To style curtain bangs, Toth recommends using a small, round brush (like the YS Park Mixed-Bristle Round Brush in 35G5 with a 1.3-inch barrel, which is great for picking up shorter strands) to give them a ton of curvature. “Once they are completely dry,” he says, “I use a larger round brush to stretch them out, making them go from a curl to a bend.”
Appleton suggests sweeping the hair where you want it to fall and using clips like the Kitsch Creaseless Clips to set it in place. Remove the clips and spritz the bangs with hairspray. (Carpenter, a Redken ambassador, has been using the brand’s Max Hold Hairspray on her 2024 tour. We also like the L’Oréal Paris Elnett Satin Extra Strong Hold Hair Spray, which gives long-lasting hold and shine.)
Shaggy bangs
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Long live indie sleaze. Fitzsimons credits the enduring power of grunge beauty trends as the reason why many will gravitate to shaggy bangs. These are “short curtain bangs with a ton of texture and chunky shorter pieces in the very middle,” says Toth.
He adds that this look is best with choppy, wavy layers and you’ll want to hit them with a texturizing spray to give that lived-in look. We recommend the R+Co Balloon Dry Volume Spray, which adds volume and hold but feels less gritty than other formulas.
Wispy bangs
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Harper describes wispy bangs as light and airy, “not too heavy and not too soft.” The look is great for someone who might be nervous about getting bangs. “If you don’t want full-on, heavy bangs, then wispy bangs can give you some soft movement and still bring attention to the face,” says Toth.
When it comes to styling, you’re going to want to reach for lightweight formulas. Spritz on a flexible-hold spray like the Oribe Superfine Hairspray, which has a fine-mist dispenser for controlled, even application. Fitzsimons adds that having a dry shampoo (like the Best of Beauty Award-winning Batiste Original Dry Shampoo) or style refresher (like NatureLab’s Perfect Clean Style Refresher Spray, which contains rice extract to absorb oil) on hand can help revive weighed-down bangs.
Side bangs
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Getty Images
Getty Images
Like chunky necklaces and velour tracksuits, side-swept bangs were a symbol of the early aughts. Sure, the internet has been divided about this look, but hairstylists say we should expect a resurgence in the new year because they’re nostalgic. “As a millennial, I have never fallen out of love with side-swept bangs,” Redway says. “They were a staple from a lot of R&B icons, like Aaliyah.” Harper agrees, adding that they complement different face shapes and hairstyles.