Beautiful Bangs Every Single Time

A short history of bangs, straight from the horse’s mouth…or tail

Did you know the origin of the word bangs to describe the hair across your forehead was inspired by the way a horse’s tail looks? While bangs are known as fringe across the pond, in the U.S. they’re named for the way a horse’s tail was frequently trimmed straight across. Not so strange if you consider the fact that your sleekly pulled back hair is referred to as a ponytail!

Maybe you’re like Taylor Swift and bangs are always part of your signature look. Or perhaps you just want to play around with curtain bangs or fringe bangs for a single season. Whether you’re a bob and bangs girl, or you pin them back and grow them out annually, we have tips to keep your bangs looking great.

Your bangs are exactly like the rest of your hair…only different

It can sometimes feel like your bangs have a life of their own – hello cowlicks – but in theory your bangs are no different than the rest of your hair. In reality though, your bangs can get dirtier quicker and might need to be conditioned differently as well.

Why do my bangs always seem greasy?

You’re not imagining that your bangs seem oiler than the rest of your hair. “Bangs tend to get dirty/oily faster for a few reasons,” said Madison Keene, our in-house chemist. One of the reasons is “because of constant touching while you push your bangs out of your eyes.” Keene also explained that your bangs also touch a larger surface are of skin on your face which has either lotions or makeup on it.  It’s especially an issue during hat season when bangs touch our faces and forehead a bit too closely. To help keep the hair on your face fresh and cute looking, Keene recommends brushing and using any one of our dry shampoos “to help absorb anything weighing them down and make bangs feel fresh and clean.”

Help! My bangs are standing on end.

If your hair tends to be fine (or has a mind of its own) you might notice that your bangs are extremely staticky. For static, Keene suggests using a lightweight leave in conditioner, like our Way to Grow® Leave In Conditioner. Apply with a very light touch and experiment with how much product you use on your bangs. It’s always possible to add more product, but you don’t want to weigh your bangs down with too much conditioner. For a night out, you can try hair mousse for a bit extra control in your style. We also love the look of mousse used for curly hair since it helps define every single curl perfectly.

Styling tips for perfect bangs

Even if you don’t have time to perfectly style the rest of your hair, at least try to groom your bangs for a more polished look. Here are a few quick and easy styling tips and some of our favorite products for bangs.

• Tame a messy bun. Make even the messiest bun look sleeker by using a touch of mousse on your bangs. And remember, a little goes a long way. While Curl Talk™ Activating Mousse works best on curly bangs, you can pop a small drop in your palm and smooth on any texture bangs for frizz control. Think touchable not crispy.
• Hit refresh. Refresh your bangs even if you don’t wash your hair. We mentioned above that bangs can get oilier faster, but that doesn’t mean you’ll need to wash your hair more often. Use Clean Freak® Original Dry Shampoo on bangs only to refresh your bangs without the wash.
• Tame overgrown bangs. If you’re growing out your bangs, try to add a bit of texture and hold. We recommend Beach Babe® Texturizing Sea Salt Spray which adds a bit of oomph to even overgrown bangs.
• Add a braid. Modified mermaid braids are still as hot as ever. To style micro-braids, divide three sections in longer bangs and braid loosely. Pin in place and then gently pull a few strands out for a softer look. Use She’s A Tease® Hairspray to keep your style in place and add a bit of volume at the roots.
• Protect your bangs from heat styling. If you blow out your curtain bangs, make sure to use a heat protectant and detangler. Lightly spritz in All Eyes On Me™ 10-in-1 Hair Perfector which actually helps moisturize and mend split ends as it protects from heat and damage. And like all our products, it’s color safe and sulfate free.