You may have been like me and thought that curly hair would prevent you from wearing bangs. You dreamed of fringes and hairstyles that you would never be able to wear. If you’re like me, then you probably cut them and spent the next two years growing them out. I’ll tell you the truth: Whoever told me curly haired girls couldn’t have bangs lied.
There’s a common misconception that curly haired people can’t wear bangs. Roz Murray says that curly-haired people can have bangs. It’s just about whether they want to keep their natural texture or manipulate their curls (or straighten them) to match their rest of hair.
We’ve gathered some of our favorite “bangs for curly hair” ideas. Think of Stevie Nicks in the 90s. Also, Georgia May Jagger and Mariah Carey. Find 44 expert-approved curly hair styles with bangs below, courtesy of some our favorite hairstylists including Ryan Richman. Justine Marjan. Bryce Scarlett. Laurie Heaps. Holly Mills. Davontae. Washington.
Curly Eighty Bob
@ciara / Instagram
Murray says that Ciara’s bangs are angled more to the side (almost up into her top layer), giving it a squarer shape. It could have been curled using a curling-iron, but clips can also be used to elevate that part. The ‘v-section’ is also less visible because of the heavier bang.
Straight Side-Swept Bangs with Curly Hair
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Washington advises adding layers for volume and bounce. “Choose a cut that lets your curls flow, with alternating short and long layers.” Washington says. Add a subtle side shave like Camila Cabello to complete your look.
Curly Finger Coil Bangs
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Murray says that you can achieve Zendaya’s curly hair bangs by finger coiling your hair after applying a curl cream. I recommend Bumble and bumble Curl Light Defining Cream for shaping and defining your curls.
Curly Peekaboo Bangs
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Murray says Sandra Oh has a sparser bang section so that her face can peek through. It can also be done with bangs pushed to one side. Use clips to hold the curls in place while they dry.
French Bob undone, untied
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Washington says, “This undone and casually tangled look gives off chic vibes. It’s a nice change from the overly structured bobs.” To style your hair, simply wash it and let it air dry. “After your hair has dried, add texture to it with H&H Science’s Easy Volume Dry Texture spray for an extra flair.”
Wet Pixie With Bangs
@daniellepriano / Instagram
Taylor Hill’s wet-pixie style with bangs is an elegant and timeless look that caters to a variety of personalities and facial shapes. Washington suggests using a sea-salt spray to enhance the natural texture of your curly cut pixie. This will allow it to dry and fall easily.
French Bob
@hollygirldoeshair
This French bob has a chin-length and is finished with loose curls on the ends. The bangs are flipped out.
Half-Up Half-Down
@mouseybrowne
Curly bangs look great with a half up, half down style. This loose, wavy triangular fringe is to die for.
Curly Faux Hawk
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Storm Reid’s curly fake hawk is a great way to style curls of any length. The fringed pieces in the front create bangs which fall past her eyebrows.
Long S-Shaped Fringe
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Ilana’s advice on how to embrace texture with slightly longer bangs is a great guide. Richman says that you may need to restyle bangs the next morning, even if you did not wash your hair. “Wet your bangs carefully, then pat them dry with Aquis Wrap. It’s less damaging than a cotton cloth (it smooths the cuticle as you hair dries).
Razor Bangs
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By now, we hope that it has been proven beyond doubt that curly haired women do not have to straighten their bangs. Kat Graham’s razored, long ombre waves and cute fringe are a modern, fun take on the straight body/curly bangs contrast.
Curls Tight with Fringe
@mouseybrowne
Dry cutting is key to the most successful curly haircuts, including this one. Find a stylist who can work with your hair when it is dry and at its true length.
Betty Boop Bangs
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Alia Shawkat’s Betty Boop bobs are easy to style and look adorable with an oversized bow around the crown. Richman recommends a lightweight primer that has thermal protection, no matter what length your hair is. He suggests using Paul Mitchell Neuro Prime, and twisting your curls with a finger before using diffuser.
