bangs

bangs

Ah, bangs. When done right, bangs can transform your face, enhance your features, and make your haircut look a hundred times cooler. However, the honest truth is that they are pretty hard to maintain – a good set of bangs will require frequent salon trips, daily styling and generally, good up-keep. However, we’ve pulled together some easy tips to hopefully make it easier to take care of your fringes – read on to find out how to get the most out of your bangs.

#1: Maintenance

bangs

Before we delve into anything else, let’s talk about maintenance – this is exceptionally important if you do not have bangs, but are thinking of getting them. It is vital that you get the full picture on how much effort you need to put in to maintain your fringes.

At the very least, schedule salon visits every six weeks for a professional bang trim. This might sound often but your bangs actually grow out alarmingly fast. Unless you enjoy having your bangs stabbing you in the eyes, regular trims are warranted – some even go for salon trims every one to two weeks.

Above all, do not attempt to cut your bangs on your own. If you really, really need to, avoid normal scissors at all cost – use salon scissors on dry hair, and always take off millimetres at a time because you can always cut more. Instead of cutting in a solid, straight line, twist your bangs, point the scissors upwards and chip into the ends to get a more natural, imprecise line.

#2: Which bangs to get

bangs

If the maintenance portion has not scared you away already, now it’s time to talk about what type of bangs will be best for you. If you’re easing into bangs, or just want the style with the least commitment, then side swept bangs are ideal. These work with any hair lengths, and can be easily disguised as layers around your face. Styling is quite easy too – simply blow-dry with a round brush, or if air-drying, ensure the bangs are parted how you want them.

Piece-y bangs are another style that is also quite easy to maintain, and can be worn blunt in front or to the side. Style them similar to how you would style side swept bangs, but keep them straighter so they don’t appear ‘flippy’. For a blunter style, blow-dry with a flat brush.

Now, for the ultimate bangs: blunt bangs. This style will definitely require a blow dryer and brush, and a lot of attention. Most importantly, stay on top of your regular trims. Make sure they are not ruler straight – they should take on a slight, inverted U-shape and fall longer near the temples. For the most flattering length, go for anywhere between the tops of the brows down to the tips of the lashes. Pro tip: keep you bangs flat and in place by going to sleep with a silk scarf tied around your head.

#3: Blow-dry 101

bangs

Now, we’ve mentioned a lot of blow-drying – for bangs, this is definitely vital, as blow-drying helps your bangs to stay in the desired shape. One important tip to remember is to blow dry ASAP. Do it once you’ve finished with your shower, when your hair is still wet. Bangs dry fast, and the moment it starts to air-dry, they’ve already started to set into their natural shape, which usually isn’t the most flattering (unless you’re incredibly lucky).

As for the type of brush to use, a small round boar-bristle brush is the ideal brush for styling bangs. The tightly packed bristles grab every hair, allowing you to use the right amount of tension. Pair this with a powerful hair dryer – with the nozzle attached – and you’re all set.

To blow-dry, hold your hair dryer over your head, facing down, and brush your bangs from side to side until dry. This takes care of any cowlicks and ensures your bangs fall straight. Finish by rolling the ends under.

#4: Products

bangs

Now, let’s move on to the type of hair products you should use once you have bangs. The golden rule? Less is more. You can stick to the hair products that you’ve been using regularly, but apply them on your hair first, and only the leftover on your bangs. Ply on any more products on your bangs, and it will turn greasy, fast.

You might belong to the 1% that can get away with using nothing on your bangs, but if you’re like the rest of us unfortunate folks, some product is needed to keep the bangs in place. If you have fine hair, a normal styling cream is enough. For thicker or coarser strands, use something with more hold, like a gel or wax.

Also, unlike your hair, which can go a couple of days without washing, bangs will need some cleaning on a daily basis. This is because they get oily very quickly. You can give it a quick shampooing when you’re washing your face in the morning, or invest in some dry shampoo. A quick spritz will help absorb excess oil and revive volume so you don’t end up with flat, greasy bangs.

#5: Take care of your forehead

bangs

One downside to getting bangs is that you need to pay special attention to your forehead. If you have a fringe covering your forehead 24/7, it’s bound to be more prone to breakouts. This is especially relevant in Singapore, where the hot and humid weather induces sweating very easily.

To prevent pimples and blemishes, wear a headband if you’re doing physical exercises – this is to keep your forehead clear and rid of excess oil caused from contact with bangs. A soft headband will prevent creating a bent in the fringe, and you can proceed to wet and blow-dry them after the workout.

When moisturising your forehead, be mindful that the products don’t transfer to your bangs, which will make them greasy. Keep your bangs off your face until the product has fully absorbed into your skin, which might take about 10 minutes. To be safe, blot your forehead with blotting paper before releasing your bangs.

Images: Showbit.com

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