30 Ways to Effortlessly Rock Bangs with Curly Hair

Best Smart Shiba is an Amazon Associate. We earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. For more information, visit my privacy policy page.

01of 44

Curly 80s Bob

Ciara wears her hair in a curly 80s bob
@ciara / Instagram

“Ciara’s bangs travel farther to the sides (almost into her top layer), which gives it more of a square shape,” Murray says. “It may have been curled with a curling iron but could also be created by using clips to keep that area elevated. It’s also a heavier bang so you don’t see the ‘v’ section as clearly.”

02of 44

Side-Swept Straight Bangs With Curly Hair

Camila Cabello wears straight bangs with curly hair
Gregg DeGuire / WireImage

“If your naturally curly hair seems flat or undefined lately, consider adding layers to enhance definition and achieve the volume and bounce you desire,” Washington says. “Opt for a haircut that allows your curls to flow freely, combining short and long layers throughout. Adding a subtle side bang like Camila Cabello can be the perfect finishing touch to elevate your overall look.”

03of 44

Finger Coil Curly Bangs

Zendaya wears curly bangs at the 2017 Variety Power Of Young Hollywood event
 Frazer Harrison / Getty Images

“Zendaya’s curly bangs can be achieved by finger coiling the hair once a curl cream or gel has been applied,” Murray says. “I recommend using Bumble and bumble’s Curl Light Defining Cream to shape and define your curls.”

04of 44

Curly Peekaboo Bangs

Sandra Oh rocks curly bangs at the 2019 Critics Choice Awards
John Shearer / Getty Images

Murray says Sandra Oh’s bang section is more sparse so it shows a bit more of her face peeking through. This can also look great when bangs are pushed to the side. Pro tip: using clips to keep the curls “curled” while drying helps shrink them. 

05of 44

Tousled, Undone French Bob

Emily Ratajkowski wears her hair in a tousled french bob style
@emrata / Instagram

“This casually tousled and undone look radiates chic vibes, providing a departure from overly structured bobs,” Washington says. “To style, wash and let your hair air dry. Once dried, enhance texture with H&H Science’s Effortless Volume Dry Texture Spray for that extra flair.”

06of 44

Wet Pixie with Bangs

Taylor Hill rocks a wet pixie with bangs for a Burberry campaign
@daniellepriano / Instagram

Taylor Hill’s wet pixie with bangs is a timeless style that blends edginess with femininity, and the look caters to diverse personalities and face shapes. “When styling your curly pixie cut, use a sea salt spray to enhance natural texture, allowing it to fall and dry effortlessly,” Washington says.

07of 44

French Bob

Woman with curly French bob haircut with bottleneck bangs
@hollygirldoeshair

This chin-length French bob is capped off by loose, wispy curls at the ends and flipped-out bangs.

08of 44

Half-Up Half-Down

Woman with half-up long, layered curly hair with long bangs
@mouseybrowne

Curly bangs work incredibly well with a half-up, half-down situation. We love this loose, wavy triangle fringe.

09of 44

Curly Faux Hawk

Storm Reid wears a curly faux hawk hairstyle and large hoop earrings
Getty Images

Storm Reid’s curly faux hawk is such a unique way to style medium-length or long curls. The choppy fringed pieces at the front create longer bangs that fall just past her eyebrows.

10of 44

Long S-Shaped Fringe

Ilana Glazer wears a layered curly long bob hairstyle with subtle bangs
Getty Images

Take a page from Ilana Glazer’s book and embrace your texture on slightly longer bangs. “You may find you need to restyle your bangs in the morning even though you didn’t wash your hair,” says Richman. “Wet them carefully and pat dry with an Aquis Wrap as it’s less harmful than a cotton towel (it leaves the cuticle smoother as your hair dries).”

11of 44

Razor Bangs

Kat Graham wears tousled ombre curls with straight across bangs
Getty Images

We hope to have more than proven by now that you do not need to straighten your bangs if you have curly hair. But Kat Graham’s cute, razored fringe with long ombré waves is a fun, modern take on the straight bangs/curly body contrast.

12of 44

Tight Curls with Fringe

Woman with tight curly hairstyle with bangs, red lipstick, and sunglasses
@mouseybrowne

The key to most successful curly cuts– including this one– is the dry cut technique. Look for a hairstylist who will work on dry hair, when your curls are at their truest length.

13of 44

Betty Boop Bangs

Alia Shawkat wears short, curly hair with bangs and vintage red ribbon headband
Getty Images

Alia Shawkat’s Betty Boop bangs require minimal styling and look so cute with a simple oversized bow tied around the crown. No matter your length, Richman suggests a lightweight primer with thermal protection if your hair is prone to damage. He recommends using the Paul Mitchell Neuro Prime and twisting the curls with your finger before using a diffuser.

14of 44

Circular Bob

Alison Brie wears a curly bob hairstyle with face-framing bangs
Getty Images

We’re not exactly sure how to describe Alison Brie’s short, curly ‘do. Rounded bob? Hip version of a bowl cut? Either way, her perfect ringlets paired with smudged black eyeliner are totally sultry and cool.

15of 44

Geometric Curls

Solange wears a combed-out curly hairstyle with short bangs
Getty Images

Solange’s edgy curls have a wide, geometric shape with a section lifted at the crown for a totally ’80s vibe that works beautifully with her natural hair. We especially love the microbangs framing her forehead.

