Bangs are definitely a look. The argument for them goes that by cutting your hair to graze above your eyes, you’ll frame your face and highlight your best features. And sure, for some people, that’s definitely what happens. But on many, many others, not so much.
So before you become a slave to the scissors (yep, most people with bangs require monthly trims), you’ll want to read on to find out why cutting bangs may not be in your best interest. Because if the last time your experimented with this look was when you were seven-years-old, there’s a lot you don’t remember about what a hassle bangs truly are.
If there’s one type of haircut that needs constant upkeep, it’s bangs. While forehead fringe may appear cute and give off a low maintenance vibe, the style is anything but. You’ll need to schedule regular trims at least once a month—and more so if you’ve got a highly stylized look, like baby bangs, or have hair that grows particularly fast. And if you’re not aware, the price of haircuts adds up fast! (We hope we don’t have to tell you that you should never even think about trimming them yourself.)
If you’ve got a round or oval-shaped face, bangs can help accentuate your features. But if you’ve got a square or heart-shaped face, bangs will probably not do you any justice. If you were looking into bangs to balance out certain features, say, a wide forehead, choose some face-framing layers or angles instead.
Bangs are downright itchy. Baby bangs will leave your upper forehead in constant need of a scratch, while longer fringe may wind up irritating your eyes. “Depending how thick your bangs are, the blunt ends of your hair rubbing up against sensitive eyelid skin can cause irritation,” Joshua Zeichner, the director of cosmetic and clinical research at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City told Allure. Wearing a hat to hold them down won’t help much, either. In fact, it just might make the whole experience worse.
Somehow, bangs always manage to look both frizzy and flat at the same time, regardless of your hair texture or type. If you were blessed with naturally straight strands, you may not need to constantly work at fixing your fringe—but if you weren’t, consider bang maintenance your new full-time job.
Newsflash: Hair does not grow evenly. Which means those perfectly trimmed bangs will grow out totally crooked. That means you’ll have to frequently decide whether you want to keep trimming them (and slow down the growing-out process) to make them even, or just accept the fact that your hair is a million different lengths. Not to mention, the entire time you’re dealing with this you’re going to be the bobby pin queen. Expect to have at least a half-dozen bobby pins in your pockets/on your head/in your purse for the next six months, minimum.
Because bangs lay against your forehead, they pick up your skin’s natural oils way more quickly than the rest of your hair. Not only will your fringe be super prone to looking greasy, but it could also cause acne breakouts on your forehead. According to the beauty experts at Allure, the best way to curb this is by pinning your bangs back when you’re not out and about and spraying product onto your comb instead of directly onto your hair. Sounds like a hassle to us!
You may be thinking, “If I cut some fringe, I’ll highlight my big, beautiful eyes.” But in reality, that’s not the case. Rather, bangs will crowd your eye area, covering your gorgeous peepers, and instead emphasize your nose, usually making it look larger than it is naturally. And for more on what hairstyles are “don’t” and which are “do’s,” check out the 15 Top Hair Tips from Top Hollywood Stylists.
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