BANG BANG BANG!

To bang or not to bang. That is the question. You my dear, have a dilemma of Shakespearian proportions. 

Bangs are getting hugely popular again. Being in beauty school offers nothing short of endless temptations to constantly cut one's own hair. So needless to say, I have bangs. Actually, I always have and probably always will because a) I don't have the patience to grow them out and b) my forehead is bigger than an olympic size swimming pool. I know everything there is to know about cutting, styling, tolerating and loving/hating bangs. If you're thinking about having them for yourself, one thing you should know is that the commitment goes beyond the time it takes to grow them back out. Bangs are high maintenance. You have to blow dry them to lay straight. You can't go to bed with them wet. Even a slight breeze threatens to give you 80's feathered bangs, as does bike riding. They need trimming every three weeks to maintain the style you like. They get greasy almost overnight. The list continues... However, if done right, they're ridiculously cute, charming, sexy and fun. Take into account the overall size of your forehead. If you have a large forehead, bangs are a good direction to go. It takes attention away from the forehead and redirects it to the more flattering attributes of your face, like eyes and cheek bones. If your forehead is short, make sure you tell your stylist to give you heavier bangs, starting further back on your crown, in a V shape, as to not make your forehead appear blunt and  even smaller, but rather more proportionate to the length of your face.  There are so many styles to play with. From side-swept to blunt, to long and heavy face-framing bangs. Bring in a variety of pictures to show your stylist, giving them the opportunity to talk with you about which one would look best for your face shape. Talk about what kind of cutting techniques offer the style you like. Point cutting, blunt cutting, razor cutting, etc. Ask them to show you different ways to style them. Do you have cowlicks? Ask how to work around it. Talk about what you're long term goals are for your hair and which style of bangs fit well into that equation.  Be brave! Be prepared! Be bangin'!