Bangs can be flattering for any face shape if they are the right ones. A side-swept bang looks great on round or square faces. Straight across bangs look good on heart-shaped or oval faces.
If You Have a Long Face and/or High Forehead: This face shape is similar to the oval-shaped, but the forehead, cheeks and jawline are all the same width. To complement this face shape, don't get baby bangs because they will further elongate your face.
Bangs work best on an oval face. So, if your face is naturally oval, you're in luck! Another face shape that is suitable for any kind of bang is the heart shape. However, if your face is more square or oblong, don't be disheartened! You only need to choose the right type of bangs more carefully.
The blunter the bangs the more your face will look rounder. On the other hand, if you fringe the bangs shorter in the middle and longer on the edges, you'll get the slimming look you desire. Like long hair and asymmetrical bobs, having face framing layers will elongate your face for a slimming look.
Soft, wispy bangs, for example, help contrast sharper jawlines, while dramatic side bangs can add more visual dimension to rounder faces. Of course, don't feel pressured to live by these rules. Just like the best haircuts and best hairstyles, bang styles are a personal choice unique to your own aesthetic.
The main difference between bangs and fringes is that the terms are typically used in various places across the world. 'Bangs' is a very American term, whereas everywhere else tends to use 'fringe'. That being said, you'll probably hear 'bangs' being used across the UK, and you can thank American YouTubers for that!
Think about your forehead
It sounds odd, but you should always consider how far back a fringe should start on the forehead. If there's not much space between your brows and hairline, start two inches back to make a smaller forehead appear longer.
Adding bangs to the hairstyle will help shape your face and make you appear much younger. The best part about layers and bangs is that they work for any type of hairstyle, from long locks to shorter styles. Either way, with the right cut, they will add personality to your look and highlights your best features.
While blunt bangs can make round faces look a little squat, side-swept bangs move the eyes diagonally across your face. The angled fringe helps make your face appear longer and, therefore, thinner.
“If your hair is fine or thin, a heavy fringe may not work because there isn't enough weight for the hair to lay in place. Thick hair may have trouble with a baby bangs because it would need to be thinned out a lot to lay flat.
Do bangs flatter every face shape? “The most flattering bangs create an oval face shape,” says Townsend. So, if you naturally have an ovular face, you have a larger variety of bang styles to choose from. If your face is square or oblong, “You'll want to try A-shaped bangs or longer layers,” he says.
Like any accessory, bangs should enhance your features, not overwhelm them. For long and narrow faces, "blunt fringe that hits below the brows will make your face look fuller," explains hairstylist and co-founder of R+Co, Garren. If your face is round or square, try bangs just above the brows, he says.
Bangs are especially beneficial, looks-wise, for those with thinner hair. “Bangs make thinner hair strands look thicker,” says Jennifer Korab, New Jersey-based celebrity hairstylist and owner of Renaissance Salon & Spa and Revival Barber Shop. In general, a few types of bangs suit thin hair the best.
As previously mentioned, it typically takes anywhere from three to four months to grow out your bangs. This does depend on how long your fringe currently is, your hairstyle, and how quickly your hair naturally grows.
Determining your face shape
Let's begin with a forehead – check whether your four fingers, put horizontally, fit between the brow line and the hairline. If they fit perfectly and cover the entire forehead, you don't really need bangs, since the proportions are close to ideal.
According to Onur-Taylor, it typically takes bangs three to four months to grow out—depending on the fringe style, the length you're starting with, and how fast your hair grows (which, on average, is half an inch per month).
Since it would just look weird to have bangs sweep from the right while the rest of your hair divides on the left, it's best to form a part wherever your fringe naturally splits.
That's right, if you're from a country that uses American English, like Canada and of course, America, the preferred and more commonly used term would be bangs. Anywhere else, like here in Australia, for example, then fringe should be your choice of word as it's the more commonly used term.
Bangs are so versatile. You may feel like you have less options with bangs, but you will have more because making bangs go away is so easy. It's a lot harder to fake bangs when you don't have them. In summary the biggest con is that they are high maintenance.
A fringe (or bangs!) will make the eyes pop, take years off your face (no more Botox!) and can be flattering no matter your face shape. For instance, a blunt fringe can “shrink” a long forehead, while side swept forehead tendrils do wonders for a long face.
Even better, the right bangs can transform your face—minimizing a high forehead, camouflaging crow's-feet, bringing out your cheekbones, accenting your eyes.
Blunt bangs have the ability to make fine hair appear fuller and added with layers and a dry shampoo becomes a great quick fix to flat hair. Bangs can also enhance a longer or narrow face shape and hide those forehead lines or even fix a misshaped hairline.