Bring on the Bangs

As with many of the haircuts and styles trending as of late, bangs have been making a comeback with a nod to iconic looks from the past (especially the ’70s and ’80s). Coupled with modern techniques, bangs can add flair to your haircuts and help with personalizing your cuts to your clients based on their face shape, lifestyle and more.

While more clients may now be open to taking the leap, it’s important to make sure they are fully aware of the commitment level before making the cut.

“Fringes are a great way to stimulate business,” says Rémi Cardin, an educator for Wella and a hairstylist and colourist at Kudsac Coiffure in Trois-Rivières, Que. “Depending on the style, they can be quite high-maintenance, so after consulting with your client about the commitment they have to invest in their hair, you can decide on the style.”

“If they want something that will grow out beautifully without any regular touch-ups, longer, curtain-bang styles are the best in this case,” he adds. “Or, you can opt for a style that requires more frequent visits to the salon, such as solid, blunt styles that need to be cut more often.”

Style vs. Suitability

Some of the most requested styles for bangs right now include curtain and “Bardot” bangs (inspired by Brigitte

Bardot’s signature wispy fringe), along with blunt, side-swept and micro/ cropped.

According to Lorraine Kurtz, a men’s hair specialist and an educator for American Crew based in Langley, B.C., haircutting trends, such as the shag and curtain bangs, have inspired clients (of all genders) to take more risks with their hair.

“With my clientele, it tends to be the younger crowd with the big ‘beret’ on top of their heads and a full front like the curtain bangs. I call it a ‘beret’ haircut,” she says. “We’re also still seeing things like the euro mullet or the modern mullet on the 30-andunder crowd.”

While some clients may want to try emulating a style they’ve seen on celebrities or social media, it’s important to manage their expectations and help them find a style that’s most suitable for them.

“The success of a fringe—and the entire haircut—is choosing the right techniques, tools and products for the type of hair you’re working with and the result that you want to achieve,” says Cardin. “One of the major callouts when working on fringes is to assess density, the natural growth pattern and parting, as well as texture because you’re working directly on the hairline so it must be rightfully evaluated prior to cutting.”

Technically Speaking

While point cutting and slicing are common haircutting techniques when creating bangs, it’s important to know how (and when) to use each one.

“I usually start my haircut by establishing the perimeter—the length— and then I usually consider the fringe as the cherry on top of the haircut,” says Cardin. “If I want something that’s very blunt, I’ll use scissors and not go in with too much point cutting. If I want something that’s lighter and more flowy, I’ll use other techniques, such as skimming.”

With more clients opting for curtain bangs and more face-framing pieces, the feather razor is often the perfect tool since it helps you control the length, density and texture.

“To add texture and reduce bulk, I don’t do a lot of slicing,” says Kurtz. “I use the feather razor a lot and I’ll do a lot of pinching at the front of the hair if I want to add links on the side. Then, I’ll take a set of razors and direct the hair from the inside of the pinch so that it pushes the weight out to the side and keeps the length.”

Going the Extra Mile

While bangs can be a fun way to inspire clients to try something new, it can also be a great opportunity to build business in the salon as it encourages them to come in more frequently for trims and touch-ups.

Though some salons offer

PRO TIP complimentary bang trims, which are still beneficial for business as they bring clients back into the salon more often and can help when it comes to making retail sales, you can also consider charging a small fee, especially for clients that don’t have a simple fringe and may require more of a cut to help clean up and maintain their look.

IF YOUR CLIENT’S DESIRED STYLE OF FRINGE ISN’T THE BEST OPTION FOR THEIR FACE SHAPE OR COMMITMENT LEVEL, CONSIDER GETTING CREATIVE BY COMBINING A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR A MORE CUSTOMIZED AND FLATTERING RESULT.

“I personally offer a touch-up price, which is a fraction of my full haircut prices for in-between-appointment fringe adjustments for my clients,” says Cardin. “I ask them to come with clean, dry hair and I can dry-cut their fringe and their face-framing pieces. Clients appreciate this a lot because it’s a quick service that takes about five to 10 minutes and can be easily booked in between other client appointments. They get maximum impact with minimal work on your part, giving a fresh feeling to the whole haircut, even though only the fringe was cut.”