Should I Get Bangs? Take the Free Bangs Quiz
Eight quick questions about your hairline, hair texture, face shape and routine tell you whether bangs are right for you now, which kind to ask for and how to test them first.
Bangs are the haircut people think about the longest and regret the fastest. They can make your whole face look new, but they also come with a daily styling habit, regular trims and a grow-out stage if you change your mind.
This free bangs quiz asks eight quick questions about your hair, your face and your routine, then tells you whether bangs are a good idea for you right now and which kind to ask for.
Quick answer: Get bangs if you can spend a couple of minutes styling them most mornings, can book a quick trim every 3 to 6 weeks and do not have a strong cowlick at your hairline. If you are unsure, start with curtain bangs. They suit most face shapes and hair types and are the easiest bangs to grow out.
Should I get bangs? Ask yourself these first
- Do I have a cowlick at the front? Wet your hairline and push it back. A strong swirl can make full bangs flip up, while curtain or side-swept bangs work with it.
- How much time do I really have in the morning? Even on second-day hair, bangs usually need a quick wet and blow-dry.
- Can I keep up with trims? Full bangs grow into your eyes in about three to four weeks. Many salons offer free or cheap bang trims between cuts.
- Is my forehead oily or prone to breakouts? Bangs sit on the skin all day. Curtain bangs touch the forehead less than full bangs.
- What is my hair texture? Straight hair suits full bangs, wavy and curly hair suit curtain bangs cut on dry hair.
- Why do I want them? If it is mostly for a change, curtain bangs give a new look with the least risk.
Bangs: pros and cons
| Bangs can | But they also |
|---|---|
| Frame your eyes and cheekbones | Need a quick style most mornings |
| Change your look without losing length | Need a trim every 3 to 6 weeks |
| Soften a high or long forehead | Can make an oily forehead break out more |
| Hide fine lines on the forehead | A strong cowlick can make them flip up |
| Look good up in a ponytail | Take months to grow out if you regret them |
How would I look with bangs? Test them before you cut
- Clip-in bangs: a cheap set of clip-in bangs shows you the shape on your real face, in your real light, for a few days.
- The ponytail trick: tie a high ponytail near your forehead, flip the ends forward over your face and pin them. It gives you a rough idea of full bangs.
- Photos, not mirrors: take front and side photos with each test. A mirror flips your face, and photos show what others see.
- Virtual try-on apps: fine for a quick look, but they cannot show how your cowlick or texture will behave.
Once you know you want them, the bangs for your face shape quiz picks the exact style, and our curtain bangs styles show 20 ways to wear them.
Which bangs are easiest to grow out?
| Type of bangs | Time to blend in | Grow-out |
|---|---|---|
| Wispy or side-swept | 2 to 3 months | Easiest |
| Curtain bangs | About 3 months | Easy, they blend into layers |
| Full straight-across bangs | 4 to 6 months | Hardest, there is an awkward middle stage |
Hair grows about half an inch a month, so plan ahead. If you are on the fence, curtain bangs give you the easiest way out, because they turn into face-framing layers instead of an in-between length.
Can you get bangs with curly hair, a cowlick or a round face?
Curly hair: yes. Ask for curtain or curly bangs cut on dry hair, a little longer than you want, because curls shrink. See more curly hairstyles.
A cowlick: usually yes, if you choose curtain or side-swept bangs that move in the same direction as the cowlick. Full blunt bangs fight it.
A round face: yes. Longer curtain or side-swept bangs that end below the cheekbones add length to the face. Our guide to bangs for round faces has 15 examples.
Still deciding on the whole cut? The what hairstyle suits me quiz matches a full haircut to your face and hair, and the face shape calculator measures your face shape in two minutes.
Keep going: pick the exact style with the bangs for your face shape quiz, then find the full cut with the what hairstyle suits me quiz.
