Curtain bangs have been around since the ‘60s and ‘70s, made popular by actresses Farah Fawcett, Bridget Bardot, and Goldie Hawn. Curtain bangs are bangs that sweep to the sides from the center part, blending seamlessly with the rest of the hair. These bangs help frame the face to give a sultry and flirty look that flatters almost any hairstyle or texture.
Curtain bangs are great for those looking to add bangs but aren’t ready to fully commit to a blunt cut or for those trying to grow out more traditional bangs. Curtain bangs are a little less maintenance because you don’t always need heat tools to style them, and they work at various hair lengths, so they need fewer trims to look great.
There are hundreds of ways to style your face-framing bangs. So if you’re thinking of trying out bangs, consider one of these ten curtain bang styles before heading to the salon.
Korean Curtain Bangs
With the rise in popularity of Korean movies, music, and celebrities, more people in the U.S. have wanted to mimic Korean hair trends. Korean curtain bangs are long, sweeping bangs that blend with the rest of your hair, usually with a center part to give a slimming effect to the face.
The bangs typically start around the top of your cheekbone and gradually get longer to reach below the eyebrow line. They are usually cut at an angle to give a soft, wispy texture and are swept back from the face to blend with the rest of your hair.
Wolf Cut Curtain Bangs
A standard wolf cut features short layers combining a shag and a mullet. They became increasingly popular in Hollywood in 2022 and feature shaggy curtain bangs framing the face. The ends of the bangs are usually longer and wispy to create movement and separation from the rest of the hair.
Wolf cuts look great on various hairstyles and textures. Talk to a hairstylist to get the best cut for your face shape. But once you get a wolf cut, maintenance is easy. The whole look has a messy, undone vibe, so no over-the-top care routine is necessary.
Long Curtain Bangs
Long curtain bangs are an effortless but effective style for any hair length or texture. The long layers mean you don’t have much upkeep and no extra tools beyond your day-to-day routine, but the effect curtain bangs can have by framing the face can create a dramatically different look with minimal effort.
If you ask for long curtain bangs, you’ll want to start around your cheekbone and work down to blend seamlessly with the rest of your hair.
Black Hair Curtain Bangs
Whether you want to wear your hair straight or curly, curtain bangs can help give you the subtle, sultry look you’re going for. Curtain bangs with straight hair can create body and texture. However, with curly hair, it will add some interest to an everyday hairstyle and help balance out heavier curl patterns.
If you often change your style but want to keep your bangs, talk to your stylist about versatile cuts that can transition to each style as you do.
Blonde Curtain Bangs
Blonde hairstyles can also benefit from curtain bangs. Billie Eilish went blonde in 2021 and paired her new color with a short wispy curtain bang.
Going for a platinum blonde color and a shoulder-length wavy cut, you can get a similar look. You can also create a messy, beachy vibe by going with long waves, long curtain bangs, and subtle highlights for a sun-kissed look.
Curtain Bangs Balayage
Balayage is a form of highlights that starts about mid-length and moves towards the end to give a more subtle, natural look to highlights. And just like the natural color, curtain bangs can add to the natural movement of your hair.
The only thing to note is that balayage needs some length in the hair to work correctly, so the rest of your hair will need to be at least mid-length before trying this technique.
Curtain Bangs Highlights
If your hair isn’t quite the length for balayage, you can try highlights with your curtain bangs. The highlights add brightness to your hair, helping to frame your face along with the curtain bangs.
If you are thinking of getting highlights as well as curtain bangs, it may be best to cut the bangs first. That way, your stylist can add highlights to fit the new style.
Layered Curtain Bangs
Layered curtain bangs are perfect for hairstyles with loose waves and messy layers to give the hair a boost in volume and an alluring look. They help frame your face while allowing the rest of your hair to billow around you.
Layered curtain bangs are ideal for wavy hair, but you’ll need to master your blowout and curling iron techniques to style your curtain bangs.
Red Curtain Bangs
Whether you want to show off your natural red or are opting for a new color, red curtain bangs can accentuate your face to give you a playful look that blends with any hairstyle you choose.
If you’re dying your hair, depending on the shade and technique, get the cut done before the color so the colorist can work with your new cut to give you the most flattering look.
Short Hair Curtain Bangs
Curtain bangs aren’t just for long hair. They can help soften short, blunt cuts by creating wispy layers around your face. Depending on your length, your curtain bangs may not be much shorter than the rest of your hair. But cut with the proper technique, the sweeping feel of the bangs can add a touch of femininity to a short masculine hairstyle.
Protect Your Skin While Styling
When styling your hair with heat tools, you must remember to protect your skin from burns. The ears are one of the most common places to burn while using curling irons. For curtain bangs, you’ll need to blend the bangs into the rest of the hair near your ears.
To avoid possible burns, Miss Careful Ear Covers completely cover your ears to help protect them from injury due to heat styling or staining when coloring your hair.
The silicone ear covers are easy to clean, one-size-fits-all, and can protect your ears from dyes, heated styling tools, and chemicals.