Circular Bob
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Alison Brie has a short, curly hairstyle that we’re not sure how to describe. Rounded bob or a rounded bob? A hip version of the bowl cut? Her perfect ringlets with black eyeliner smudged are totally cool and sultry.
Geometric Curls
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Solange’s curly edgy hair has a wide, geometric form with a section raised at the crown. This gives it a totally 80s vibe and works well with her natural hair. The microbangs that frame her forehead are particularly beautiful.
Cascading short fringe
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Joey King looks flirty and young with a close-cropped, curly pixie haircut. The bangs are short but cascade in layers across the forehead. DevaCurl Frizz-Free Volumizing foam, a lightweight mousse that adds lift and volume without leaving a crunchy feeling can be used.
Richman says, “Be aware of where you live.” If you live in an area that is humid or wet, this can affect the curl pattern. You should discuss with your stylist how your curl pattern is changing.
Grown Out Fringe
@mizzchoi
This gorgeous ash brown ombre, created by stylist Cherinchoi, features a grown-out ’70s fringe framing the client’s face. The fringe blends seamlessly with the layered waves that tumble over her shoulders.
Textured, Messy Bangs
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Juno Temple has a full head of curly hair with choppy bangs. It’s got a lot of texture. According to Scarlett, the key to maintaining your bangs is to use a curl refresher spray. It won’t weigh them down, and will give them new life in the morning. Ouidad’s Botanical Boost Energizing & refreshing Curl Spray is recommended.
Center-Parted Fringe
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It’s no wonder that the center part is so popular. Tessa Thompson demonstrates that it works for both straight and curly hair. Her layered ends and brow-grazing edge are stunning.
Super Long Shag
@frostburgfiberdepot / Instagram
This shag has bangs that are incredibly long and curl slightly away from the face. Marjan says to aim for two inches more than you think. Then, you can work down to shorter lengths as needed (curly hair shrinks and bounces back up when it is cut).
Curly with Straight Bangs
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With a modern twist on straight bangs and a curly hair base, you can channel the look of the early 2000s. Maisie Williams’ pink hair color with dark roots gives it a bit of edge.
Fluffy Bangs
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Tracee’s fluffed up bangs look great with her slicked back bun. You’ll want to straighten your locks and use lots of hairspray and gel to hold your strands. The curlier the bangs, the better.
Pseudo Bangs
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Are you not ready to maintain curly bangs for a long time? You can fake them by putting your hair in a tight bun and placing the curls just above your forehead to look like fringe.
To maintain your curly style before bedtime and to prevent frizz, use the pineapple ponytail using only a hair tie. Washington says that pulling bangs out is both chic and fashionable.
Supersized Curls
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Natasha Lyonne’s signature wavy and big curls are a classic. Marjan advises that you should ask your stylist to hold the end and slowly cut the bangs with the shears facing down (as the stylist opens and closes their shears). This will make the ends lighter. This will create a curl pattern with a defined shape that doesn’t feel too heavy on your face.
Finger Waves
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The finger waves look stunning on a super-short pixie. Rowan Blanchard uses a face-framing curly that serves to both get her bangs out of her face, and adds vintage splendor to her look.
Artsy Triangle Hair
@mouseybrowne
The stylists at Mousey Browne Salon, Brooklyn, New York, call this the “deliberate triangular.” Many people with curly hair are warned about the dreaded “triangle” hair. But here’s proof you can make it look good on purpose.
Beachy Bangs
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Take a leaf out of Lizzo’s beachy book for curly bangs. Her bangs are slightly wavy, which mirrors her loose curls that cascade past her shoulders. The sun-kissed balayage gives off a vacation feel.
Windswept Fringe
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Lily Collins’s windswept bangs look like a natural result, but they probably took a lot more effort than that to achieve. Marjan explains: Use the diffuser attachment of the GHD Air Professional Performance hairdryer to diffuse your dry hair. You can, if you are qualified and feel the need to do so, cut each curl after diffusing forward the front strands. This will frame your face perfectly.