16of 44

Cascading Short Fringe

Joey King wears a short, side-parted haircut with curly side-swept bangs
Getty Images

A close-cropped pixie cut with short, curly bangs that cascade across the forehead in layers looks so flirty and youthful on actor Joey King. A lightweight mousse like DevaCurl’s Frizz-Free Volumizing Foam can add lift and shape without leaving behind a crunchy feel.

Byrdie Tip

“Keep in mind where you live,” Richman notes. “If you live in a wet or humid environment, take that into consideration as climate can alter the shape of your curls. It’s best to discuss how your curl pattern changes with your stylist.”

17of 44

Grown Out Fringe

Woman with medium-length tousled curls with bottleneck bangs
@mizzchoi

This ash-brown ombré by stylist Cherin Choi features gorgeous, grown-out ’70s fringe that frames the client’s face and melds seamlessly into the layered waves tumbling over her shoulders.

18of 44

Messy, Textured Bangs

Juno Temple with blonde curly hair and wispy bangs
Getty Images

Juno Temple’s full head of curls with choppy bangs has loads of texture. The key to keeping your bangs in tip-top shape between washes, according to Scarlett, is using a curl refreshing spray, which won’t “weigh them down and gives them new life come morning.” We recommend Ouidad’s Botanical Boost Curl Energizing & Refreshing Spray.

19of 44

Center-Parted Fringe

Tessa Thompson with a curly shoulder-length shag with face-framing bangs
Getty Images

The center part is trending for good reason. It’s both modern and retro, and as Tessa Thompson shows us, it can absolutely work for curly hair as well as straight. We love her brow-grazing fringe and layered ends.

20of 44

Super Long Shag

Image of a woman with a super long, curly shag haircut
@frostburgfiberdepot / Instagram

This super-long shag cut has adorable bangs that curl out slightly from the face. “Aim for two inches longer than you think, then work up to shorter lengths if you need to (as curly hair shrinks into itself and bounces up when cut),” says Marjan.

21of 44

Curly with Straight Bangs

Maisie Williams wears crimped pink hair with straight bangs
Getty Images

Channel the early ’00s with a more modern take on straight bangs paired with a curly base. Maisie Williams’ fun pink color and dark shadowed roots add some edge.

22of 44

Fluffy Bangs

Tracee Ellis Ross wears a tight updo hairstyle with curly bangs
Getty Images

Tracee Ellis Ross’ fluffed-up bangs contrast so well with her slicked-back bun. To achieve this look, you’ll need to straighten your hair and have lots of gel and hairspray on hand to keep your strands in place. As far as the bangs go, the curlier, the better!

23of 44

Pseudo Bangs

Rihanna wears her copper hair in pseudo bangs
 Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images

Not ready to commit to the upkeep that comes with curly bangs? Fake them by pulling your hair up into a tight ponytail with the ends of the curls positioned just over your forehead like fringe.

“Before bedtime, to maintain your natural curly style and prevent frizz, try the pineapple ponytail method using just a hair tie. It’s both fashionable and chic, and pulling out bangs can elevate the look,” Washington says.

24of 44

Supersized Curls

Natasha Lyonne wears voluminous medium-length curly hair with bangs
Getty Images

Trends be damned—Natasha Lyonne is pretty much always sporting signature big curls and wavy fringe. To get the curly bangs of your dreams at the salon, Marjan says: “Have your stylist hold the end of the curl and gradually cut with the shears facing downward (as they slowly open and close their shears) so the ends are lighter. This will give a more defined curl pattern that isn’t too heavy around your face.”

25of 44

Finger Waves

Rowan Blanchard wears a short hairstyle with finger waves
Getty Images

Finger waves are a gorgeous way to cheat curls on a super short pixie cut. Rowan Blanchard’s take features a delicate face-framing curl that both serves to get her bangs off of her face and adds to the vintage splendor of her look.

26of 44

Artsy Triangle Hair

Woman with short blonde curls cut in triangle shape with baby bangs
@mouseybrowne

This is what the stylists at Mousey Browne Salon in Brooklyn, New York call the “deliberate triangle.” The dreaded “triangle hair” is often whispered about like a warning among those with curly hair, but here’s proof that you can do it on purpose and have it look great.

27of 44

Beachy Bangs

Lizzo wears long, loose curls with straight across bangs
Getty Images

For a beachy take on curly bangs, take a page from Lizzo’s book. Her bangs have a slight wave to them that mirrors the loose curls cascading past her shoulders. Sun-kissed balayage adds even more vacation vibes.

28of 44

Windswept Fringe

Lily Collins wears a side-parted curly shag with windswept bangs
Getty Images

Lily Collins’ windswept bangs almost seem like an accident, but it likely took a lot of effort to get them to look that way. Marjan breaks it down: Diffuse your dry hair with the diffuser attachment on the GHD Air Professional Performance Hairdryer. If needed (and you feel qualified), you can cut each curl individually after diffusing the front strands forward– this will ensure that they frame the face perfectly.

29of 44

Barely-There Bangs

FKA Twigs wears a curly updo with baby bangs
Getty Images

FKA Twigs’ barely-there baby bangs are not for the faint of heart, but they’re oh-so cool. Wispy curls frame the top of her forehead, while the rest of her curls are piled up in a choppy updo.

30of 44

Micro Spirals

Kerry Washington wears a natural curly Afro hairstyle with wispy bangs
Getty Images

Kerry Washington’s micro-curls look so good with bangs. “It is important to note how your curls naturally fall from day to day,” Heaps says. “If a client has a lot of cowlicks, this can make styling fringe more of a challenge.”

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.