The Face Framing Bangs Everyone Is Talking About And How To Get Them

You’ve seen these layered haircuts popping up on your social media feed after accidentally liking yet another influencer flawless brunch photo, and all of a sudden they’re everywhere: first on Instagram, then music videos, and finally the red carpet. What’s the big deal with face-framing bangs?

Well, first things first: they’re trendy. But what made this hairstyle this popular, and most importantly: how to get a face frame with bangs?

Also known as curtain bangs, face-framing bangs are a hairstyle that usually brushes against your cheekbones, opening from the centre of a middle part towards the edge of your face, just like an old-school stage curtain. Some people keep it at this classic length, whilst some others grow their curtain bangs longer.

1. Should I Get Curtain Bangs?

Curtain bangs and face-framing layers are a flattering hairstyle for most people, however they’re not recommended for all face-shapes. Obviously, not everyone is the same so you can always try to get face-framing bangs with clip-in hair extensions to see if they look good on you or not.

Generally speaking, hairstylists suggest that curtain bangs don’t work too well on strong, squared jawlines or particularly round faces. Also, if you have a strong cowlick - your fringe will likely keep on opening up in the wrong place.

2. How To Cut Face-Framing Bangs

If you’d like to get curtain bangs, the best thing you can do is to speak to a trained hairstylist. BUT if you really, really want to try and do this at home… Then let me help you and explain to you how to cut curtain bangs. Take notes and see if you can get anywhere close to the hairstyle you’re looking for. Here’s how to cut curtain bangs on yourself!

• Buy a pair of shears and a flat, fine-toothed comb. Never use your kitchen scissors.
• Get a photo for reference. Having visual aid of your final goals always helps!
• Make sure your hair is dry and brushed. Curtain bangs are best when cut on dry hair.
• Create a centre-part and section out the hair you want to cut.
• Cut your hair longer than you want it. You can always make adjustments later… Whilst if you cut it too short, you will have to wait months before it grows out again.
• Part your newly-obtained bangs in the middle, and start cutting to give it the desired angle.
• Make vertical cuts to feather your bangs. This will give your haircut a more lightweight, layered look (curtain bangs shouldn’t be blunt!).

Did you mess things up a little? Not all hope is lost. Check out our blog about how to fix a bad haircut before losing your patience. There are many ways to rock a “haircut gone wrong”. If you cut your bangs a little too short, there’s also a few tricks and tips that you can try instead of hiding your chopped tresses under a hat.

3. How To Style Face-Framing Bangs

Now, when it comes to styling there’s different options. If your hair is long enough and you’re looking to get that big, bouncy blowout as seen on supermodels like Cindy Crawford in the 80s and 90s, then go for jumbo velcro rollers. You can find out more about how to use velcro rollers and flexirods on our dedicated blog.

Unsure on how to curl your hair? Girl, do I have a guide for you! If you’d like to know more about how to style your face-framing bangs and blend them in a perfectly curly hairstyle, then look no further than our blog - How To Curl Hair Extensions: A Complete Guide.

4. How To Cut Long Face-Framing Bangs

Some people love the idea of wearing curtain bangs, but let’s be honest: getting bangs in general is quite scary - especially if you’ve always worn your hair long and flowy. But don’t worry, that doesn’t mean that you can’t turn the volume up with face-framing layers! Many hairstyles - including a modern version of “The Rachel” from Friends - allow you to cut your frontal strands a bit shorter than usual, without going as short as your usual blunt fringe. Ideally, long curtain bangs shouldn’t be going over your chin.

5. How To Style Long Face-Framing Bangs

If your hair has already undergone the infamous snip-snip, then it means that it’s now time to get down to styling. Styling long face-framing layers can be quite easy: all you need is either your jumbo velcro rollers, a curling iron, or a big round brush and blowdryer.

Did you know that one of the most popular hair colour trends of 2022 usually paired with curtain bangs is the money piece hairstyle? Money piece hair features bold highlights focused on the face-framing strands only (or mostly, anyways) to create bright contrast with the rest of your hair. Find out everything about this trend in our Money Piece Hair Trend blog.

6. Conclusion:

Whether you’ve been seduced by Matilda Djerf’s face-framing bangs or you’ve been in a loop of retro vibes and romantic, puffy 70s, 80s and 90s blowouts - curtain bangs might be the hairstyle you were looking for to fully express your mood and complete your current aesthetic.

If you’re interested in more hairstyles from the past rising to fame, check out our article about some of the roaring 20s hairstyles coming back (as seen on Millie Bobby-Brown) and our list of trendy 2022 hairstyles to go big this year.