

“When completely dry, pull them out and shape with an Afro pick or your fingertips, working a little serum through to amplify the texture,” says François. But for extra definition, “finger coil or do two strand twists on damp hair, then let them set naturally or use a diffuser on a cool, low speed, before gently separating the curls out when hair is fully dry.” When working with coily and kinky textures, the pro likes to do two strand twists or bantu knots on freshly washed bangs. For curly hair, letting bangs air dry is simple and effective according to François. “This lets the curtain bangs live freely, complementing all your features.” In either scenario, if cowlicks are an issue, consider flat creaseless clips at your parting to keep them at bay, or bring in the big guns with Townsend’s secret weapon: a beard iron for “a little bit of heat” without burning the scalp. “I’m a big fan of air drying with the right cut and texture,” says Velasquez, who loves Virtue’s Frizz Block Smoothing Spray as a lightweight, humidity-fighting veil of moisturiser for lengths.

“It’s a great way to prepare for a conversation with a hairstylist and give yourself more realistic expectations.”Īlternatively, you may consider the au naturale route. “I’ve learned a lot of people don’t actually know their own face.” To that end, really take the time to understand your face shape and from there, he recommends drawing a rough sketch of your face on a piece of paper and shading the corners and/or the top of the head to see what helps give the illusion of an oval shape, which generally tends to be the desired goal for the most flattering results. Ahead of meeting with a pro, Townsend recommends doing your own research to understand what will works best for you.“When people come to see me for a haircut, they often show me pictures of bangs on a different face shape,” explains Townsend. “Always have your bangs cut by a professional hairstylist who will give you a consultation first, taking into account your face shape, features, and lifestyle,” says François. Simply put: Leave curtain bangs to the pros.

“If you can give your bangs 10 minutes, you’re done,” assures Townsend. In addition to more trips to the salon for bang trims, there’s also the additional maintenance like more cleansing (bangs tend to get greasy because they absorb the oil, sweat, makeup, and SPF from your face) and daily finessing-though many consider the latter to be far and away worth it. “Some people find the feeling of hair on the face uncomfortable or it might be more practical to have hair fully swept back day to day,” he says. For one, there’s the sheer physicality of bangs. “Before taking the plunge, consider if bangs will suit your lifestyle,” says François. While curtain bangs are coveted for good reason, you do have to weigh if they’ll be right for you across the board.
