196) THE BEST BANGS HAIRSTYLES

In Asia, we call them 'Fringe' while in US, they would refer them as "Bangs."  Bangs gives you a baby doll look meaning it can take years off a face and draws the attention to the eyes.  




Keeping a fringe flatters all face shapes, but the trick is to know what is the right fringe cut for your face shape.  The idea is to make your face shape appear oval (that is if your face shape is not already oval).

The key to sporting a fringe is the hair texture.  Curly hairs should avoid bangs at all cost.  Curls only puff up and distorts instead of enhancing the face.  Trimming your bangs once it touches your eyes is all you need to maintain it.

BANGS FOR ROUND FACES

It is easy to sport a round face as the width of your cheeks is the same as your jaw.  This is the same as the square face shape except for one thing: your jaw is soft, not angular.

So to draw the attention away from the roundness of your face, your goal is to create some angles and make your face appear longer.  Opt for side-swept bangs, like the ones here on Emma Stone (a natural round face).

Emma Stone
Ben Pruchnie/Getty

Avoid wispy bangs as they only increase the softness of your face and won't have much of an impact. Make sure your bangs are thick.

Now, Taraji P. Henson who has a natural round face has bangs that is perfect for her face shape.  Notice that she does not even look like she has a round face, whereas in other photos, you can see that she does have a round face.

Taraji P. Henson
Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty

Tip:  The graphic sweep of her bangs does seem to lengthen her face, doesn't it?

Round face shapes to check out:

Cameron Diaz, Charlize Theron, Oprah Winfrey, Jennifer Hudson, Adele.


However, blunt cut bangs are not suitable for a round face.  Cutting straight across the widest part of your face is definitely not a good idea UNLESS you get blunt bangs like these.

A good example of blunt cut bangs that work beautifully is on Taylor Swift.  She has a round face  and the secret to these blunt bangs is in the curve at the ends.  Note how they are longer on the sides and shorter in the middle.  It gives Swift's soft features a bit of angle.  This  long, straight style is gorgeous on a long face as well as it also adds angles to softened features.

Taylor Swift
Ben Purchnie/Getty Images

Tip: Keep this fringe long enough so that it curves inwards at the eyebrows.

LONG SWEPT BANGS FOR HEART SHAPED FACES

Jennifer Aniston
Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Heart-shaped faces have a wider forehead than the jawline and usually the chin comes to a distinct point. The goal is to balance out the lower half of your face with the top of it and downplay your pointed chin.

Don't go for wide blunt bangs as these type of cut will draw attention to your forehead.  Instead, the best cut for you is long side-swept bangs. As it sweeps down below the chin, the attention will be drawn to the eyes.

The shortest length of the fringe should stop at the arch of your brow while the longest pieces should touch the outer corners of the eyes.

Note Jennifer Aniston (a heart-shaped face) and her long fringe here.

More celebrities with heart-shaped faces: Reese Witherspoon and Rashida Jones

Rashida Jones
Dimitrious Kamboris/Getty Images

Long fringe, such as these on heart-shaped face Rashida Jones, look stunning on her.  Note how the fringe sweeps just below the brow and is just a bit longer on the sides. Simple yet alluring.

BANGS FOR OVAL FACE SHAPES

Olivia Wilde

Alberto E. Rodriguez // Getty Images

An oval face is the coveted face shape.  Usually, oval faces is a bit longer than it is wide.  If it's very much longer than it's wide and you have a broad forehead and close-set eyes, then you most likely possess a long face shape.

Oval faces are the most versatile face shape of all the face shapes!  You can get away with pretty much any bang hairstyle.  Olivia Wilde has an oval shaped face and because it's not too heavy, the bangs can be brushed down or swept to the side and grow out naturally. 

Alexa Chung

Michael Loccisano // Getty Images

Alexa Chung has great style and she always wears bangs.  Her signature look is this long shaggy haircut.  It's a fantastic style for anyone with an oval or long face.  All you need to do is to air dry your hair and voila! the natural wave will do the talking.

BANGS FOR LONG SHAPED FACES

Left Michael Buckner, right Jason Merritt for Getty Images

Actress Mena Suvari wearing the same haircut in 2 different ways.

The goal of anyone with a long face is to make the face appear wider and to cover up a large forehead. You can do this cleverly with bangs and get away with long, side-swept bangs such as these on actress Mena Suvari, or blunt bangs.

Model Agyness Deyn
Photo credit: Jamie McCarthy/Getty

Agyness has a long face and this side swept bangs look fantastic on her

THICK BANGS

Rose Byrne

Cosmopolitan.com

This the the most coverted hairstyle for thick bangs which start up at the crown, shortening a long face.  Unfortunately, it will not work on fine hair because volume is needed to pull off these thick bangs.  But if you have a long face and thick hair, go for it. These bangs look great on long hair, shoulder-length hair and even short hair.
If you are a straight hair kind of gal, you can create more width with bangs.  Bangs will make your face appear shorter because they can mask a high forehead.  But you want to make sure to get a haircut that is not too dated.  The bangs in the left image below are clearly out-dated.  Curling your bangs under makes you look like a 5 year old.
Get the stylist to cut a few delicate layers instead of cutting straight across . The bangs should hit at your brow or just under it.  Too short bangs are also a no-no.

Photo by Gustavo Caballero/Getty Images & Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images

FULL FRINGE FOR SQUARE FACES

Rachel Zoe
Charley Gallay/Getty Images

You might like to consider sporting a thick, full fringe like Rachel Zoe, stylist to the celebrities.  It is hip, edgy and a great hairstyle which can shave off a few years from a face.

It works great on square faces, except that the sides of the fringe must be longer than the middle of the fringe.  If you get the typical blunt bangs, your face risks appearing even more angular. The longer edges soften a square face.

Keep a look out for great hairstyles of celebrities who share your face shape.  They include Gwyneth Paltrow, Demi Moore, Rachel Zoe, Jennifer Garner, Megan Fox.

JENNIFER GARNER

Jason Merritt/Getty Images

SIDE SWEPT BANGS FOR SQUARE FACES 

The prominent feature of women who have square faces are their strong jawline and it is usually as wide as the cheekbones and when you draw the outline of the face, it would look like a square.  

The goal is to soften the hard angles and the best kind of fringe to get is the long side-swept bangs that just touches the brows.  Having the ends hit just below the brow area with long sides will be the perfect match for square shaped faces.  A good example is Jennifer Garner who has a natural square face.

Remember that the bangs should taper on the sides and are longer than they are above the brow.  The hair above the brow should sit at the brow or slightly below it and making it wispier to show a little forehead.

My next topic for discussion is Long Bob Hairstyles.

You may also like to read:

32) MAKEUP TIPS FOR WOMEN OVER 50

33) HAIRSTYLES FOR WOMEN OVER 50

43) HOW TO KNOW WHAT IS YOUR FACE SHAPE

MY ART AND POEM CORNER

LADY ROSE

He dreams of Lady Rose, 

Vivid fantasy,

He smiles so subtely,

Diva Rose.

He holds her close.

Smokey Rose.

Lips, perfect buds.

Blood red rose.

Slender neck,

soft velvety rose

petals on his lips.

Lady Rose.

Philo Yan

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog. Until my next post, 

Here's To Your Health