If you’re a curtain bangs virgin know this. They are extremely beginner friendly.
Which makes them seem easy enough, right? Just what you wanted to hear because that was your expectation.
But are they certified beginner friendly enough for those with wavy locks?
Asked because anyone with waves knows how unpredictable they can be. Add to that the humidity situation where you live and bangs can get complicated and fast. There’s reality raising its ugly head.
Or not. Which is why so many with naturally wavy hair feel long, 70s style bangs are their best shot at flirty fringe happiness.
Of course bangs bliss all begins with knowing how to cut them.
Obviously most will advise you to get them cut at the salon at least for the first time.
I would second that. It’s easier to trim back to the shape once it’s been established then to blaze the trail yourself.
While you’re in the chair your stylist might also share some useful tips about how to keep them ship shape.
But of course there are always those who prefer to strike out on their own.
Three points to always keep in mind if that’s you:
- Cutting bangs with waves totally dry is non negotiable.
- Point cut into such bangs never blunt cut across them.
- And what should be obvious cut out more in the middle than on the sides.
The reasons for cutting dry i it removes all guess work about how much your hair is gonna shrink when it dries.
Point cutting keeps the ends soft not harsh. Making it easier for them to blend with the rest of your mane if you require them to.
With curtain bangs the big idea is to keep the hair in the middle shorter exposing some forehead. Then you can style it to let it gently swoop out to the sides the farther down your face you go. Because as you know that’s the trademark feature of curtain bangs.
How to Cut Curtain Bangs On Wavy Hair
Now here’s a key to cutting them yourself. You want to section out a triangle with the base across your hairline about the width from the middle of each eye. Give or take.
This video shows you how – it just takes the long way around to get there. So please be patient. After some fits and starts she finally finds it.
I felt this made it super clear what you are going for with the triangle thingee.
Keep in mind too, as she points out, that the farther back on your head you go with your triangle the thicker your bangs will be.
SPOILER ALERT: Now I didn’t include her cutting her bangs for a reason. We have much better curtain bangs cutting videos on another post of ours. And it’s amazing.
Honestly how you cut doesn’t depend so much on the texture of your hair as the technique you use. So the fact any demo isn’t done on wavy hair shouldn’t matter all that much. Focus on the method and you’ll be fine. For more on that check out these videos on cutting 70s curtain bangs.
Okay so once you got them next there’s how to style them, right?
How Do You Style Curtain Bangs With Wavy Hair?
This video emphasizes two points about curtain bangs and wavy hair. How to dry them and when.
It’s a point worth paying attention to. Get this right and the rest is easy. Well, almost.
Notice that her bangs are given immediate TLC. Like before she does anything else immediate. That’s because air dried bangs, especially with sometimes unruly wavy hair, will simply not lay right.
So you can’t back burner this. Wrap dry your bangs right away.
Finally here’s some
Unwritten Rules For Curtain Bangs On Wavy Or Curly Hair
The bad news is any bang with wavy hair usually requires some attention with a hot styling tool pretty much every day. The good news is only takes a few minutes for a so deliciously 70s styling revival.
Easy styling routine: Grab your round brush, blow dryer and curling iron. Use the first two to dry your bangs. Then curl them away from your face with iron. Finish by finger combing to blend them with the rest of your hair as little or as much as you like.
Now it’s something of a unwritten styling rule that the eye is drawn to where the shortest part of the bangs lay your face. This makes it easy to use a fringe like this to highlight your eyes.
Your locks absolutely must be able to pull off a middle part. Otherwise you’re dealing with some flavor of side bangs.
Speaking of foreheads. Got a smaller forehead? Be careful to avoid bangs that are too heavy. They can overpower your entire look.
When going for DIY curtain bangs with scissors remember the one rule you can NEVER EVER violate. You must cut your wavy hair dry. Otherwise you’re depending on clairvoyance as to how much shrinkage to allow for.
This is also why you want to cut longer with the first pass. You can always point cut to fine tune it. Fail to do that and there’s the risk of needing to become a sudden fan of micro bangs when that’s not what you were going for.
An alternative way to get all chic would be rather than leaving them natural run over your fringe once with a straightener. Then see how much fun a fringe so styled is to flaunt.
A good way to play wavy hair is to go for a longer fringe. That way it can be pushed to the side on days you don’t feel like facing the world with bangs.
Curtain bangs are by definition shorter in the middle and gradually get longer to the sides. So think maybe brow length or bit shorter in the middle getting progressively longer from there.
When cutting you hair dry, (and you are doing that right?) start longer than where you think you might want to end up.
Yeah I mentioned this already. But it bears repeating. Cutting long allows for thoughtful evaluation. Compare that to going for your ideal length only to find out it’s too short. Well, at that point you’re stuck.
Then there’s this. Going too short sets the stage for control issues. A fringe on the shorter side is naturally harder to style. So be mindful of that if doing this yourself.
Worst case, if your DIY bangs cutting adventure turns out to be an epic fail, fall back on denial. Like “It will always grow back”. Eventually.
If you appreciate tips like these for Bardot bangs then be sure to follow our popular pins board on Pinterest. That way you’ll be able to look beyond gorgeous at all times.
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