy side fringe. Sprinkle your hair with a texturizing powder (we like Big Sexy Hair Powder Play Volumizing & Texturizing Powder) for an extra-strong hold, and tuck a bobby pin in to create definition between the “side bangs” and the rest of the hair.
Bring all of your hair over one shoulder, and add a few bobby pins in the back to hold it in place. You can also curl the long pieces for extra elegance. SureThing used a curling iron and then tousled the curls for a chic, messy look.
By Gabrielle Korn
