Curly Bangs: Tips for Managing Shrinkage

Opting for curly hair with bangs is a bold, beautiful style choice, but it does require careful planning regarding “shrinkage.” Curls can bounce up significantly once they dry—sometimes by as much as 30% to 50% of their wet length. The golden rule is to always have your bangs cut while the hair is dry and in its natural state. This allows you to see exactly where the curls will sit on your forehead. If you cut them while wet, you risk them springing up much higher than intended, resulting in “micro-bangs.” When styling, try finger-coiling each curl in the bang area to ensure they clump together and lay flat against the brow rather than frizzing outward. Use a light-hold gel to keep them in place. If you find your bangs are too bouncy, you can lightly “weight” them down during the drying process by using a small clip at the ends, or simply air-dry them without diffusing. Curly hair with bangs frames the face beautifully and adds a youthful, trendy edge to any curly mane, provided you account for that inevitable curl bounce.