If there's one thing the Who What Wear beauty team can agree on, it's our shared love of haircuts with chic bangs. Whether it's side bangs, wispy bangs, or French-girl bangs, you can bet we're endlessly saving cut inspo for our next trip to the salon. That said, curtain bangs are the fringe style we have the most enthusiasm for. Whether we're shooting for a Matilda Djerf or Farrah Fawcett look, this will always be one effortlessly cool cut for the books.
To usher you into your curtain-bang era, we tapped two celebrity hairstylists for their intel. "Curtain bangs are a graduated cut bang/fringe. When at the salon, I'd describe your vibe and show photo references. Bardot is famous for these. They have a very '60s/'70s vibe," says Dave Stanwell, a celebrity hairstylist and House of Frieda expert.
While curtain-inspired bangs of the yesteryear happen to be one of the trendiest hairstyles to reemerge in this decade (it made a resurgence last year, and we predict it will be carried well into the remainder of 2024 and 2025), it's also one of the most low-maintenance and versatile bang styles to request on your next trip to the salon.
"Curtain bangs are soft, flowy, and longer than more traditional styles of fringe or bangs that sit at or above the brow," adds celebrity hairstylist and beauty expert David Lopez. "Curtain bangs gently split open in the center, and they sit just along the cheekbones. Unless you have super-coily or textured hair, they're wearable for almost any length or hair type." If you're hesitant to dive headfirst into a bold hair moment, curtain bangs offer the perfect gateway style when it comes to styling and commitment.
Curtain bangs are certainly chic in their own right, but they have the added benefit of immediately elevating the look of updos, from sleek ponytails to messy buns. Lopez also notes they can give a subtle face-slimming effect since they open up the eye area and sculpt in your cheekbones. Like any specific haircut, learning how to style it to the best of your ability can take some training and patience.
If you have your sights set on getting the chop or have already taken the plunge and are in need of pro-level styling tips, you're in luck! Below, we're sharing six tips for styling your curtain bangs as well as an expert-approved edit of the must-have products to keep on deck for your new routine. Keep scrolling and get ready to screenshot for quick access!
Tips for Styling Your Curtain Bangs
1. Brush Down and Out With a Round Brush
"It's helpful to use a smaller round brush when styling so you can get a nice grip and blend," says Stanwell. Thermal ceramic ion round brushes create the high-volume look of a blowout without the hassle of a blow-dryer, with some emitting far-infrared heat to lock in moisture and leave all hair types and textures looking shiny, frizz-free, and static-free. Thermal-free vented and wooden round brushes offer body, shine, and movement. "This will help create that really pretty curtain bounce," explains Lopez.
Featuring a vented ceramic-coated barrel for faster and more consistent styling and large holes to maximize airflow, this Olivia Garden thermal hairbrush is a must for creating volume, waves, or straight strands.
Philip B's Medium Round Brush features nylon-reinforced, first-cut boar bristles that glide through the hair easily, polishing each stand for max shine and frizz control. Plus, its ergonomic handle makes for easy and quick styling.
Use Oribe's luxurious Italian Resin Large Round Brush to boost you hair's volume and shine. It has a hand-polished European beech wood handle that provides a comfortable grip and offers balanced weight.
2. The Direction You Blow-Dry Your Bangs Matters
To achieve the right style and shape for your curtain bangs, trusting haphazard air-drying isn't the best way to go. "Blow-dry your hair toward your face and then toward the floor," explains Lopez. "Once your hair is dry and you push it back, it will create a nice curtain swoop." For a salon-worthy finish, use a hair dryer with variable power, temperature controls to easily adjust to your hair type and style, and a concentrator nozzle. Lift and separate your hair as you dry to create soft volume before setting your style with a shot of cool air.
This tool is 30% smaller than traditional hair dryers on the market, making the Fit Compact Hair Dryer extremely lightweight and ergonomic. It's powered by advanced IonAir technology for fast drying with smooth, shiny results.
The GHD Air Hair Dryer features advanced ionic technology and a powerful 1600-watt AC motor to reduce frizz and provide smooth and shiny hair. It also includes one concentrator nozzle to create a variety of styles and a cool-shot button to set them.
This blow-dryer provides faster drying time and helps reduce frizz for a smooth and shiny blowout using a patented ergonomic design for fuss-free styling. It also has Ionic Dessicant Technology to reduce humidity levels and a powerful motor.
