Can You Wear Curtain Bangs With Curly Hair?
Can you do curtain bangs on curly hair? Absolutely! People love curtain bangs because they frame the face beautifully without creating unnatural contours. Curtain bangs are casual, shaggy bangs that frame the face the same way that an elegant curtain frames a window. Curtain bangs are different from regular bangs because they are cut to be softer than straight “fringe” bangs that cut across the forehead. Fringe bangs are intended to feature wispy ends that land somewhere between the bottom of the eyebrow and the start of the cheekbone. They also blend more naturally with the rest of your hair compared to straight-across bangs. Curtain bangs can work with all types of hair. However, you need to know the tricks of the trade if you’re trying to cut curtain bangs on curly hair.
How to Make Curtain Bangs Work on Curly Hair
Be prepared for some maintenance if you decide to add curtain bangs to curly hair. It’s necessary to keep the length in a sweet spot that allows bangs to be short enough to be bangs without falling prey to the common “shrinkage” that happens with curls. That means that you’ll want to initially cut your curtain bangs to be slightly longer than you would if you had straight hair.
There’s something about curtain bangs that makes them both liberating and intimidating. There’s essentially no template for curtain bangs. They are intended to be cut to fit your face shape. If you have a rounder face, longer curtain bangs can help to add length to the face. If you have a longer face, consider deeper layers within the curtain bangs to frame the face. Your hair length also plays a big role in determining the placement of curtain bangs. Beware of the dreaded “bowl cut” that can accidentally happen when cutting curtain bangs on short hair. When cutting curtain bangs into a short hairstyle, it’s best to keep the new bangs close to your brow to create a sharp contrast between bangs and the rest of the hair. In addition, you should avoid dense bangs in favor of wispy, free bangs.
Tips for How to Cut Curtain Bangs on Curly Hair
It’s also best to work with a stylist when cutting curtain bangs for the first time. While these bangs may appear very free and spontaneous, the truth is that getting them right takes a dedicated strategy. You can easily end up with heavy, uneven chunks of hair around your eyes and cheeks if you don’t know what you’re doing. It turns out that the effortless look of curtain bangs actually takes lots of effort. How do you cut curtain bangs with curly hair?
Always start by cutting curtain bangs while your hair is dry if you have curly hair. While wet cutting is usually preferred for people with straight hair, people with curly hair have to account for the dramatic shrinkage that happens when hair dries. It’s very easy to cut your hair shorter than you intended when you have curly hair. Curtain bangs that look perfect when your hair is wet can look completely different after curly hair dries. In addition, you should only cut bangs when your curly hair is in its natural state. Avoid cutting on a day when your hair has been straightened, heat treated, or styled in any way.
The technique for cutting curtain bangs relies on parting a triangle in your hair that starts right at the curve of the crown. The stylist will follow this part down to the area between the eyebrow and cheekbone. Generally, stylists prefer to cut each curl at a time when forming bangs. The technique also involves gradually creating longer and longer cuts with each curl while moving toward the curls located closest to your ears. One solid piece of advice is to always go slightly longer than you think you might like. While you can always cut shorter bangs in the future, you can’t undo bangs that have been chopped way too short. Simply live with the subtle change for a few weeks before deciding if you want to go back to cut more dramatic bangs.
How to Style Curtain Bangs With Curly Hair
There’s no solid rule about how to style your curtain bangs with curly hair. Ideally, you’re leaving enough length to ensure that you can either “go natural” or amplify your curls. Here’s a look at some style inspirations for how to style curtain bangs with curly hair:
- The top knot: If you love gathering your hair in a top knot, curtain bangs can help to make you feel less exposed by framing your face. The long tendrils that are kept out of the knot create a fun, casual look that replaces the ballerina vibe of the top knot with some bohemian energy.
- All natural: If your goal is to wash and go, curtain bangs will give your natural hair more bounce. The way bangs frame the eyes creates a dash of mystery!
- Halfway up: Many people with curly hair struggle with wearing their hair halfway up because a “flat” top creates such a strong contrast against a curly bottom. This is where curtain bangs really shine for people with curly hair. Tendrils that frame the face create a beautiful “crown” effect that creates harmony between a slicked, pressed top of the head and a curly mane.
- Bombshell hair: Yes, curtain bangs can amplify big, beautiful bombshell curls. Make sure to leave your curtain bangs a little longer than usual if you intend to create wand curls using heat. Using a large-barrel wand, create thick curls for a voluminous look that makes your mane full and thick. The shorter curls around your nose and cheeks will make your hair look much fuller than usual.
- Low ponytail: If you’ve struggled with feeling like a low ponytail gives you a flat look, curtain bangs can provide a perfect balance. A “dull” low ponytail suddenly looks romantic and whimsical when you have curly bangs escaping from the tops and sides.
The bottom line on curtain bangs is that they create movement in curly hair. While styling curtain bangs is fun, the real beauty of them is that they allow your hair to make a big, bouncy statement without any extra styling! Most people find that they don’t actually need to adjust their styling techniques at all after cutting curtain bangs with curly hair. The looks they already love simply look more complete.
Nourished Ends Are Important With Curtain Bangs
Curtain bangs are like billboards for dry, split ends. This is the case for people with straight, wavy, and curly hair. Keeping curls moisturized with natural oils is important when sporting curtain bangs. In addition, using heatless curlers instead of always relying on a heat wand can help to stop frizz from framing the face.
Yes, You Should Embrace Curtain Bangs If You Have Curly Hair
There’s a big misconception that curtain bangs are only for people with pin-straight hair. The truth is that curtain bangs can actually be easier to maintain and style when you have curly hair if you start out with a great cut. While curtain bangs may simply lay flat on a person with straight hair, they add volume, dimension, and bounce when they are cut into curls. The biggest thing to remember when learning how to cut curtain bangs on curly hair is that people with curly hair need to leave more wiggle room to account for curl shrinkage.