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Nearly every woman over 50 considers cutting bangs and the urge may be even greater now when a slew of new and revived bang styles are trending in beauty. Bangs are magic for mature faces and hair and solve many age-related issues but most of all they make women feel sexy, flirty and fashionable. What’s not to like? The wrong bangs! Here are the best choices (plus the worst) to freshen up your go-to haircut now.
1. Curtain bangs
“Curtains” are parted in the middle (just like curtains on a stage or window) and sweep outwards to frame the face on either side. They add movement to the hair and give it a modern “broken up” look. They’re a cross between a bang and a layer and leave the center of the forehead open, so don’t count on them for crease camouflage though they can hide thinning at the temples. The length of the “curtain” varies from cheekbone to just above lip level and can quickly update a variety of hair lengths from bob to long. This bang does work best on hair with a little body or wave rather than extremely straight, fine or thin hair. Curtain bangs can give hair that’s worn “down” a fresh twist but are an amazing update if you like to wear your hair half up, half down, up in a clip or pulled back in ponytail since they add some softness around the face. You can emphasize the curtain section by using a curling iron or round brush as you blow dry to kick out the flare.
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2. Bottleneck bangs
Let’s clear up the confusion: Curtain bangs and bottleneck bangs are similar but different. Both are long, frame the face and accent cheekbones, but curtain bangs break cleanly at the center and fall away from the face in one smooth layer on either side. It’s a more sophisticated bang. Bottlenecks include some shorter bangs at the center (sometimes separated in an inverted V) that gradually slope and lengthen to curve at the cheekbone. The “bottleneck” is the flared shape that narrows on top, mimicking a bottle. It’s an edgier, choppier, lived-in look with a cool-girl attitude that works best on mature hair that’s medium to thick and healthy. Again, a round brush can assist in adding lift and body as you dry. Style bottlenecks in sections, blow-drying down to get a smooth look at the forehead and diagonally for a curved shape at the outer bang.
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