bangs out of style?

I have long, thick, dark brown curly hair. I have worn it one length and then layered for years now. I change it back and forth; I can`t really decide how I like it better. My problem in this: I have been wearing the same layered bangs since I was a little girl (I am 35 now). They have changed very little since 1980. I have a very small forehead so going without bangs is impossible. I look like Frankenstine without bangs because I have no forehead and the top of my head is flat. (I sound so pretty right now!) Anyway, I have been teasing and spraying my bangs for so long that I can`t imagine something different. I usually wear the sides up and back or in a claw clip on top. I know that teased bangs are so 80`s, but what can I do? Please give me some advice. Also, I have an extremely round face, so some height on top really helps my face shape. Does anyone have any ideas? And please, tell me I am right, get rid of the teased up bangs.

Wow! I am so glad you responded. When no one else did I started to feel kinda dumb asking about it. I tried for years to find something to keep my hair from frizzing and I finally started using products for black women`s hair. I use a conditioner that has a curl activator in it and it has changed my hair greatly. Try one and let me know if you like it. It is funny that you and I have been looking at the same thing for years and feeling lost. I don`t try to straighten my hair anymore; it just isn`t going to happen for me.

For the last few days I have held back on the teasing and just let my bangs curl naturally. I have decided to grow them out (not too long) and see how it looks. You know, still have bangs, just longer curly ones. I`ll let you know if it improves. Good luck and email me anytime!

Pink Dreams,

BIG thumbs up on the "Right On Curl" recommendation -- I used that stuff with adiffuser and it was the healthiest my hair had ever been.

As for bangs going out of style, I decided at some point in my life to layer my hair and start growing out my bangs. I had the bangs as the shortest layer and worked down to the full length of my hair (just past shoulder). Eventually I had survived growing out my bangs and I suddenly realized that I had this awfully sloped forehead!!! So to compensate and deter attention from my forehead, I started wearing my longish bangs in a barette, sort of forming a "pouf" in the front of my hair. Sometimes I would let a strand or 2 fall and exist over my forehead, but eventually it was all long enough to cover the funny shape of my head.

I am attaching a copy of a side vies of this style...

Good luck!

Thanks for the picture! You are very pretty! I was thinking about trying something like that.

I am glad to hear that someone else has tried that "Right On" stuff. I was kind of embarrassed to mention it, since most of the posts here drop names of pretty pricey stuff. I have tried expensive stuff, but nothing with the results of the cheap stuff. Funny, huh?

Thanks!

Thanks for the reply! I am really not in the market to have it cut short. I have been that route a few times as an adult, and just don`t look as attractive overall with short hair. Everyone I know agrees.

I am, however, changing my bangs. I am letting them grow long, letting them curl on their own, and not teasing them anymore. I threw away the teasing comb the day after I posted! I am using gel and just crunching them for a soft, more natural look. My hair is mega-thick so I don`t need to tease, it was just a bad habit I had to break.

Thanks for the encouragement!

Hi! Here I am 6 months later, still growing those bangs! They almost reach my crown, but they are still too short to blend into my layers. I have noticed that they are not as curly as the rest of my hair. Is that from over-styling for so many years?

I am thinking of spot-perming. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know.

Oh, and by the way, I threw away the teasing comb. I am now just with tiny, wispy bangs in the front. No more teasing!!!!!
Pinky

quote:

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Pink Dreams originally wrote:
Hi! Here I am 6 months later, still growing those bangs! They almost reach my crown, but they are still too short to blend into my layers. I have noticed that they are not as curly as the rest of my hair. Is that from over-styling for so many years?

I am thinking of spot-perming. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know.

Oh, and by the way, I threw away the teasing comb. I am now just with tiny, wispy bangs in the front. No more teasing!!!!!
Pinky

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Hi,

I have been tracking your progress and thought I would jump in. I have naturally wavy hair with some curly hair mixed in throughout my head, which is very weird. The way that I tamed a lot of my problems was to just grow really long hair. The weight holds the waves down pretty well and I use the Edwin Paul Smoothing lotion with very good results on my hair when I want it straight. If I wash my hair and let it air dry, I still get lots of waves but the curls are pretty much under control. My curls were most prominent in my bangs and at the nape of my neck where they used to tangle up and hurt like heck.

When I was in my teens I used to use Scotch tape to tape my bangs down on my forehead and then use a blowdryer nozzle to blow air on them. They came out perfectly straight. However, as I got older the curling slowed down somewhat and I started getting them texturized.

I have to wear bangs because I have a round face and I think I look awful without them.

Now I put a tiny blob of the Smoothing on just my bangs, blow dry them straight using a wide tooth comb and then I let the rest of my hair air dry. I only blow dry all my hair when I want it straight for photos or special events. I limit my blowdrying time to prevent hair damage and also to save time since my hair is very long.

I would not personally recommend spot perming. The damage to curly hair tends to be more intense because of the shape of cuticle. Curly hair tends to have a more fragile cuticle that can be damaged more easily than other types of hair and you might risk some major frizz and dryness.

The reason your bangs are not as curly is because the longer your hair, the heavier it is and the more likely it is for the cuticle to straighten as it grows longer. Age will also soften curl. I know several people whose curls get less pronounced the older they get.

Why don`t you consider trying smoothing gels or lotions on the spots you want to control. Matrix Vavoom`s smoothing gel is good too. I used to use that before Edwin Paul and found it did a very good job as well. Fudge also has a good product for keeping the hair smoother.

Thanks for posting again after 6months. It is interesting to watch what people do with various hair challenges and I appreciate you sharing with us so we can all learn.

Best wishes,
Karen Shelton

Thanks for responding. I will try some of the products that you mentioned. I don`t know if I mentioned it or not but I (like my husband) prefer my hair curly, so I never straighten it. I don`t have trouble straightening my bangs, only getting them curly.

I have been using a curling iron every morning on the spots that won`t curl naturally. I guess that is my only option at this point. I am afraid to spot perm, for fear that I will damage it or that it will come out frizzy and look like a poodle.

Pinky

quote:

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Pink Dreams originally wrote:

Reply to message: 9.667.1

Thanks for responding. I will try some of the products that you mentioned. I don't know if I mentioned it or not but I (like my husband) prefer my hair curly, so I never straighten it. I don't have trouble straightening my bangs, only getting them curly.

I have been using a curling iron every morning on the spots that won't curl naturally. I guess that is my only option at this point. I am afraid to spot perm, for fear that I will damage it or that it will come out frizzy and look like a poodle.

Pinky

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Hi,

I love to hear that you love your hair curly. I think when people go with their hair`s flow it is so much easier to live with. It is also great that your husband loves your hair curly. I personally love curls but my few natural curls get swallowed by my waves and so to get the curls to show up I really have to work at it long and hard with a curling iron. :-( Which of course I rarely have time for.

Let us know how things go. I would be interested to hear your feedback on the products you try.

Best wishes,
Karen

I finally figured out how to post a picture, so here it is. Thanks for the kind words! It is nice to have encouragement. This picture was taken a month ago, so it is now a little longer. Not the best picture, but you get the idea.

I use Right On Curl Activator, Springing Curls Mousse and Suave Lavender Spray Gel. I use Pantene Shampoo and Conditioner. Nothing too special!

Thanks again!