b
angs can be
a really good
time. I should
know. I’ve legit
had every
type—long, blunt, shaggy,
choppy, baby—and I continue
to be a repeat customer. Why?
Because I always know exactly
what to expect before my stylist
cuts them, and IMO, that is
the secret sauce for having a
healthy relationship with bangs.
But I get that anyone
scarred by a bad
experience might be
feeling triggered. So
please hear me out: A
fucking cool fringe is
absolutely something
you can handle if, like
me, you do some prep
work. Like I said, it’s
all about proactively
knowing what you’re
getting into, choosing the right
kind based on the amount of
time you’re willing to spend
styling, and then actually
learning how to do said styling.
Don’t worry, I’m here to help.
Consider this a guide to the
best bangs of your life.A-SHAPED
TIME: 6 minutes. These come to a
point at the middle of your hair-
line, so they require a thorough
blow-dry.
WHAT YOU NEED: A dryer, flat
iron, and flexible-hold hair spray.BLUNT
TIME: 8 minutes. This type must be straight
from roots to ends or it loses its cool fac-
tor. In other words: It’s high maintenance.
WHAT YOU NEED: A blow-dryer and a mini
oval boar-bristle brush for pumping up
volume at the root.Hi, so how
long does it
really take to
style bangs?BABY
TIME: 8 minutes. These tiny bbs require
multiple steps to style.
WHAT YOU NEED: Smoothing serum (try
TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Hair Shine
Anti-Frizz Serum, $5, drugstores), a dryer
to nix cowlicks, and a comb to set them.The Bang
Commandments(^1) Accept that they’re work
Unless you have curly fringe (and
actually want to wear them curly),
any style you choose will require
some effort on your part. Think
of bangs like the cat-eye liner of
hair—they’ll always take more
than two seconds to perfect.
(^2) Clip in before you commit
The easiest way to make sure you
love the idea of bangs: Try on a
clip-in version (like the ones you
see all over Amazon), says celeb-
rity hairstylist Lacy Redway. They
obviously won’t blend in to your
cut as seamlessly as real bangs
would, but you can at least get a
feel for what you’d look
like. You can also down-
load a hair-makeover
app like L’Oréal Paris’s
Style My Hair, which
lets you upload a pic
of yourself and “try on”
a bunch of bang styles
without even leaving
your couch.
(^3) Don’t be impulsive
“People can be very emotional
with their bang cutting,” says
Ryan Austin, a stylist at IGK salon
in NYC. “Then a week later,
they’re like, ‘Oh, I didn’t really
want them.’” His advice: Thor-
oughly think through your deci-
sion, then consider getting a
lengthier version of your dream
bangs. “Longer styles are always
the easiest to grow out,” says
celeb hairstylist Harry Josh. If
you’re happy and ready for more,
you can always go shorter.
(^4) See someone who knows
what they’re doing
Once you’re sure, book an
appointment with a stylist whose
own bangs you like or someone
who cuts a friend’s bangs. “Don’t
assume everyone is good at
cutting bangs...because they’re
not,” says Josh.
(^5) Bring inspo
But just because Rihanna looks
beyond with a certain fringe
doesn’t mean it’ll work for you.
Treat the images you’ve saved on
Insta as starting points, then ask
your stylist if you have anything,
like a cowlick, that would make
styling a nightmare. Also, have
photos of bangs you don’t like, so
your stylist gets your clear vision.
(^6) Consider the temperature
“Cooler temps allow your bangs
to stay the way you styled them,”
says Josh. “Plus, you don’t have
humidity to fight with on the frizz
front.” Of course, he’s not say-
ing you can’t get bangs year-
round, just that fall (as in, right
now!) is a great time.
Think of
bangs like the
cat-eye liner
of hair—they
take more
than two
seconds to
perfect.
“If you’re
going to DIY
it, point-cut
your hair by
holding a pair
of scissors
vertically and
continuously
cutting upward
into the ends,”
says Josh.
Take off the
tiniest bit of
length from the
center, working
your way out
to the sides to
texturize them
a bit. Do this
every other
time you need
a trim, and see
your stylist in
between, just
in case they
need to correct
or reshape
anything.
(Basic profesh
trims cost
anywhere from
$0 to $20.)
Yes, you
can give
yourself
a trim
GE
TT
Y^ I
MA
GE
S^ (
4 )
.
56 Cosmopolitan September 2019
beauty