Best Bangs For Your Face Shape

Going for fringe? Check out the best and worst styles for your face shape first — you can thank us later

Bangs — gotta love ’em. Well, at least you can love the right bangs for you. The wrong ones can make you look like a junior high kid from the ’80s or a mom from the ’50s — not good.

So what’s the secret to finding the perfect bangs for you? OK, OK, I’ll spill. Lean in close. Closer. Just a little closer. OK, the secret is: YOUR FACE SHAPE! Oops, sorry about the yelling, I forgot you were so close to the screen. But seriously, your face shape is the best way to figure out what bangs hairstyle will look the most fab, and help you steer clear of ones that’ll have you majorly cringing. Because while it only takes a minute to cut bangs, it takes months to grow them out. So let’s get it right the first time around, shall we?

For a little help in that department, I talked to Jet Rhys, stylist for Jet Rhys Salons in San Diego, Calif. who broke it all down for me. Now all you have to do is find your face shape and see which styles will look awesome (and, er, not-so-awesome) on you. And if you don’t know your face shape? Uh, you should find it out immediately, it’s beyond important to know when picking a hairstyle. Luckily, this face shape quiz will hook you up.

And if you’re still unsure on your face shape? Rhys offers a bang hairstyle that’ll work on almost everyone: “A long bang that is layered to be worn to either side will work on any face shape, but beware of long bangs if you have a small forehead as the length will make it look even smaller.”

Celebrity Hairstyles: 35 Short Hair Secrets


by Victoria Wurdinger

Experts spill their best tips for tress success

We asked 9 stylists from across the country for their best short hair tricks, from finding the right cut & color to styling ‘dos and don’ts, plus their fave night looks. Here’s what they had to say!

Stylist Basics

8. Avoid using a brush while blow-drying, says Jet Rhys of Jet Rhys Salons in San Diego, CA, as it will create a puffiness and a dated feel. “Instead, use your fingers and some lightweight gel.” Turn the dryer on low and keep it moving around the head to create even heat throughout. You can let hair air-dry, provided you keep your fingers off! “The more you play with your hair, the bigger it will become, and you’ll pull out the definition,” Rhys says. “Once hair is dry, you can lightly massage it into place.”

Making the Cut

17. “Nothing brings short hair to life like layers”, says Rhys. Whether your stylist details them with a razor or scissors, they’re ideal for adding definition and interest.

Night Moves

29. If you have a pixie and your hair is fine and flat, you’re in luck, as the cut lends itself to texture and lift, according to Jet Rhys. Just add a thickening spray at the roots–Rhys likes Samy Fat Hair “O” Thickening Spray–then blow-dry with your fingers for crown fullness; to finish, pinch a texture paste into the ends.

Bang-Up Ideas

“Bangs are as important to your cut as the LBD in your closet!” says Jet Rhys of Jet Rhys Salon in San Diego, CA. Here are a few of the stylist’s top fringe tips:

33. When cut straight across, fringe makes your eyes look more intense.

34. Little bangs are very “now” with short cuts. Ask your stylist for extra-short ones that fall into tiny, uneven pieces for a super-sweet look.

35. Feeling a little bored with your style? Play with your bangs! Create a twist by pulling them up and pinning them to one side, then mist with hairspray. Or, sweep them up and away. To do, work a dime-sized dollop of gel into damp fringe, then blow-dry straight back and mist with hairspray.

Shampoo Hair Without Getting Wet


By Grace Gold

Clean greasy strands without stepping foot in the shower.

“Much like Little House on the Prairie, Sunday night is hair washing night,” YouBeauty senior editor, Courtney Dunlop, recently bemoaned on Twitter.

It’s a sentiment that’s spawned a burgeoning industry of dry shampoo, named for the product’s seemingly miraculous ability to refresh hair without the need for water. Harried women everywhere are rejoicing, as more skip their daily sudsing ritual in favor of more sleep, more free time and more sanity.

“Dry shampoo beats the old-time trick of using baby powder because aerosols and nozzles better direct application,” says San Diego celebrity stylist and salon owner, Jet Rhys.

Options range the gamut with budget versions that include oil-absorbing particles and basic scents while pricier picks employ micronized powders for greater volume and extras like tea tree oil to prevent dandruff. Higher end options also offer elegant fragrance blends that mimic shampoo-fresh hair, adds Rhys.

To apply dry shampoo, bend forward and work in sections holding the spray several inches from hair and directing the nozzle towards the scalp. Next massage roots with fingertips to build volume and to spread the formula through strands, instructs Rhys.

However you use it, dry shampoo is one of those hero products that you’ll likely wonder how you ever did without. Check out the best picks of the crop in the gallery.