If you type into google “Should I get…” “bangs” is the first word it autocompletes your search with. It’s obviously a hard decision to make. On one hand, it can completely change your look, your face shape, and how people see you; on the other hand, it’s just hair, and will inevitably grow back.
But with Cosmo, InStyle, Refinery29, Brit+Co, and many other magazines and bloggers singing the praises of bangs for 2018, many of us might be considering jumping in the metaphorical deep end of the pool of hair styles, and getting bangs.
As someone who got bangs again after years of not having them, and having essentially the same hairstyle since the 11th grade, I have a few things you should consider before getting bangs.
How low-maintenance do you really want to be?
Everyone likes to say they’re low maintenance. For years, I was a simple shampoo-conditioner-air dry-brush kind of gal, I didn’t want to put the time and money into a hair dryer, straightener, or curling iron. Especially considering the time put into hair styling that I could spend sleeping, I wasn’t too eager to complicate my hair routine any more.
Unfortunately, with bangs there is somewhat of a necessity to spend more time on your hair. Air-dried bangs can look super cute, and if you have naturally straight hair this may not be too big of an issue, but for people without pin-straight hair, air-dried bangs can go between “cute chill flower child” and “bad 70s hair” pretty easily. Mine tend to get very “flippy” when I don’t blow dry them. Though I’ve learned that blow drying just your bangs doesn’t take nearly as much time as I thought it would (you can preserve most of your precious sleep), it still is time you’ll have to put aside.
How much money are you willing to spend?
With blow drying, or using any kind of other heated hair styling tool, it’s super important to use a heat protectant if you regularly use heat on your hair. It’ll keep your hair looking and feeling healthy despite frying it, and keep the split ends away as long as possible! Though heat protectant sprays aren’t all that expensive, it’s still a cost to consider.
You’ll also probably want to get your bangs cut more often than the rest of your hair. Being able to see past them is pretty important. This means getting them trimmed regularly. You could try following one of the many “how I cut my bangs at home” DIY YouTube videos, but if you’re wanting to take less of a risk this may not be the best option. Luckily, many salons offer free or cheap trims for bangs, but it’s a good idea to check the prices at your salon, or look for one that’ll help you save that money!
What kind of bangs do you want?
Crescent bangs, curtain bangs, baby bangs, wispy bangs, side bangs, straight bangs…there are probably more types of bangs than you would have ever expected. If you go to a hairstylist asking just for bangs, they most likely won’t know exactly what you want, and you’ll either have to do more research, or end up with a haircut you might regret. It’s good to put a bit of time into looking into what style you want, having photos of what you like is especially good!
How greasy are you, really?
Now I mean no offense to the folks whose hair starts to look greasy the day after washing it. I’m unfortunately in that boat too. Bangs especially can start to look greasy quickly, if you are ok with washing your them almost daily, then you shouldn’t have any problems. Or, you can get a good dry shampoo. It’s definitely not a reason to not get bangs, but something to consider.
The weather…
This may seem like a weird thing to include, but wind can really mess with your bangs. And if you live somewhere where your hair gets rained on regularly, that can also undo the hard work you put into styling them. Though both of these can be remedied with umbrellas, hats, and so on, it can be a bit of a pain.
Your style, and how you want people to see your style
I’ve been described as having a “vintage”, “quirky”, or “hipster” style at different points in my life, bangs seems to go hand in hand with a lot of those ideas, if I was someone with a more sporty style this may not work so well. Bangs themselves are a fashion statement and they definitely get noticed, at least for the first few weeks you have them. This seems to me to be a plus usually – it takes less work to have a unique and chic look – but, it can also be a bit scary the first few days seeing everyone notice them and having lots of people comment on them.
How much you follow trends
Though they’re “in fashion” at the moment, (and I definitely think they’re always stylish), there will inevitably be a time in the future when bangs are not the cool haircut anymore. If you like to be on trend with your hair, know that bangs can’t be disguised easily, and the growing out process can go through some rough patches.
If, after considering all this you still are thinking of getting bangs, that’s awesome! Everyone I know who has bangs or got bangs looks good with them, and has a certain type of unique coolness. As far as I’ve seen they can suit any face and refresh your look if that’s what you’re going for. They can also bring a little bit of the always sought after “French girl chic” into your style. So why not go for it. It’s less risky and more fun than impulse cutting your Barbie’s hair as a child – and this time, it’ll actually grow back!