8 posts tagged "Bangs"
Antonio Prieto Matches Fringe To Face
Recognizing that bangs, like black nail polish, have moved beyond their humble hipster beginnings to become an overarching trend that’s apparently here to stay, we figured now was as good a time as any to provide you with a cutting guide for your specific face shape. And we say your deliberately, seeing as how we have been told on countless occasions that we are not good fringe candidates (an angular chin and big, high-set cheeks apparently equal a lifetime of boring long layers). Below, Manhattan-based stylist Antonio Prieto breaks it down so heart-shaped girls don’t confuse themselves with the diamond-shaped set, thus preventing the kind of post-salon hair traumas that are colored by tears and self-deprecation (yeah, you know exactly what we’re talking about):
Round
Sorry, ladies. You apparently fall in line with us, according to Prieto, who has essentially vetoed the idea of fringe for this specific genetic scenario if only so the wandering eye can see more face, thus preventing a shorter, fuller, wider appearance.
Diamond
Noting that this shape is more angular overall, Prieto recommends working a short, side-swept look to soften stronger facial contours.
Heart
In order to properly offset the pointy chin and wide forehead here, Prieto suggests keeping bangs narrow and making sure they do not extend past the outside of the eye.
Triangle
Even though we’re having some difficulty visualizing what a triangle-shaped face actually looks like, Prieto describes it as a narrow forehead with fuller jaw line and suggests that these poor souls are ripe for a set of bangs, which, if kept full and wide, should create the illusion of more balanced proportions.
Oblong
The goal here is to create width through the side of the face, says Prieto, who maintains that longer, side-swept bangs will complement the narrow, drawn-out shape of this face. Making sure that the bangs fall on or near the cheekbone will also yield better results.
A Fringe For All Seasons
As a longtime fan of a long, blunt fringe, I have come to understand that during the summer months my bangs will bear little resemblance to their winter-weather counterparts. But the concept of grease and frizz-free bangs at the height of summer’s humid onslaught is not an impossible dream, according to Leonardo Manetti, co-owner of New York’s sleek downtown salon ION. Manetti advises that anyone battling the effects of sad summertime fringe simply heed these five tips:
1. Avoid applying too much conditioner to your fringe.
2. When you are getting ready, try to keep bangs away from your face at all times. Wear a headband when putting on moisturizer, so they aren’t absorbing any product, and finish your entire skincare and makeup routine before styling bangs.
3. If hair is straight or slightly waved, use a blow-dryer to style bangs. If you have frizz or tighter curls, follow up with a straightening iron.
4. Steer clear of any silicone-based products because warmer weather will simply reactivate them, causing grease buildup.
5. If you are still faced with oily bangs by the end of the day, go for products with a high quantity of alcohol, like a volumizer or a hairspray, or break out the dry shampoo to soak up the grease. Avoid darker-colored hair powders, though, Manetti warns, as these will show up on your face if/when you start sweating (ew).
Snip And Tuck: The New Antiaging Trend
For the Botox-reliant among you who have removed regular injections from the “necessities” column of your budget, there may be a way to conceal those pesky forehead lines yet. Celebrity stylist Suki Duggan of DonSuki Townhouse Salon in Manhattan has been spreading the gospel of bangs-over-Botox across the blogosphere, suggesting that some simple fringe can help you disguise the signs of aging while you wait for your economic situation to stabilize itself. She’s not the first person to think up the quick fix, though: American Chronicle alluded to the penny-pinching solution last month, adding that facial exercises are also a good option for the image-conscious who find themselves a little strapped for cash of late. And the proof is in the pudding: While Botox treatments can range from $350 to $500 for each area injected, regular bangs trims can cost as little as $5 a pop, and learning specialized movements for at-home facial contouring is free. Celebrity hairstylist Ted Gibson has also weighed in on the issue, telling Stylist.com that bangs are, well, bangin’—and can look totally age-appropriate for women over 30 and beyond. Sadly, surgical masks are slightly less stylish, so the time to re-acclimate yourself to those smile lines is now.
In The Cut: A Bevy Of Bangs
While the celebrity bob craze has died down—transitioning into lobs and, er, crobs, a neologism we just came up with to describe the cropped bobs, or shorter boy cuts, currently being enjoyed by Victoria Beckham and Rihanna—bangs are experiencing something of a revival. A host of A- (and B- and C-) listers are accessorizing their foreheads as of late, giving us the perfect opportunity to showcase the variety of lengths and styles on offer. To help you determine whether or not you can actually pull off these fringe benefits, we’ve enlisted Clint Wilson, creative director for Sassoon’s uptown New York City salon.
Christina Aguilera Comes Up Short
I got the text from a friend around 8:15 last night: “American Music Awards, out of control. Xtina’s bangs, two inches too short,” thus confirming what I already knew from a few weeks of silently stalking Christina Aguilera and her recent venture into the challenging world of rockabilly hair: Two inches too short—and something of a disconnect with the otherwise sultry 1940′s glam thing she’s usually trying to pull off. (That lip stain is poppin’, though.) Is anyone actually into her fringe? Perhaps I could be swayed…