Barely There Bangs
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FKA Twigs barely-there bangs may not be for the weak-hearted, but they are oh so cool. The top of her forehead is framed by wispy curly hair, and the rest of the curls are piled in a choppy-updo.
Micro Spirals
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Kerry Washington’s bangs and micro-curls are a great combination. Heaps advises that it is important to take note of how your curls fall naturally from day to night. If a client’s fringe is prone to cowlicks, it can be a difficult task.
Baby Bangs
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Yara’s curly lob and baby bangs are trendy yet timeless. Mills says to be prepared to fine-tune your bangs. “If you have a single curl or strand of hair that is out of place, use a curling wand to move the curls in the correct direction,” she suggests. I would recommend using a medium setting depending on your ironing skills. Don’t forget that you will be doing this very close to your face.
Layers in abundance
Sarah Hyland’s short, choppy layers can give the appearance of side bangs with little effort.
Choppy Ringlets
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Jasmine Sanders’ ringlets of blonde hair and raised roots create a cool choppy look. Texturizing sprays like Oribe Dry Texturizing are great for adding grit and texture to curls. Just scrunch the spray into damp or wet strands.
Vintage pin curl waves
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Janelle Monae has fluffy waves that have a pin-curl effect. The soft waves that rippling across her forehead and the cloud-like round shape of her hair as it leaves her head are beautiful.
Afro-Textured Bangles
@delilah_hair_studio
When it comes to bangs, there are no limits. You can rock a fringe if you have bangs that are super curly, afro-textured, or super curly. The balayage highlights give this full and voluminous style a nice boost.
Lifted Roots
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Rita Ora’s raised roots and dramatic curled side bangs give off an old Hollywood starlet feel. You can get this look even if you don’t naturally have curly hair. Use a curling iron with some hairspray to achieve it for special occasions.
Seamless layers
@mouseybrowne
These short, choppy bangs are paired with “seamless layering” that adds so much life to limp curls. Marjan recommends spraying shine serum into your hair and scrunching to add shine if you have dull strands.
Side Fringe
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Sandra Oh’s side-swept bangs are easier to maintain than straight-cut bangs. Scarlett advises that, no matter what style you choose, the key to curly bangs is starting them off very long, at least to your cheekbones. You can then reassess your style as you progress and pay attention to where the natural curl is.
Wet Look Bob
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Fringe does not always need to run across the forehead. Rihanna’s wet-look Bob features some shorter pieces that fall around her cheeks. This adds dimension to the mostly single-length style.
Modern Mullet
@delilah_hair_studio
This style, which is top-heavy, is the current version of the mullet. Mullets, once a throwback to the 1980s, are now full of volume.
All Over Ringlets
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Zendaya’s spiraling ringlets are accented by equally curly bangs. Richman suggests asking your stylist to trim your bangs while your hair is still holding the texture that you usually wear. You can always trim them a bit shorter, but if you cut them too short there is no turning back.
Curtain Fringe
@georgiamayjagger
You can wear curtain fringes parted in the middle if your hair is a bit wavy. Georgia May Jagger has bangs that almost reach the jawline.
Mig Length Shag With Longer Bangs
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A shag of mid-length is perfect for curly hair with bangs slightly longer than the eyebrows. Scarlett says that the best way to take care of bangs, like the rest of curly hair is by air-drying them. He says Moroccanoil Treatment Light is great for curly hair because it is light, doesn’t weight down your hair and continues to give volume.
Curly Pixie With Fringe
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This hairstyle breaks all of the “rules” for curly hair, which is why we love this so much. This super short pixie has a piece-y spiraled fringe that is fun and edgy. Heaps advises that if you want to maintain a certain length, you will need to have your stylist trim your hair every four to six week (depending on the rate at which your hair grows). Ask your stylist if they offer bang trimmings free of charge between haircuts.
