How to Get Curtain Bangs for Your Hair Type

Bangs are no stranger to the hairstyle trend list over the decades. We have seen them all: long, short, blunt, curly. But with recent TikTok videos highlighting wispy curtain bangs, the trending hair craze has taken over our social media feeds. Of course, we have seen this look on celebrities in the 1970s, including Brigette Bardot, Farrah Fawcett, and Donna Summer, but it made its way back, and you’re probably craving this new look.

Before you try to wing it yourself and opt for a DIY bang, we decided to bring in one of our StyleSeat Pros to give us the scoop on this style. Ariana Rose is a cosmetologist in San Francisco, CA, and has worked in the beauty industry for over eight years. Take a look at these helpful tips to ask the right questions to your hairstylist and how to maintain your bangs so you can look just as good as when you left the chair.

What should a client request when booking an appointment for curtain bangs with their stylist?

“It really depends on what it is that the client is looking for. A lot of times, when we come up with these terms like curtain bangs, there is a wide range of what people put into that category, so the first thing I would do is figure out what they’re looking for,” says Ariana Rose. Do you prefer for your bangs to be short? You’ll be visiting your hairstylist more often to get touched up. Prefer something that’s low maintenance? Look for a style that’s easy flowing so it can grow out, and it can add more movement to the front of your face.

Will hair type, length, and face shape impact your new curtain bangs?

“I really like to work with the natural texture while it’s wet and see how it’s drying so that I’m cutting it in a way that’s just going to be really easy, so they can place it how they want it and let it air dry,” says Ariana Rose. Before cutting, she prefers to move the hair in front of the face to see what style will accentuate the client’s facial features. For instance, if a client has a round face shape, she recommends a length that will hit the cheekbones, keeping the forehead visible to elongate the face. For a client with curly hair, our StyleSeat Pro recommends styling based on how they wear their hair daily, whether embracing their natural texture or heat styling. On the other hand, if you’re someone with straight hair and are considering curtain bangs, she informs her clients that they will have to style their hair a little more and recommends using a product and a hot tool to get the preferred shape. “A lot of my clients like something that’s going to be low maintenance, so they’re not going to have to put so much effort into styling.”

When we think of a bang trim, we tend to imagine the snipping sounds of scissors. Ariana Rose has her favorite pair of shears, but her preferred method is a razor. “You’re really able to work with the client’s natural hair and sculpt it. When you’re working with shorter hair, the razor is a little bit easier and gives a softer look to it. If someone is going towards more for that curtain bang shag, the razor is great for that.”

What does at-home maintenance look like for this hairstyle?

It varies on what the client wants and their hair texture. Most of Ariana Rose’s clients prefer curtain bangs with low maintenance requiring a routine of washing, brushing, adding styling product, and letting it be. However, you will have to use products for care based on your texture. She explains how she builds up the product during the appointment while the hair is damp for her clients. For a client with curly hair, a styling cream will smooth and support the preferred style. When finishing an appointment, she adds a styling or texture cream for a polished look, depending on the amount of hold the client wants to keep the ends in place. For straight and fine hair, she completes the service with hair spray.

But before you hit that “book now” button, let’s chat about how often you should visit your stylist for this look. Our StyleSeat Pro says that follow-up appointments are dependent on the length of the bangs. You can allow it to grow out for face-framing bangs and come back for trim between 6-8 weeks. If you’re looking to keep the curtain bang look, you can go longer and visit your stylist every 8-10 weeks. Shorter bangs will require a regular visit with your hairstylist approximately once a month.

We know trends come and go, but Ariana Rose does not see curtain bangs leaving anytime soon. She loves the curtain bangs trend and believes in adding pieces of hair trends to her styling artistry. “I’m all about finding your personal style and taking things from trends that you like and using them in a way that elevates your personality and allowing it to just evolve throughout time.”

Live in the San Francisco area? Then, check out Ariana Rose’s availability to book an appointment and follow her on Instagram to see her latest looks.