Rarely has anyone exploded onto any scene with the sheer ferocity of pop star Chappell Roan. The Missouri-bred singer is breaking performance records, working overtime to bring back the pencil-thin eyebrow, and inspiring our fall manicures. She’s also managed to do the seemingly impossible: style and maintain curly bangs, even when performing in the heat and humidity of summer. It’s safe to say the fans have noticed.
Stylists say that Roan deserves partial credit for an influx of requests to shape fringe out of curls of all textures, but the trend is about far more than celebrity copycatting—it’s also an ode to the beauty industry’s long-overdue celebration of natural hair textures. “I think celebrities influence style, but I [also] believe more women are standing strong and proud in the beauty of their natural curls,” says Renee Easley, a Georgia-based stylist. Ky Wilson, a groomer in London and member of the evo hair creative team, says the rise of the shag—which necessitates cutting bangs—has also played a role. The shag haircut “has had a huge impact increasing fringes, face-framing, and layering incorporated into most haircuts that are coming through the salon doors,” he says. Easley also credits the simple fact of the weather. As we leave the sticky summer months behind, having a layer of hair covering your forehead gets far more appealing.
It might be due to Chappell Roan or Tracee Ellis Ross, a come-to-Jesus decision to embrace your natural hair, or a back-to-school shag, but whatever the reason for your newfound curly bangs, keep in mind that their reputation for being a bit finicky isn’t totally unearned. As stylist Vernon François—the man behind these gorgeous puffy, kinky bangs on Lupita Nyong’o—tells Allure, “with curly hair, it’s always a hit or miss. [Bangs] can look epically amazing or really bad.” Still, he doesn’t want curly-haired clients to be too afraid to try a cut with bangs. He suggests working “very closely with your stylist and having a really good consultation” before cutting that fringe. Experts shared a few more of their key tips for the curly bang-curious, below.
Styling and Maintaining Curly Bangs
Six words of wisdom that apply to all bangs, as far as we’re concerned: “Don’t try to trim them yourself!” says Easley. “Please see your stylist for a curly bang trim. It only takes one wrong move, and you could end up with bangs that are way too short.”
To prevent any length-based shock, be sure to trim your hair when it’s dry. “I cannot stress this enough: If you trim wet bangs, they’ll shrink when they dry and be too short,” says stylist Ted Gibson. For his part, Wilson prefers to cut curl by curl, which helps him see how the fringe is shaping along the way.