Making the decision to incorporate bangs into your look can cause some serious anxiety. There’s no going back! But that shouldn’t stop you from being bold by trying new hairstyles with bangs.
I only took the dive once: When I was a teen, I had my hairstylist—who wasn’t familiar with the ‘do I was referring to—chop me some side bangs, which had recently become trendy. I was going for Hilary Duff, but instead I got plenty of tears and really good at using bobby pins. I spent a month or two securing the too-short strands back until they grew out. Luckily, the art of cutting bangs has evolved, and with so many killer styles, it’s impossible not to find the perfect cut.
Whether you want to start small with wispy fringe or go big with something blunt, there’s no reason to fear bangs in 2019.
The 8 best hairstyles with bangs to transform your look
1. Wispy bangs: Dakota Johnson
If you decide to get bangs, you don’t have to go all-in right from the get-go. Instead, get a thin, wispy option like Dakota Johnson that’s easy to style for newbies. “Thin hair should be styled wet,” says Eliut Rivera, hair stylist and owner of Eliut Salon in New York City. Apply mousse or a thickening agent first, then blow dry your hair up from the root with a round brush to add lift and volume.”
2. Curly bangs: Samile Bermannelli
For perfectly curly fringe like Victoria’s Secret model Samile Bermannelli, Rivera recommends styling your bangs the same way as the rest of your hair. “To keep curls in tact, apply gel and twist bang pieces together,” he says.
3. Cowlick bangs: Zooey Deschanel
In the past, Zooey Deschanel has said she has a natural cowlick that keeps her bangs in place—and according to Rivera, the thick style she’s known for will help anyone in her position make their bangs work as well. “I give my clients with cowlicks thicker bangs, bringing more hair from the center of the crown to cover the cowlick,” he explains. “This will make the bangs heavier and the extra weight will cause the hair to lay the direction I want.”
4. Blunt bangs: Kerry Washington
Kerry Washington can seriously rock a set of bangs. Even if it looks like it would be a little more time consuming to get the beloved pin-straight style, that’s not the case at all.
“Use the nozzle to blow dry your hair straight from the root,” Rivera says. “Once your bangs are dry, use a round brush, making sure it’s large enough that your bangs don’t completely wrap around. Don’t lift the brush away from the head—rather continue to blow dry the hair straight down.”
5. Side-swept bangs: Emma Stone
Now this is how you do side-swept bangs. “Dry your bangs using the nozzle attachment of the blow dryer, blow drying your hair straight down,” Rivera says. “Once they’re smooth, use a round brush to create volume and brush them to one side. Just make sure your hair is completely dry before styling to one side.”
6. Choppy bangs: Alexa Chung
Sometimes you don’t want a look that screams “bangs.” Instead, do as Alexa Chung did and get an option that you can easily tuck away behind the ears.
7. Long bangs: Ciara
No matter whether your hair is short or long, Ciara proves a curly texture works flawlessly for perfectly tousled bangs—especially this longer option, which sits right above the eyes.
8. Super-short bangs: Emma Watson
What was once my nightmare is now a completely on-trend style when done correctly. Emma Watson nails the super-short, micro-bangs that take little to no styling to keep them looking fresh. “Start with wet hair, then use a flat paddle brush to blow dry down,” Rivera says. “After, use dry fingers to flatten into place.”
This is just the beginning of your hair inspiration for today. For more ideas, check out these trendy long hairstyles (and exactly how to grow your hair out!), or go for something short and sweet.
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