3. Spritz Texture Spray on Your Strands
Stanwell tends to avoid using heat tools when working with curtain bangs, favoring a good dryer, a round brush, and a texture, volume, or sea spray instead so the hair sits well. "I like John Frieda's UltraFiller+ Thickening Spray. This gives the curtain bangs that voluminous lift you're looking for without weighing the hair down and making it greasy," says Stanwell.
Stanwell swears by this volumizing spray infused with biotin and hyaluronic acid to visibly plump the thickness of your strands. It also provides heat protection and long-lasting hold for your style.
Wind-swept, beachy hair is easier to achieve than you think! Ouai's Wave Spray uses a formula with rice protein to enhance texture while also building body and shine without sacrificing the health of color-treated and/or keratin-treated hair.
The Thickening Dryspun Volume Texture Spray is a translucent dry-finishing volume spray with light hold and grip. It's formulated with a texturizing blend of zeolite and silk powder, making it perfect for anyone with fine-to-medium hair.
4. Try Thermal and Self-Grip Hair Rollers
Looking for a no-fuss way to style your curtain bangs? Give thermal and self-grip hair rollers a try for effortless volume without pulling or damaging your strands. Perfect for any hair length and texture, the hair rollers below create a strong hold and evenly distribute heat. If it's soft waves you're after, gently brush out your hair and shape it with your hand.
This set of self-grip rollers creates major volume at the crown and stays in place without tugging or pulling on your hair with a gentle self-grip material. It includes two sizes for all textures, types, and hair lengths.
These ceramic thermal hair rollers are crafted using a ceramic-coated core to evenly distribute heat and set curls while cooling to provide longer-lasting volume. They add lift to the roots with long-lasting volume and bounce.
Use this high-tech tool to create the perfect bouncy bangs in moments powered by T3's HeatCore Technology. It offers a dual temperature setting for all hair types with velvet flocking to ensure shine and a comfortable grip.
5. Take Advantage of Hair Concentrator Attachments
Lopez recommends reaching for your hair dryer's concentrator attachment for pro-level styling and to help direct the airflow exactly where you want it. "I love using the T3 Fit Compact Hair Dryer with the concentrator, and I push the bangs back and forth and from side to side as they dry to create a loose, flowy parting," he adds. While most hair dryers come with a concentrator, they're also sold separately for your styling preferences. You'll have more control over the shine, smoothness, and shape of your curtain bangs.
Compatible with the T3 Fit Lightweight Hair Dryer, the Fit Dryer Concentrator directs airflow for greater control during styling or drying.
If you're not a fan of the Fit Dryer Concentrator in white, it's also offered in a semi-shiny black, which we're absolutely drooling over.
6. Use Creaseless Clips to Set Your Desired Shape
If you haven't already invested in a set of creaseless clips, we highly recommend it. They're a must-have in every pro stylist's kit, and Lopez says these clips are one of the best-kept secrets for keeping the shape and style of your bangs on lock. "Pinch your bangs together right at your hairline, set with a clip, and swoop each side out to create a C curtain shape before gently clipping those ends as well," says Lopez. "Allow it to set for a couple of minutes and then release."
Ideal for all hair types, Kitsch's Duck Billed Hair Styling Clips are crafted using lightweight and rustproof anodized aluminum as well as pro-strength hinges to provide a secure grip for holding wet and dry hair perfectly.
Add these Kristin Ess creaseless clips anywhere you could use a little more control as you style your curtain bangs. Described as Ess's secret weapon for keeping cowlicks and flyaways in check, they're key for achieving perfect hair.
Set your hair with easy by using Emi Jay's stylish Popstar Clips. Made from custom biodegradable acetate, they're designed to keep all hair types and textures smooth and polished as you style your curtain bangs.
Shop More Must-Haves for Curtain Bangs
Formulated with moisturizers and heat protectant that won't cloud or darken hair, Color Wow's Style on Steroids Color-Safe Texture Spray provides salon-worthy texture, volume, and style memory with long-lasting results.
Here's a double-length bristled detangling brush designed to gently work through tangles without causing any damage or breakage. This Act+Acre brush also provides an effective massage at the root to support scalp and hair health.
Keep your strands healthy and happy by using this ultra-lightweight mist. The Royal Blowout Heat Styling Spray repairs split ends and nourishes, softens, and strengthens the hair, giving it healthy body and shine.
The Aimike Professional Clips are made from durable plastic and rust-resistant smooth metal, allowing them to slide into the hair easily without catching onto or snagging strands.
Dyson's Airwrap Multi-Styler styles hair from wet to dry using Coanda airflow, not extreme heat, with three key controls—airflow speed, temperature control, and a cold shot for effortless styling.
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