by Alexandra Nicole Nuralam

How To: Keep Your Bangs in Check

So you’ve finally succumbed and got yourself some Zooey Deschanel-inspired bangs. Everyone knows keeping your bangs looking fresh and non-greasy in the eternal heat is notoriously difficult, though. No, don’t regret your decision and pin your hair up just yet, we’ve got a few tips and tricks up our sleeves to beat the heat when you’re styling a fringe, so read on for ways to keep your bangs in place!

Don’t touch your hair

Your bangs tend to separate because of grease, and putting them back in place will transfer oils from your hands to your hair, making them look stringy and gross. Stop messing with your hair— greasy hair is never a good look.

Dry shampoo is your best friend

Since your bangs are closer to the hair follicle and face, they are more likely to get greasy quickly. Spray some dry shampoo to protect your face-framing layers from the sweat and sebum that’s bound to be on your forehead in the heat. It’s a quick preventive measure that ensures your bangs are fluffy and fresh all day long.

Use a small flat iron

To tame any flyaways and seal the shape, smooth your bangs with a small flat iron that can get all the way up to the root. Start on one side of your face and take vertical sections all the way across. Curl the pieces inward rather than the normal straightening motion to create soft bangs that curl perfectly against your forehead. Remember to spray a little heat protectant beforehand.

Back-combing

You’ve probably heard of the term, but if you’re not sure, back-combing is just like teasing but done with a comb, creating hold and volume by pushing the hair down toward the scalp. Keep in mind reckless teasing can damage your hair, resulting in a bird’s nest on your head with split ends and breakage. The key is to be gentle.

You can do this right after you’ve straightened your bangs with the flat iron, to maintain volume. Using a teasing comb, lift up the inner part of your bangs vertically and brush the comb downwards at an angle. Don’t grip your bangs too tightly, and brush to make the hair slightly tangled. Release and comb through lightly, but be careful not to untangle the hair.

Good, old-fashioned hair rollers

Alternatively, you can go for old-fashioned hair rollers, which are highly popular among Korean girls because of their ability to create voluminous bangs that perfectly frame the face.

Take the front piece of your bangs and place the roller directly underneath your hair, and then curl inward instead of outward. You can blow-dry to set it quickly if you’re running short on time, or try heated hair rollers. If you’re not into using heat, you can leave the roller in overnight. It’ll help save you time in the morning and protect your hair from heat damage.

Use hairspray

The finishing touch would be to set everything in place with a little hairspray. Use a volumising spray if you’ve got rather flat, pin-straight hair. Naturally straight hair is usually more limp and tend to get flatter as the day goes by.