Kayla Young
Curtain bangs have recently been thrust back into the limelight after having been made famous in the 60s and 70s by actresses like Brigit Bardot, Goldie Hawn, and Farrah Fawcett.
What makes them different from regular bangs is that they are parted and layered into the hair for a less angular, more seamless, effortless look.
The best thing about curtain bangs is that they look great on just about everyone, regardless of face shape or hair type, and they can be incorporated into almost any hairstyle of any length.
So if you’re sitting on the fence wondering – Should I get curtain bangs? – we are fully endorsing this super hot trend and we’re here to help you find the right curtain bangs for you.
You may have heard that curtain bangs should be avoided with certain face shapes or hair textures, but we’ll be calling out the nay-sayers on this one.
In this article we are going to have a look at different types of curtain bangs and which type of curtain bangs suit different face shapes and types of hair, so no matter your angles or roundness, whether you have straight, wavy or curly hair, thick or thin, you can find a curtain bang style that’s right for you!
Contents
What Face Shape Should Get Curtain Bangs?
There is a curtain bangs hairstyle out there to suit every face shape. So don’t worry if you’ve read somewhere that your face shape is not suited to curtain bangs.
We are going to look at different face shapes below and get into which styles are best suited for each. So don’t be put off by the haters. There’s a curtain bang in here for you.
Square Face Shape
Curtain bangs will soften the harsh angles of a square face shape and emphasize cheekbones, rather than the jawline. Shorter bangs that pinch in at the temples, contour, and create more defined cheekbones.
This cut looks gorgeous, and almost approaches a wolf cut in style.
Heart Face Shape
For heart-shaped faces, longer curtain bangs narrow the forehead, creating more of a diamond shape, taking the emphasis off a prominent brow.
Oval Face Shape
Soft curls and waves in longer layers will lift your features while increasing the volume of your hair at the sides to give the illusion of a rounder, wider face shape.
Round Face Shape
If you have a rounder, broad face, long sweeping bangs can elongate the face.
There’s no rule that says curtain bangs have to be parted in the middle! Perfect for rounder face shapes, long curtain bangs with an off-center part that come down to the jawline will create longer lines and the illusion of a slimming effect.
Curtain Bangs For Different Hair Types And Textures
Bearing in mind when it comes to choosing your perfect curtain bang, not only do you have to think about your face shape, but your hair type and texture.
We have a few different styles for your inspiration, but you may have to do a bit of mix and match to find the right curtain bang that will best suit both your hair and face shape.
Curtain Bangs For Thin Hair
Revamping the fluffy hair look Farrah Fawcette made famous, a softer version (with a lot less hairspray!) still gives off a retro vibe and is one of the curtain bang styles that works fantastically well with thinner hair.
But don’t think you need to go retro to pull off curtain bangs if you have thin hair, it looks equally amazing on short or long choppy layers.Â
One of the best things about curtain bangs is that whether you’re wearing your hair up or down, or even half/half, you still get the face-framing benefits of these bangs.
Curtain Bangs For Thick Hair
If you have thick hair, then fine, wispy feathery bangs might not be for you. But here are a few other styles that work great for those with thicker hair.
Curtain Bangs For Curly Hair
We often think about straight or even wavy hair when it comes to curtain bangs, but make no mistake – curly hair can also rock curtain bangs!
Long Curtain Bangs For Long Hair
You can only really get away with calling these curtain bangs if you have really long hair — otherwise it’s pretty much just a bob.
Long hair can sometimes look heavy and lifeless. Extra-long curtain bangs, paired with long layers add movement and dimension to those long luscious locks.
Curtain Bangs With A Cowlick
Now a cowlick can be a real pain, especially when it comes to bangs.
Put a blunt fringe out of your mind because it’s never going to happen. Even curtain bangs can be a challenge with a cowlick, but not impossible.
If your hair at the front of the hairline has a mind of its own and grows in a heart shape at the front of your forehead, it will be much harder to get a straight part down the center to look right (don’t even bother trying a side part).
When that hair at the front is cut shorter, not only will the hair around your cowlick go up and around on either side, the ends will tend to flip out as well.
That said – there is hope for curtain bangs if you have a cowlick. Depending on the thickness of your hair and the stubbornness of your cowlick, you may be able to manage it with hair styling products.
With the use of a bit of product to tame your cowlick, working with, as opposed to against nature, is your best bet. Curtain bangs swept to the outer edges of the forehead create a youthful and almost no-fringe look, while still framing the face.
Really Stubborn Cowlick
If your cowlick insists on being front and center, you just have to work with what you’ve got. If you have a really stubborn cowlick that refuses to be tamed, the longer the bangs the better.
Here’s one that puts a cowlick to good use! This retro 80s inspired style takes full advantage to create the volume and fullness that made the 80s the decade of big hair.
Are Curtain Bangs High Maintenance?
One of the greatest benefits of curtain bangs is that they are pretty easy to style and maintain. Because curtain bangs are meant to look effortless and natural, as opposed to rigid and structured, you won’t require a lot of product, if any, to get the job done.
That said, if you tend to have hair that has a mind of its own and is normally difficult to style, you may benefit from a hair smoothing serum to give you a leg up.
If you have curly, particularly thin hair and/or hair prone to flyaways, then using a hair mousse can help you get that effortless curtain bang look.
How To Style Curtain Bangs
Styling curtain bangs does not take a lot of effort, but there are a few things you can do to ensure they are looking their best.
With a hairdryer:
Part your hair and take about a 1-inch section of hair at a time and with a large round brush, blow-dry sections under and out to the side to create that sweeping effect (out and to the side if you want to go flippy!).Â
Blow drying straight down or forward will make them poofy and they won’t sweep out.
Air-drying:
If you prefer to not use heat (which is better), then it’s even easier! Part your hair down the middle (or to the side – depending on how you part your hair). Place your bangs as you want them and use a few creaseless clips to hold each side in place until they’re dry.
Styling Products That Will Help
Whether it’s thin hair that tends to get flyaways, curly hair that gets frizzy, or a cowlick that needs to be disciplined, there are a few styling products that can help you get your curtain bangs under control.
A hair smoothing serum will add a bit of weight to the hair and help calm down unruly textures and cowlicks.
Mousse is the perfect hair product to give extra hold without stiffness and add definition to strands and curls. It’s great for adding extra volume for thin hair and it also tames rogue flyaways and unruly curls. Mousse also helps keep frizz in check and helps to make curls bouncier and more defined. There are lots of different mousse formulas out there, so choose one that’s best suited for your hair type.
Take Away
Curtain bangs are back baby!
This is one of those trends that’s not going to have you looking back on your photos years from now cringing. They look good on everyone, and are timeless. They are also so versatile you can add curtain bangs to just about any hair type or cut.
And regardless of your face shape, there’s a curtain bang out there that’s right for you.
This is one trend bandwagon you’re going to want to hop on.
All Aboard!!
