What to Do With Your Sweaty Bangs During the Summer
I’ve been a member of the bang gang now for almost a decade, and nine months out of the year, I love them. They add some interest to my long, fine hair and make me feel a little edgy and rock and roll. But in the summer, my statement look starts to make one statement only and that is “I am very bad at styling my hair.”
I’ve stopped even bothering to style my bangs because 20 minutes in the park with my son or underground waiting for a train turns them into a sweaty, bedraggled mess. So I’ve been observing other bangs-y ladies in the wild and scouring Pinterest for the best looks to get my bangs the hell out of my face. And I got in touch with hairstylist Chai Brooks of Fox and Jane Salon in New York City for some expert tips.
The good news: My sisters with bangs, you do not have to look like crap all summer!
Related: The 7 Stages of Having Bangs
First a note on styling:
I’m of the opinion that in the summer, you have to wash your bangs every day. If you aren’t already, you should avail yourself of the “wash your bangs in the sink” method. Chai also recommends avoiding conditioner.
Then, when blow-drying, she says to “hold the dryer overhead, and use your fingers, directing the hair left and right from the root and then straight down.” I suggest doing this in an air-conditioned room or in front of a fan, since otherwise the heat from the dryer will start you sweating into them. And once a little bit of sweat gets into your bangs, you’re done. You’ll try to dry them again, but it won’t work. You’ve got to start all over.
Also get yourself of a quality dry shampoo to add volume and texture to your limp spaghetti bangs. Chai recommends Death Valley Dry Shampoo by R+Co and their Foil Frizz and Static Control Spray, because “it acts as a barrier for humidity, frizz, and static without weighing down your hair.
Related: How to Get the Best Bangs for Your Face Shape
Once you’re prepped, try one of these styles.
Carey Mulligan’s quirky yet cut fold-over bang twist simply works. (Photo: Getty Images)
The Fold-Over Bang Twist
The easiest and most obvious way to get your bangs out of your face is to just bobby-pin them to the side. But it can look a little utilitarian and unfinished, so I love this tutorial that has you fold a piece of hair over the bobby pin, creating a much more stylish look that took a ridiculously small amount of effort.
Just pull a 1 ½-inch section of hair forward before pulling your bangs over to the side and pinning them at the temple. Then, you fold the original section over the pinned hair and hold in place by vertically inserting another bobby pin.
Related: 5 Products That Make Your Bangs Actually Manageable
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley’s side twist is an easy way to keep your fringe off your face. (Photo: Getty Images)
If you fall into a Pinterest rabbit hole, you’re going to discover a lot of complicated braid hairstyles. And, yes, we all want to be a khaleesi, but I’m pretty sure they have handmaidens to handle their styling needs.
So for the busy or relatively unskilled among us, this twist is the gold standard for lazy bangs styling. All you have to do is brush your bangs all the way to one side, then grab a 1 ½-inch section of hair as close to the crown as you can, and twist tightly until your twist is long enough to be pinned to the side of your head.
Chai suggests using a flexible styling gel as you twist, like Motorcycle from R+Co.
Once you’ve pinned your twist, pull your other hair forward to cover the pin and you’ve got a cute but easy bangs style that will actually stay put, unlike just pinning pin your bangs to the side.
If you’re dealing with longer bangs, or have more nimble fingers than I do, you can basically do this same style as a braid.
Related: 8 Lazy, 60-Second Hairdos for Busy Girls
Take a cue from Jessica Alba. Part your bangs right down the center, and twist up and away! (Photo: Getty Images)
Alternately, you can twist bangs to both sides, which gives kind of a “fairy tale princess at Coachella” feel. Just part your bangs down the middle, then pull a little bit of longer hair into each section before twisting each to the side and securing with a pin or clip. The pin will be visible, so this might be a good time for pretty, sparkly hair jewelry like those butterflies we used to wear in the ’90s. Remember those?
I actually left my hair styled like this for the rest of the day, so you know I was into it.
Hannah Davis’s tiered ponytail is a genius way to style your strands in a sleek ’do. (Photo: Getty Images)
Just want to pull your hair off your neck but your bangs aren’t long enough to stay in your ponytail? Try the tiered pony, in which you pull several different sections of hair into a ponytail that starts with a small band near the top of the head.
This is meant to be a gym hairstyle: It can keep bangs in place during a 60-minute spin class, but it’s also great for tucking back your sweaty bangs on those days when you just feel like throwing your hair up in a pony or possibly haven’t showered in a while.
Related: 9 Gorgeous Warm Weather Hairstyles Beyond the Basic Pony
To create this style, Chai says:
“Using a flexible gel like Motorcycle by R+Co, section in a triangle parting backward, away from the face, from both points of the recession in the hairline. Pull the hair back, and secure with an elastic or hair tie, preferably a cloth one to prevent breakage.”
Then you work your way down, sectioning the hair just below the temple away from the face and securing it in another tier of the pony. Do the same thing with a section behind the ear and the hair at the nape.
Chai says this style is ideal for keeping longer bangs off your face.
This pompadour hairdo is not only pretty but also a practical bangs styling trick. (Photo: Getty Images)
The mini-pomp is another beyond easy but stylish-looking option.
You want to wash and dry your bangs, then texturize them with dry shampoo before attempting to sculpt your pompadour. Get a fine-tooth comb and back-comb gently at the root, says Chai. Then use a smoothing soft bristle brush to gently brush bangs backward away from the face, sculpting the pompadour to the height and the shape of your liking.
Push it forward against your part, then twist the hair behind your bump and secure with bobby pins. Hairspray into place. The more you back-comb, the higher your pompadour will go. You can even pin the rest of your hair into an updo for a modern take on the bouffant.
Related: How to Stylishly Grow Out Short Hair
Gwen Stefani has it all figured out with this half-knot look that keeps stubborn bangs in check. (Photo: Getty Images)
I’ve been going back and forth on whether this is a hairstyle for a crazy person, but after trying it and walking around in my most fashion-forward jumpsuit from Urban Outfitters, I think a very hip person could pull it off. It’s also definitely easy and definitely keeps your bangs out of your face.
You just gather up a section of your hair — like you were going to put it half up — and pull it straight up from the top of your head. Chai says at this point you can choose the positioning of your knot, either to the side or in the center, before fastening with a hair tie.
You then twist the whole section from the root until it starts to naturally curl into a bun shape. Twist the remaining hair around the bun, and fasten with pins. Chai suggests pulling a few strands out for texture and style.
Commit to your look.
Remember that if you really don’t feel like doing anything to your bangs, a headband is your best friend. I like these ban.do ones with a wire inside them because they’re much easier to navigate than an actual bandanna and don’t give you a headache like a regular headband does. You can pull your hair up into a topknot and hold bangs back with your band, or curl your hair and push the front forward for a rockabilly feel.
Viva la bangs!
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