Curtain Bangs Defy Trend Cycles, and Stylists Explain Why
Stylists including Rubi Aguilar and Carl Bembridge explain why curtain bangs flatter every face shape, how to cut and style them, and which products keep the look low-maintenance.
Updated
The takeaway
- Curtain bangs blend naturally into the hair as they grow, avoiding the awkward growing-out phase of other bangs, says NYC hairstylist Rubi Aguilar.
- Experts recommend trims every six to eight weeks; most stylists offer free bangs trims to existing clients.
- Styling picks include ROZ Wave Texturizing Mist, Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray, K18 AstroLift Reparative Volume Spray and Virtue Volumizing Primer.
Nicole Kidman, Jodie Turner-Smith and Chappell Roan have all worn curtain bangs in recent months, proving the style flatters every hair length and texture — and Sabrina Carpenter has become its unofficial ambassador with her signature voluminous, face-framing look.
The cut has outlasted trend cycles since Brigitte Bardot's thick, piece-y bangs and Farrah Fawcett's flipped-out fringe. The reason is practical as much as aesthetic: curtain bangs "curtain out from the middle" even more as they grow longer, blending naturally into the rest of the hair, says Rubi Aguilar, a New York City hairstylist and salon owner whose clients include Courteney Cox, Kaia Gerber and Paloma Elsesser. The dreaded awkward growing-out phase that plagues other bangs simply does not apply.
The look is also getting softer. British hairstylist Carl Bembridge, a Colorwow spokesperson based in Essex, England, says curtain bangs are now less meticulously styled and more effortless than ever.
What qualifies as curtain bangs
"Curtain bangs are a long, face-framing fringe that typically hug around your brows," Aguilar explains. They are cut shorter in the middle and longer on the sides, with the longest pieces hitting the top of the cheekbones. Depending on the cut, they can enhance facial symmetry and complement other features, says Los Angeles hairstylist Brian Christopher.
Bronwen Robinson, a hairstylist at Suite Caroline in New York City, says the style suits every face shape. A skilled hairdresser will customize length and shape to the client's hair texture and growth patterns. Aguilar warns against the wrong chair: "The worst is a stylist who will talk you out of a style instead of educating you and finding a creative way to cut the style you're excited about."
For textured or curly hair, dry cutting is essential. Curls shrink as they dry, Christopher explains, so cutting dry shows how they will actually fall. Dry cutting also lets the stylist give each curl individual attention for soft, consistent results, adds Los Angeles hairstylist Karen Arechiga.
Curtain bangs vs. face-framing layers
The difference comes down to length and styling. "Curtain bangs are typically shorter, flare toward the ends, and are styled with a little more volume, especially at [the roots]," says Lacy Redway, a New York City-based hairstylist and Unilever hair-care brand spokesperson. "Face-framing layers are cut with an overall longer, gradual slope and can be styled with or without volume." You can wear both at once: "You can have both for a really gorgeous haircut with lots of movement," Bembridge says.
The salon consultation
"Curtain bangs" is now a universally understood term among professionals, but clients can ask for "long, soft bangs that can be parted in the middle or slightly to the side," Christopher says. Photos help — even the negative kind. "Pictures are always helpful," says Aguilar, "even if they're photos of something you want to avoid." Clients should also disclose their daily routine: air-drying versus blow-drying changes the cut strategy, Arechiga notes.
The DIY risk
The experts strongly advise against cutting curtain bangs at home. "Bangs quite literally frame your face," Aguilar says. "If you mess up, it won't matter if the rest of your hair looks great because your bangs aren't flattering." Most stylists offer free bangs trims to existing clients, she adds. Anyone determined to DIY should "invest in good-quality hair scissors for a clean cut," says Christopher — such as the Equinox Professional Razor Edge Series Barber Hair Cutting Scissors in Japanese stainless steel, Fromm's Explore 5.75-inch Shear, or Bembridge's pick, the Leaf the Foundation Scissors.
The method: start with dry hair, section a triangle at the front with its apex at the crown, angle down toward the temples, then cut an inverted V with small diagonal snips. The shortest points should start near the center of the brows; the longest should reach the cheekbones or jawline, Robinson says.
Styling and maintenance
Well-cut curtain bangs can simply be air-dried. "Curtain bangs are cut to look breezy and effortless," says Robinson. "If too much heat or effort is applied while styling, it will break that illusion of 'I woke up like this.'"
For straight hair, stylists recommend lightweight texturizing sprays: ROZ Wave Texturizing Mist (Aguilar), TRESemmé A-List Collection Dry Texturizing Spray, which "removes unwanted oils so they stay airy" (Redway), and Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray, which Allure content director Sophia Panych says "lifts roots like a dry shampoo, adds light hold like a flexible hairspray, and adds texture like a beach spray." For curls, Aguilar points to Innersense Quiet Calm Curl Control; Isima Curls Don't Lie Curl Perfecting Cream smooths frizz while enhancing texture.
For a sleek Carpenter-style finish, heat is required. Arechiga recommends round brushes from 1.5 inches (for brow-length bangs or dramatic curl) up to 2 inches (for longer bangs or a relaxed, beachy effect). Bembridge uses the 2-inch Dom Dom Small Round Bristle Brush; Allure commerce producer Sarah Hoffmann styles her own bangs with the British M 33mm Hot Curling Ceramic Brush. Finish with the K18 Biomimetic Hairscience AstroLift Reparative Volume Spray for fine hair, or Virtue Volumizing Primer — "It gives me the right amount of grip at the root, allowing me to place the bangs exactly where I need them to fall," says Los Angeles hairstylist Eduardo Méndez. A hair oil such as Unove Silk Shine Hair Oil or Fable & Mane Glossy Styling Hair Oil keeps the fringe smooth.
Maintenance requires trims every six to eight weeks. "You don't need to wait for your full haircut," says Bembridge. Between washes, Redway suggests Drybar High Tops Self-Grip Rollers to revive the shape while "reducing excessive heat on your hair," plus Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo at the roots — "It's the perfect reset," says Méndez. The Narka Fresh Sebum Hair Mascara offers targeted grease and frizz control.
With free bangs trims widely available and a growing-out phase that works in the wearer's favor, curtain bangs remain the lowest-commitment entry point to the fringe trend — and the one most likely to survive the next trend cycle.
Source: Allure; Source: instagram.com
Rebecca Stone
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Market editor covering media and advertising at Eurasian Beauty Journal.
