One hairstyle we can all get behind is bangs, but bottleneck bangs aren’t to be confused with curtain bangs. The two styles, both beautiful for face-framing, are different in their effect. 

Curtain bangs, made famous by Euro-influencers and TikTok trends, are shorter, bouncier and fluffier; bottleneck bangs are the laid-back low-maintenance alternative that have been worn by the likes of Dua Lipa, Kaley Cuoco, Dakota Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen and Margot Robbie.

It’s a softer look than the straight horizontal fringe that works to effortlessly frame your face, and best of all, it takes minimal styling day-to-day, which is why bottleneck bangs are becoming so popular. 

“Bottleneck bangs are an exceptional technique to frame the face,” explains celebrity hairstylist Tom Smith. “Many people don’t suit a classic fringe, but most can wear bottleneck bangs to add softness to the face.”

“In essence, this hairstyle takes inspiration from the neck of a bottle: starting slim and short in the middle, curving longer around the eyes, and then longest following the line of the cheekbone. This allows the length and angle to be adjusted depending on whether you want to make your cheekbones appear wider or stronger or if you want to draw focus to your eyes and lips.

“Bottleneck bangs also soften the face when tying your hair up into a bun or ponytail as you can leave them out to frame the face. You could also leave just the shorter softer fringe pieces or longer face-framing tendrils out, too.”

“To get bottleneck bangs, ask your hairstylist to create longer bangs that skim your cheekbones at an angle that complements your face, curving around to create a layer that sits somewhere between your cheekbones and jaw. Then ask for the central part to be cut shorter, keeping the cutting line soft and choppy, with the shortest part in the middle and getting longer on the edges.”

Main image: Getty